Extracting a basis with fixed block inside a matrix
  Given $U$ an $n\times m$ matrix of rank $n$ and $V$ block of columns inside $U$, we consider the problem of extracting a block of columns of rank $n$ which minimize the Hilbert-Schmidt norm of the inverse while preserving the block $V$. This generalizes a previous result of Gluskin-Olevskii, and improves the estimates when given a "good" block $V$. 
Pierre Youssef
math.FA