Decomposition rank and absorbing extensions of type I algebras

We prove the following: Let A and B be separable C^*-algebras. Suppose that B is a type I C^*-algebra such that

(i)

B has only infinite dimensional irreducible *-representations, and

(ii)

B has finite decomposition rank.

If

0→B→C→A→0     

The Elliott conjecture for Villadsen algebras of the first type

We study the class of simple C^∗-algebras introduced by Villadsen in his pioneering work on perforated ordered K-theory. We establish six equivalent characterisations of the proper subclass which satisfies the strong form of Elliott's classification conjecture: two C^∗-algebraic (Z-stability and approximate divisibility), one K-theoretic (strict comparison of positive elements), and three topological (finite decomposition rank, slow dimension growth, and bounded dimension growth). The equivalence of Z-stability and strict comparison constitutes a stably finite version of Kirchberg's characterisation of purely infinite C^∗-algebras. The other equivalences confirm, for Villadsen's algebras, heretofore conjectural relationships between various notions of good behaviour for nuclear C^∗-algebras.     

A Morita theorem for dual operator algebras

We prove that two dual operator algebras are weak^∗ Morita equivalent in the sense of [D.P. Blecher, U. Kashyap, Morita equivalence of dual operator algebras, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 212 (2008) 2401-2412] if and only if they have equivalent categories of dual operator modules via completely contractive functors which are also weak^∗-continuous on appropriate morphism spaces. Moreover, in a fashion similar to the operator algebra case, we characterize such functors as the module normal Haagerup tensor product with an appropriate weak^∗ Morita equivalence bimodule. We also develop the theory of the W^∗-dilation, which connects the non-selfadjoint dual operator algebra with the W^∗-algebraic framework. In the case of weak^∗ Morita equivalence, this W^∗-dilation is a W^∗-module over a von Neumann algebra generated by the non-selfadjoint dual operator algebra. The theory of the W^∗-dilation is a key part of the proof of our main theorem.     

A new construction of vertex algebras and quasi-modules for vertex algebras

In this paper, a new construction of vertex algebras from more general vertex operators is given and a notion of quasimodule for vertex algebras is introduced and studied. More specifically, a notion of quasilocal subset(space) of for any vector space W is introduced and studied, generalizing the notion of usual locality in the most possible way, and it is proved that on any maximal quasilocal subspace there exists a natural vertex algebra structure and that any quasilocal subset of generates a vertex algebra. Furthermore, it is proved that W is a quasimodule for each of the vertex algebras generated by quasilocal subsets of . A notion of Γ-vertex algebra is also introduced and studied, where Γ is a subgroup of the multiplicative group C^× of nonzero complex numbers. It is proved that any maximal quasilocal subspace of is naturally a Γ-vertex algebra and that any quasilocal subset of generates a Γ-vertex algebra. It is also proved that a Γ-vertex algebra exactly amounts to a vertex algebra equipped with a Γ-module structure which satisfies a certain compatibility condition. Finally, two families of examples are given, involving twisted affine Lie algebras and certain quantum torus Lie algebras.     

Functional calculus and ∗-regularity of a class of Banach algebras II

In this article, we define a natural Banach ∗-algebra for a C^∗-dynamical system (A,G,α) which is slightly bigger than L¹(G;A) (they are the same if A is finite-dimensional). We will show that this algebra is ∗-regular if G has polynomial growth. The main result in this article extends the two main results in [C.W. Leung, C.K. Ng, Functional calculus and ∗-regularity of a class of Banach algebras, Proc. Amer. Math. Soc., in press].     

Extensions of operator algebras I

We transcribe a portion of the theory of extensions of C^∗-algebras to general operator algebras. We also include several new general facts about approximately unital ideals in operator algebras and the C^∗-algebras which they generate.     

Asymptotic approximations for second-order linear difference equations in Banach algebras, II

A Liouville-Green (WKB) asymptotic approximation theory is developed for some classes of linear second-order difference equations in Banach algebras. The special case of linear matrix difference equations (or, equivalently, of second-order systems) is emphasized. Rigorous and explicitly computable bounds for the error terms are obtained, and this when both, the sequence index and some parameter that may enter the coefficients, go to infinity. A simple application is made to orthogonal matrix polynomials in the Nevai class.     

Approximate and pseudo-amenability of various classes of Banach algebras

We continue the investigation of notions of approximate amenability that were introduced in work of the second and third authors together with R.J. Loy. It is shown that every boundedly approximately contractible Banach algebra has a bounded approximate identity, and that the Fourier algebra of the free group on two generators is not operator approximately amenable. Further examples are obtained of ?¹-semigroup algebras which are approximately amenable but not amenable; using these, we show that bounded approximate contractibility need not imply sequential approximate amenability. Results are also given for Segal algebras on locally compact groups, and algebras of p-pseudo-functions on discrete groups.     

Some inequalities for the atom-bond connectivity index of graph operations

The atom-bond connectivity index is a useful topological index in studying the stability of alkanes and the strain energy of cycloalkanes. In this paper some inequalities for the atom-bond connectivity index of a series of graph operations are presented. We also prove our bounds are tight. As an application, the ABC indices of C₄ nanotubes and nanotori are computed.     

Separable states and positive maps

Using the natural duality between linear functionals on tensor products of C^∗-algebras with the trace class operators on a Hilbert space H and linear maps of the C^∗-algebra into B(H), we study the relationship between separability, entanglement and the Peres condition of states and positivity properties of the linear maps.     

Domains of infinitesimal generators of automorphism flows

We present a systematic characterization of the domain of a generator of a one parameter group on certain C∗-subalgebras of via finite-dimensional estimates. Our approach yields an example of a densely defined closed symmetric derivation on a C∗-subalgebras of whose domain is not closed with respect to the C¹-functional calculus. This completes and complements the earlier example of McIntosh (J. Funct. Anal. 30 (1977) 264). Our methods are partly based on the theory of adjoint C₀-semigroups.     

The ideal property, the projection property, continuous fields and crossed products

Let A be the C^∗-algebra associated to an arbitrary continuous field of C^∗-algebras. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for A to have the ideal property and, if moreover A is separable, we give a necessary and sufficient condition for A to have the projection property. Some applications of these results are given. We also prove that “many” crossed products of commutative C^∗-algebras by discrete, amenable groups have the projection property, generalizing some of our previous results.     

Removable edges in a 5-connected graph and a construction method of 5-connected graphs

An edge e of a k-connected graph G is said to be a removable edge if G?e is still k-connected. A k-connected graph G is said to be a quasi (k+1)-connected if G has no nontrivial k-separator. The existence of removable edges of 3-connected and 4-connected graphs and some properties of quasi k-connected graphs have been investigated [D.A. Holton, B. Jackson, A. Saito, N.C. Wormale, Removable edges in 3-connected graphs, J. Graph Theory 14(4) (1990) 465-473; H. Jiang, J. Su, Minimum degree of minimally quasi (k+1)-connected graphs, J. Math. Study 35 (2002) 187-193; T. Politof, A. Satyanarayana, Minors of quasi 4-connected graphs, Discrete Math. 126 (1994) 245-256; T. Politof, A. Satyanarayana, The structure of quasi 4-connected graphs, Discrete Math. 161 (1996) 217-228; J. Su, The number of removable edges in 3-connected graphs, J. Combin. Theory Ser. B 75(1) (1999) 74-87; J. Yin, Removable edges and constructions of 4-connected graphs, J. Systems Sci. Math. Sci. 19(4) (1999) 434-438]. In this paper, we first investigate the relation between quasi connectivity and removable edges. Based on the relation, the existence of removable edges in k-connected graphs (k?5) is investigated. It is proved that a 5-connected graph has no removable edge if and only if it is isomorphic to K₆. For a k-connected graph G such that end vertices of any edge of G have at most k-3 common adjacent vertices, it is also proved that G has a removable edge. Consequently, a recursive construction method of 5-connected graphs is established, that is, any 5-connected graph can be obtained from K₆ by a number of θ⁺-operations. We conjecture that, if k is even, a k-connected graph G without removable edge is isomorphic to either K_k+1 or the graph H_k/2+1 obtained from K_k+2 by removing k/2+1 disjoint edges, and, if k is odd, G is isomorphic to K_k+1.     

Graph classes and the complexity of the graph orientation minimizing the maximum weighted outdegree

Given an undirected graph with edge weights, we are asked to find an orientation, that is, an assignment of a direction to each edge, so as to minimize the weighted maximum outdegree in the resulted directed graph. The problem is called MMO, and is a restricted variant of the well-known minimum makespan problem. As in previous studies, it is shown that MMO is in P for trees, weak NP-hard for planar bipartite graphs, and strong NP-hard for general graphs. There are still gaps between those graph classes. The objective of this paper is to show tighter thresholds of complexity: We show that MMO is (i) in P for cactus graphs, (ii) weakly NP-hard for outerplanar graphs, and also (iii) strongly NP-hard for graphs which are both planar and bipartite. This implies the NP-hardness for P₄-bipartite, diamond-free or house-free graphs, each of which is a superclass of cactus. We also show (iv) the NP-hardness for series-parallel graphs and multi-outerplanar graphs, and (v) present a pseudo-polynomial time algorithm for graphs with bounded treewidth.     

The hardness of approximating the boxicity, cubicity and threshold dimension of a graph

A k-dimensional box is the Cartesian product R₁×R₂×?×R_k where each R_i is a closed interval on the real line. The boxicity of a graph G, denoted as , is the minimum integer k such that G can be represented as the intersection graph of a collection of k-dimensional boxes. A unit cube in k-dimensional space or a k-cube is defined as the Cartesian product R₁×R₂×?×R_k where each R_i is a closed interval on the real line of the form [a_i,a_i+1]. The cubicity of G, denoted as , is the minimum integer k such that G can be represented as the intersection graph of a collection of k-cubes. The threshold dimension of a graph G(V,E) is the smallest integer k such that E can be covered by k threshold spanning subgraphs of G. In this paper we will show that there exists no polynomial-time algorithm for approximating the threshold dimension of a graph on n vertices with a factor of O(n^0.5−?) for any ?>0 unless NP=ZPP. From this result we will show that there exists no polynomial-time algorithm for approximating the boxicity and the cubicity of a graph on n vertices with factor O(n^0.5−?) for any ?>0 unless NP=ZPP. In fact all these hardness results hold even for a highly structured class of graphs, namely the split graphs. We will also show that it is NP-complete to determine whether a given split graph has boxicity at most 3.     

On the minimum real roots of the adjoint polynomial of a graph

For a graph G, we denote by h(G,x) the adjoint polynomial of G. Let β(G) denote the minimum real root of h(G,x). In this paper, we characterize all the connected graphs G with .     

Non-commutative generalisations of Urysohn's lemma and hereditary inner ideals

We establish several generalisations of Urysohn's lemma in the setting of JB^∗-triples which provide full answers to Problems 1.12 and 1.13 in Fernández-Polo and Peralta (2007) [22]. These results extend the previous generalisations obtained by C.A. Akemann, G.K. Pedersen and L.G. Brown in the setting of C^∗-algebras. A generalised Kadison's transitivity theorem is established for finite sums of pairwise orthogonal compact tripotents in JBW^∗-triples. We introduce the notion of positively open tripotent in the bidual of a JB^∗-triple as an extension of a concept which was already considered in the setting of ternary rings of operators. We investigate the connections appearing between positively open tripotents and hereditary inner ideals.     

Fixed point property for Banach algebras associated to locally compact groups

In this paper we investigate when various Banach algebras associated to a locally compact group G have the weak or weak^∗ fixed point property for left reversible semigroups. We proved, for example, that if G is a separable locally compact group with a compact neighborhood of the identity invariant under inner automorphisms, then the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra of G has the weak^∗ fixed point property for left reversible semigroups if and only if G is compact. This generalizes a classical result of T.C. Lim for the case when G is the circle group T.     

On the topology of the Kasparov groups and its applications

In this paper we establish a direct connection between stable approximate unitary equivalence for *-homomorphisms and the topology of the KK-groups which avoids entirely C^*-algebra extension theory and does not require nuclearity assumptions. To this purpose we show that a topology on the Kasparov groups can be defined in terms of approximate unitary equivalence for Cuntz pairs and that this topology coincides with both Pimsner's topology and the Brown-Salinas topology. We study the generalized Rørdam group , and prove that if a separable exact residually finite dimensional C^*-algebra satisfies the universal coefficient theorem in KK-theory, then it embeds in the UHF algebra of type 2^∞. In particular such an embedding exists for the C^*-algebra of a second countable amenable locally compact maximally almost periodic group.