Let $X$ be a separated finite type scheme over a noetherian base ring $\mathbb{K}$. There is a complex $\widehat{\mathcal{C}}^{\cdot} (X)$ of topological $\mathcal{O}_X$-modules, called the complete Hochschild chain complex of $X$. To any $\mathcal{O}_X$-module $\mathcal{M}$---not necessarily quasi-coherent---we assign the complex $\mathcal{H}om^{\cont}_{\mathcal{O}_X} \bigl( \widehat{\mathcal{C}}^{\cdot} (X), \mathcal{M} \bigr)$ of continuous Hochschild cochains with values in $\mathcal{M}$. Our first main result is that when $X$ is smooth over $\mathbb{K}$ there is a functorial isomorphism $$ \mathcal{H}om^{\cont}_{\mathcal{O}_X} \bigl( \widehat{\mathcal{C}}^{\cdot} (X), \mathcal{M} \bigr) \cong \R \mathcal{H}om_{\mathcal{O}_{X^2}} (\mathcal{O}_X, \mathcal{M}) $$ in the derived category $\mathsf{D} (\Mod \mathcal{O}_{X^2})$, where $X^2 := X \times_{\mathbb{K}} X$. The second main result is that if $X$ is smooth of relative dimension $n$ and $n!$ is invertible in $\mathbb{K}$, then the standard maps $\pi \colon \widehat{\mathcal{C}}^{-q} (X) \to \Omega^q_{X/ \mathbb{K}}$ induce a quasi-isomorphism $$ \mathcal{H}om_{\mathcal{O}_X} \Bigl( \bigoplus_q \Omega^q_{X/ \mathbb{K}} [q], \mathcal{M} \Bigr) \to \mathcal{H}om^{\cont}_{\mathcal{O}_X} \bigl( \widehat{\mathcal{C}}^{\cdot} (X), \mathcal{M} \bigr). $$ When $\mathcal{M} = \mathcal{O}_X$ this is the quasi-isomorphism underlying the Kontsevich Formality Theorem. Combining the two results above we deduce a decomposition of the global Hochschild cohomology $$ \Ext^i_{\mathcal{O}_{X^2}} (\mathcal{O}_X, \mathcal{M}) \cong \bigoplus_q \H^{i-q} \Bigl( X, \bigl( \bigwedge^q_{\mathcal{O}_X} \mathcal{T}_{X/\mathbb{K}} \bigr) \otimes_{\mathcal{O}_X} \mathcal{M} \Bigr), $$ where $\mathcal{T}_{X/\mathbb{K}}$ is the relative tangent sheaf.

In this paper, we investigate projectivity in the category of operator spaces. In particular, we show that the Fourier algebra of a locally compact group $G$ is operator biprojective if and only if $G$ is discrete.

This paper gives a characterization of valuations that follow the singular infinitely near points of plane vector fields, using the notion of L'H\^opital valuation, which generalizes a well known classical condition. With that tool, we give a valuative description of vector fields with infinite solutions, singularities with rational quotient of eigenvalues in its linear part, and polynomial vector fields with transcendental solutions, among other results.

Let $\H$ be the Hilbert function of some set of distinct points in $\P^n$ and let $\alpha = \alpha (\H)$ be the least degree of a hypersurface of $\P^n$ containing these points. Write $\alpha = d_s + d_{s-1} + \cdots + d_1$ (where $d_i > 0$). We canonically decompose $\H$ into $s$ other Hilbert functions $\H \leftrightarrow (\H_s^\prime, \dots, \H_1^\prime)$ and show how to find sets of distinct points $\Y_s, \dots, \Y_1$, lying on reduced hypersurfaces of degrees $d_s, \dots, d_1$ (respectively) such that the Hilbert function of $\Y_i$ is $\H_i^\prime$ and the Hilbert function of $\Y = \bigcup_{i=1}^s \Y_i$ is $\H$. Some extremal properties of this canonical decomposition are also explored.

Let $F$ be a divisor on the blow-up $X$ of $\pr^2$ at $r$ general points $p_1, \dots, p_r$ and let $L$ be the total transform of a line on $\pr^2$. An approach is presented for reducing the computation of the dimension of the cokernel of the natural map $\mu_F \colon \Gamma \bigl( \CO_X(F) \bigr) \otimes \Gamma \bigl( \CO_X(L) \bigr) \to \Gamma \bigl( \CO_X(F) \otimes \CO_X(L) \bigr)$ to the case that $F$ is ample. As an application, a formula for the dimension of the cokernel of $\mu_F$ is obtained when $r = 7$, completely solving the problem of determining the modules in minimal free resolutions of fat point subschemes\break $m_1 p_1 + \cdots + m_7 p_7 \subset \pr^2$. All results hold for an arbitrary algebraically closed ground field~$k$.

Let $L$ be a simple algebraic group and $P$ a parabolic subgroup with Abelian unipotent radical $P^u$. Many familiar varieties (determinantal varieties, their symmetric and skew-symmetric analogues) arise as closures of $P$-orbits in $P^u$. We give a unified invariant-theoretic treatment of various properties of these orbit closures. We also describe the closures of the conormal bundles of these orbits as the irreducible components of some commuting variety and show that the polynomial algebra $k[P^u]$ is a free module over the algebra of covariants.

We settle a conjecture of Goresky, Kottwitz and MacPherson related to Koszul duality, \ie, to the correspondence between differential graded modules over the exterior algebra and those over the symmetric algebra.

Let $R$ be a countable, principal ideal domain which is not a field and $A$ be a countable $R$-algebra which is free as an $R$-module. Then we will construct an $\aleph_1$-free $R$-module $G$ of rank $\aleph_1$ with endomorphism algebra End$_RG = A$. Clearly the result does not hold for fields. Recall that an $R$-module is $\aleph_1$-free if all its countable submodules are free, a condition closely related to Pontryagin's theorem. This result has many consequences, depending on the algebra $A$ in use. For instance, if we choose $A = R$, then clearly $G$ is an indecomposable `almost free' module. The existence of such modules was unknown for rings with only finitely many primes like $R = \hbox{\Bbbvii Z}_{(p)}$, the integers localized at some prime $p$. The result complements a classical realization theorem of Corner's showing that any such algebra is an endomorphism algebra of some torsion-free, reduced $R$-module $G$ of countable rank. Its proof is based on new combinatorial-algebraic techniques related with what we call {\it rigid tree-elements\/} coming from a module generated over a forest of trees.

The abstract Witt rings which are Gorenstein have been classified when the dimension is one and the classification problem for those of dimension zero has been reduced to the case of socle degree three. Here we classifiy the Gorenstein Witt rings of fields with dimension zero and socle degree three. They are of elementary type.