Let F ⊂ G be closed and A(F) = A(G)/IF. If F is a Helson set then A(F)** is an amenable (semisimple) Banach algebra. Our main result implies the following theorem: Let G be a locally compact group, F ⊂ G closed, a ∈ G. Assume either (a) For some non-discrete closed subgroup H, the interior of F ∩ aH in aH is non-empty, or (b) R ⊂ G, S ⊂ R is a symmetric set and aS ⊂ F. Then A(F)** is a non-amenable non-semisimple Banach algebra. This raises the question: How ‘thin’ can F be for A(F)** to remain a non-amenable Banach algebra?

In this paper, we study the structure of certain conditional expectation on crossed product C*-algebra. In particular, we prove that the index of a conditional expectation E: B → A is finite if and only if the index of the induced expectation from B ⋊ G onto A ⋊ G is finite where G is a discrete group acting on B.

Well-bounded operators are those which possess a bounded functional calculus for the absolutely continuous functions on some compact interval. Depending on the weak compactness of this functional calculus, one obtains one of two types of spectral theorem for these operators. A method is given which enables one to obtain both spectral theorems by simply changing the topology used. Even for the case of well-bounded operators of type (B), the proof given is more elementary than that previously in the literature.

A group is said to be factorizable if it has a finite number of abelian subgroups, H1, H2, … Hn, such that G = H1H2 … Hn. It is shown that, if G is a factorizable or connected locally compact group, then every derivation from L1 (G) to an arbitrary L1 (G)-bimodule X is continuous.

Let E and F constitute a Banach pairing. We prove that the algebra of F-nuclear operators on E, Nf (E), is amenable if and only if E is finite dimensional and is weakly amenable if and only if dim KF ≦ 1, and the trace on E⊗F is injective on KF. Here KF is the kernel of the canonical map E⊗^F →NF(E). On the route we find the corresponding statements for the associated tensor algebra, E⊗^F.

We present a symmetric version of a normed algebra of quotients for each ultraprime normed algebra. In addition, a C*-a1gebra of quotients of an arbitrary C*-a1gebra is introduced.

It is well known that a complex-valued function ø, analytic on some open set Ω, extends to any commutative Banach algebra B so that the action of ø on B commutes with the action of the Gelfand transformation. In this paper, it is shown that if B is a homogeneous convolution Banach algebra over any compact group and if 0 ∈ Ω is a fixed point of ø, then a similar result holds, with the Gelfand transformation replaced by the Fourier-Stieltjes transformation. Care is required, in that discussion of this relation usually requires simultaneous consideration of the extension of ø to B and to certain operator algebras.

In this note it is proved that a (real or complex) semiprime Banach algebra A satisfying xAx = x2Ax2 for every x ∈ A is a direct sum of a finite number of division Banach algebras.

Topological algebra bundles whose fibre (-algebras) admit functional representations constitute a category, antiequivalent with that of (topological) fibre bundles having completely regular bundle spaces and locally compact fibres.

Let A be a semisimple modular annihilator Banach algebra and let LA be the left regular representation of A. We show how the strong radical of A is related to the strong radical of LA.

The bidual of a unital infrabarrelled l.m.c. C* algebra E, equipped with the bidual topology and the regualr Arens product, is always an l.m.c. C*-algebra. On the other hand, a unital l.m.c. *-algebra E has the C*-property if and only if every self-adjoint element x of E is strongly hermitian (x has real numerical range), or the sets of normalized states and normalized continuous positive linear forms of E coincide. Finally, every unital cpmplete l.m.c. C* algebra satisfying, locally, the property ‘the extreme points are dense in that set of continuous positive linear forms” (antiliminal algebra) has the complexes as its only normal elements.

This paper is concerned with the problem of automatic continuity of derivations from group algebras L1(G) is a locally compact group, and convolution algebras L1(ω), where ω is a weight function. In the case of group algebras, it is shown that either the problem reduces to the case when G is the free group on a countably infinite number of generators or there is a non-discrete group G with a discontinuous l1(G)-bimodule homomorphism from L1(G). It is also shown that every derivation from L1(G) to a commutative L1(G)-bimodule is continuous. Similar results are obtained for weighted convolution algebras.

The quotient bounded and the universally bounded elements in a calibrated locally convex algebra are defined and studied. In the case of a generalized B*-algebra A, they are shown to form respectively b* and B*-algebras, both dense in A. An internal spatial characterization of generalized B*-algebras is obtained. The concepts are illustrated with the help of examples of algebras of measurable functions and of continuous linear operators on a locally convex space.

Let G be a locally compact group G (which may be non-abelian) and Ap(G) the p-Fourier algebra of Herz (1971). This paper is concerned with the Fourier algebra Al, p(G) = Ap(G) ∩ L1(G) and various relations that exist between Al, p(G), Ap(G) and G.

Gelfand-type duality results can be obtained for locally convex algebras using a quasitopological structure on the spectrum of an algebra (as opposed to the topologies traditionally considered). In this way, the duality between (commutative, with identity) C*-algebras and compact spaces can be extended to pro-C*-algebras and separated quasitopologies. The extension is provided by a functional representation of an algebra A as the algebra of all continuous numerical functions on a quasitopological space. The first half of the paper deals with uniform spaces and quasitopologies, and has independent interest.

The question, whether a given element of a C*-algebra has an image of rank one in some faithful representation, was studied in [3]. Such elements were characterised there by the property of being “single” (as defined below). As was pointed out in [3], Section 5, this criterion fails for general Banach algebras and the purpose of this paper is to provide a stronger condition giving the required representation property for any semi-simple Banach algebra.