Curve selection Lemma for semianalytic sets and conjugacy classes of finite order in Lie groups

Using a strong version of the Curve Selection Lemma for real semianalytic sets, we prove that for an arbitrary connected Lie group G, each connected component of the set E_n(G)of all elements of order n in G is a conjugacy class in G. In particular, all conjugacy classes of finite order in G are closed. Some properties of connected components of E_n(G) are also given.     

A decomposition of partitions and numerical sets

Semigroup Forum - The aim of this work is to exhibit a decomposition of partitions of natural numbers and numerical sets. In particular, we obtain a decomposition of a sparse numerical set into the...     

A conjugacy criterion for Hall subgroups in finite groups

A finite group G is said to satisfy C _π for a set of primes π, if G possesses exactly one class of conjugate π-Hall subgroups. We obtain a criterion for a finite group G to satisfy C _π in terms of a normal series of the group.     

A note on conjugacy classes of finite groups

Let G be a finite group and let x ^G denote the conjugacy class of an element x of G. We classify all finite groups G in the following three cases: (i) Each non-trivial conjugacy class of G together with the identity element 1 is a subgroup of G, (ii) union of any two distinct non-trivial conjugacy classes of G together with 1 is a subgroup of G, and (iii) union of any three distinct non-trivial conjugacy classes of G together with 1 is a subgroup of G.     

Chain partitions of ordered sets

For natural numbers s and r and a finite poset P of height h, there exists a finite poset P of height H(s, r, h) such that for an arbitrary r-colouring of the s-chains of P, a monochromatically embedded copy of P can be found in P. A best possible upper bound for H(s, r, h) in terms of the well-known Ramsey numbers is given.     

A Brylawski decomposition for finite ordered sets

A decomposition is given for finite ordered sets P and is shown to be a unique decomposition in the sense of Brylawski. Hence there exists a universal invariant g(P) for this decomposition, and we compute g(P) explicitly. Some modifications of this decomposition are considered; in particular, one which forms a bidecomposition together with disjoint union.     

A note on Pall partitions over finite fields

A Pall partition for a quadratic space V is a collection of disjoint (except for {0}) maximal totally isotropic subspaces whose union contains all of the isotropic vectors in V. In this paper it is shown that no non-degenerate quadratic space of dimension 4k+1, k?1, over a finite field of odd characteristic can have a Pall partition. The method of proof consists of assuming such a partition exists and showing by various counting arguments that this leads to the existence of an impossible array of ordered pairs.     

Hyperplane partitions and difference systems of sets

Difference Systems of Sets (DSS) are combinatorial configurations that arise in connection with code synchronization. This paper gives new constructions of DSS obtained from partitions of hyperplanes in a finite projective space, as well as DSS obtained from balanced generalized weighing matrices and partitions of the complement of a hyperplane in a finite projective space.     

A parametrization of matrix conjugacy orbit sets as unions of affine planes

The problem of finding a canonical form of complex matrices up to conjugacy with the set of canonical matrices being a union of affine planes in the matrix space is considered. A solution of the problem is given.     

Convex partitions of a finite lattice

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the lattice of convex partitions for a lattice L. Then we will show some properties of this lattice. Finally, we will show that if the convex partition lattice of L is finite and modular if and only if L is a finite chain. Presented by R. McKenzie. Received December 16, 2004; accepted in final form March 7, 2006.     

A hierarchy of hereditarily finite sets

This article defines a hierarchy on the hereditarily finite sets which reflects the way sets are built up from the empty set by repeated adjunction, the addition to an already existing set of a single new element drawn from the already existing sets. The structure of the lowest levels of this hierarchy is examined, and some results are obtained about the cardinalities of levels of the hierarchy.      

Some finite groups with large conjugacy classes

We derive some properties of a family of finite groups, which was investigated by Camina, Macdonald, and others. For instance, we give information about the Schur multipliers of the class twop-groups in this family. A large part of this paper was written while the author was visiting the Department of Mathematics of the University of Trento. The author is indebted to this department, and in particular to C.M. Scoppola, for their kind hospitality. The author is also grateful to D. Chillag for his constructively destructive criticism of the first version of this paper.