Let sln denote the set of all n × n complex matrices with trace zero. Suppose that ø: sln → sln is a bijective linear mapping preserving square-zero matrices. Then ø is either of the form ø(A) = cUAU-1 or ø(A) = cUAtU-1 where U is an invertible n × n matrix and c is a nonzero complex number. The same result holds if we assume that ø is a linear mapping preserving square-zero matrices in both directions. Applying this result we prove that a linear mapping ø defined on the algebra of all n × n matrices is an automorphism if and only if it preserves zero products in both directions and satisfies ø(I) = I. An extension of this last result to the infinite-dimensional case is considered.

Using the LLL-algorithm for finding short vectors in lattices, we show how to compute a Jacobi sum for the prime field Fp in Q(e2πi/n) in time O(log3p), where n is small and fixed, p is large, and p = 1 (mod n). This result is useful in the construction of hyperelliptic cryptosystems.

This note concerns Fourier transforms on the real positive line. In particular, we seek conditions on a real function u(x) in x > 0, that ensure that its Fourier-cosine transform v(t) = u(x) cos xt dx is positive. We prove first that this is so for all t > 0, if u"(x) > 0 for all x > 0, that is, that everywhere-convex functions have everywhere-positive Fourier-cosine transforms. We then obtain a complex-plane criterion for some types of non-convex u(x). Finally we consider criteria on u(x) that imply positivity of v(t) for t > t0, for some t0 > 0.

The mechanical procedure of paper folding generates an uncountable family of infinite sequences of fold patterns. We obtain the associated Fourier series and show that the sequences are almost periodic and hence deterministic. Further, we show that paper folding numbers defined by the sequences are all transcendental.

Using the characterization of the free inverse semigroup F on a set X, given by Scheiblich, a necessary and sufficient condition is found for a subset K of an inverse semigroup S to be a set of free generators for the inverse sub semigroup of S generated by K. It is then shown that any non-idempotent element of F generates the free inverse semigroup on one generator and that if |X| > 2 then F contains the free inverse semigroup on a countable number of generators. In addition, it is shown that if |X| = 1 then F does not contain the free inverse semigroup on two generators.

We consider the split common null point problem in Hilbert space. We introduce and study a shrinking projection method for finding a solution using the resolvent of a maximal monotone operator and prove a strong convergence theorem for the algorithm.

A ring is called strongly clean if every element is the sum of an idempotent and a unit which commute. In 1999 Nicholson asked whether every semiperfect ring is strongly clean and whether the matrix ring of a strongly clean ring is strongly clean. In this paper, we prove that if R = {m/n ∈ ℚ: n is odd}, then M2(R) is a semiperfect ring but not strongly clean. Thus, we give negative answers to both questions. It is also proved that every upper triangular matrix ring over the ring R is strongly clean.

For a V-category B, where V is a symmetric monoidal closed category, various limit-like notions have been recognized: ordinary limits (in the underlying category B0 ) preserved by the V-valued representable functors; cotensor products; ends; pointwise Kan extensions. It has further been recognized that, to be called complete, B should admit all of these; for which it suffices to demand the first two. Hitherto, however, there has been no single limit-notion of which all these are special cases, and particular instances of which may exist even when B is not complete or even cotensored. In consequence it has not been possible even to state, say, the representability criterion for a V-functor T: B → V, or even to define, say, pointwise Kan extensions into B, except for cotensored B. (It is somewhat as if, for ordinary categories, we had the notions of product and equalizer, but lacked that of general limit, and could not discuss pullbacks in the absence of products.) In this paper we provide such a general limit-notion for V-categories.

A metric space 〈X,d〉 is said to have nice closed balls if each closed ball in X is either compact or the entire space. This class of spaces includes the metric spaces in which closed and bounded sets are compact and those for which the distance function is the zero-one metric. We show that these are the spaces in which the relation F = Lim Fn for sequences of closed sets is equivalent to the pointwise convergence of 〈d (.,Fn)〉 to d (.,F). We also reconcile these modes of convergence with three other closely related ones.

We give a formula on the ε−subdifferential of the difference of two convex functions. As a by-product of this formula, one recovers a recent result of Hiriart-Urruty, namely, a necessary and sufficient condition for global optimality in nonconvex optimisation.

We study properties of the Drazin index of regular elements in a ring with a unity 1. We give expressions for generalized inverses of 1−ba in terms of generalized inverses of 1−ab. In our development we prove that the Drazin index of 1−ba is equal to the Drazin index of 1−ab.

Let x: M → Em be an immersion of finite type. In this paper we study the following two problems: (1) When is the spectral decomposition ofthe immersion x linearly independent? (2) When is the spectral decomposition orthogonal? Several results in this respect were obtained.

Based on the work of Mauldin and Williams [‘On the Hausdorff dimension of some graphs’, Trans. Amer. Math. Soc. 298(2) (1986), 793–803] on convex Lipschitz functions, we prove that fractal interpolation functions belong to the space of convex Lipschitz functions under certain conditions. Using this, we obtain some dimension results for fractal functions. We also give some bounds on the fractal dimension of fractal functions with the help of oscillation spaces.

A mapping f of a ring R into itself is called skew-commuting on a subset S of R if f(s)s + sf(s) = 0 for all s ∈ S. We prove two theorems which show that under rather mild assumptions a nonzero additive mapping cannot have this property. The first theorem asserts that if R is a prime ring of characteristic not 2, and f: R → R is an additive mapping which is skew-commuting on an ideal I of R, then f(I) = 0. The second theorem states that zero is the only additive mapping which is skew-commuting on a 2-torsion free semiprime ring.

This paper deals with the study of uniform asymptotic stability of the measure differential system Dx = F(t, x) + G(t, x)Du, where the symbol D stands for the derivative in the sense of distributions. The system is viewed as a perturbed system of the ordinary differential system x' = F(t, x), where the perturbation term G(t, x)Du is impulsive and the state of the system changes suddenly at the points of discontinuity of u. It is shown, under certain conditions, that the uniform asymptotic stability property of the unperturbed system is shared by the perturbed system. To do this, the well-known Gronwall integral inequality is generalized so as to be applicable to Lebesgue-Stieltjes integrals.

An algorithmic approach to degree reduction of Bézier curves is presented. The algorithm is based on the matrix representations of the degree elevation and degree reduction processes. The control points of the approximation are obtained by the generalised least squares method. The computations are carried out by minimising the L2 and discrete l2 distance between the two curves.

We provide bounds on the average distance between two points uniformly and independently chosen from a compact convex subset of the s-dimensional Euclidean space.

We obtain a general transcendence theorem for the solutions of a certain type of functional equation. A particular and striking consequence of the general result is that, for any irrational number w, the function

takes transcendental values at all algebraic points α with 0 < |α| < 1.

The primitive finite permutation groups containing a cycle are classified. Of these, only the alternating and symmetric groups contain a cycle fixing at least three points. This removes a primality condition from a classical theorem of Jordan. Some applications to monodromy groups are given, and the contributions of Jordan and Marggraff to this topic are briefly discussed.

The monoid n of uniform block permutations is the factorisable inverse monoid which arises from the natural action of the symmetric group on the join semilattice of equivalences on an n-set; it has been described in the literature as the factorisable part of the dual symmetric inverse monoid. The present paper gives and proves correct a monoid presentation forn. The methods involved make use of a general criterion for a monoid generated by a group and an idempotent to be inverse, the structure of factorisable inverse monoids, and presentations of the symmetric group and the join semilattice of equivalences on an n-set.