We show that the countable universal homogeneous meet-tree has a generic automorphism, but it does not have a generic pair of automorphisms.

If ${\mathfrak {F}}$ is a type-definable family of commensurable subsets, subgroups or subvector spaces in a metric structure, then there is an invariant subset, subgroup or subvector space commensurable with ${\mathfrak {F}}$. This in particular applies to type-definable or hyper-definable objects in a classical first-order structure.

We consider ${\cal S}$, the class of finite semilattices; ${\cal T}$, the class of finite treeable semilattices; and ${{\cal T}_m}$, the subclass of ${\cal T}$ which contains trees with branching bounded by m. We prove that ${\cal E}{\cal S}$, the class of finite lattices with linear extensions, is a Ramsey class. We calculate Ramsey degrees for structures in ${\cal S}$, ${\cal T}$, and ${{\cal T}_m}$. In addition to this we give a topological interpretation of our results and we apply our result to canonization of linear orderings on finite semilattices. In particular, we give an example of a Fraïssé class ${\cal K}$ which is not a Hrushovski class, and for which the automorphism group of the Fraïssé limit of ${\cal K}$ is not extremely amenable (with the infinite universal minimal flow) but is uniquely ergodic.

To each discrete left cancellative semigroup S one may associate an inverse semigroup Il(S), often called the left inverse hull of S. We show how the full and reduced C*-algebras of Il(S) are related to the full and reduced semigroup C*-algebras for S, recently introduced by Li, and give conditions ensuring that these algebras are isomorphic. Our picture provides an enhanced understanding of Li's algebras.

The homogenized ideal dual complex of an arbitrary meet-semilattice is introduced and described explicitly. Meet-distributive meet-semilattices whose homogenized ideal dual complex is level are characterized.

We investigate categorical and amalgamation properties of the functor $\operatorname{Id_c}$ assigning to every partially ordered abelian group $G$ its $\langle \vee, 0 \rangle$-semilattice of compact ideals $\operatorname{Id_c} G$. Our main result is the following.

Theorem 1. Every diagram of finite Boolean semilattices indexed by a finite dismantlable partially ordered set can be lifted, with respect to the$\operatorname{Id_c}$functor, by a diagram of pseudo-simplicial vector spaces.

Pseudo-simplicial vector spaces are a special kind of finite-dimensional partially ordered vector spaces with interpolation over the field of rational numbers. The methods introduced also make it possible to prove the following ring-theoretical result.

Theorem 2. For any countable distributive$\langle \vee, 0 \rangle$-semilattices$S$and$T$and any field$K$, any$\langle \vee, 0 \rangle$-homomorphism$f \colon S \to T$can be lifted, with respect to the$\operatorname{Id_c}$functor on rings, by a homomorphism $f \colon A \to B$of$K$-algebras, for countably dimensional locally matricial algebras$A$and$B$over$K$.

We also state a lattice-theoretical analogue of Theorem 2 (with respect to the $\operatorname{Con_c}$ functor), and we provide counterexamples to various related statements. In particular, we prove that the result of Theorem 1 cannot be achieved with simplicial vector spaces alone.

A counter-example is provided to the conjecture of Y. S. Pawar and N. K. Thakare that a semilattice S with 0 is 0-distributive if and only if for each filter F and each ideal I such that F ∩ I = Ø, there exists a prime filter containing F and disjoint from I. This shows that 0-distributivity is not equivalent to weak distributivity. A characterization is also given of finite P-uniform semilattices in terms of 0-distributivity.