  We provide combinatorial realizations, according to the usual objects/moves
scheme, of the following three topological categories: (1) pairs (M,v) where M
is a 3-manifold (up to diffeomorphism) and v is a (non-singular vector) field,
up to homotopy; here possibly the boundary of M is non-empty and v may be
tangent to the boundary, but only in a concave fashion, and homotopy should
preserve tangency type; (2) framed links L in M, up to framed isotopy; (3)
triples (M,v,L), with (M,v) as above and L transversal to v, up to
pseudo-Legendrian isotopy (transversality-preserving simultaneous homotopy of v
and isotopy of L). All realizations are based on the notion of branched
standard spine, and build on results previously obtained. Links are encoded by
means of diagrams on branched spines, where the diagram is smooth with respect
to the branching. Several motivations for being interested in combinatorial
realizations of the topological categories considered in this paper are given
in the introduction. The encoding of links is suitable for the comparison of
the framed and the pseudo-Legendrian categories, and some applications are
given in connection with contact structures, torsion and finite-order
invariants. An estension of Trace's notion of winding number of a knot diagram
is introduced and discussed.
