We show that every free semigroup algebra has a (strongly) unique Banach space predual. We also provide a new simpler proof that a weak-$*$ closed unital operator algebra containing a weak-$*$ dense subalgebra of compact operators has a unique Banach space predual.

Let $KG$ be a non-commutative strongly Lie solvable group algebra of a group $G$ over a field $K$ of positive characteristic $p$. In this note we state necessary and sufficient conditions so that the strong Lie derived length of $KG$ assumes its minimal value, namely $\lceil \log_{2}(p+1)\rceil $.

In this paper, we investigate the higher simplicial cohomology groups of the convolution algebra $\ell^1(S)$ for various semigroups $S$. The classes of semigroups considered are semilattices, Clifford semigroups, regular Rees semigroups and the additive semigroups of integers greater than $a$ for some integer $a$. Our results are of two types: in some cases, we show that some cohomology groups are $0$, while in some other cases, we show that some cohomology groups are Banach spaces.

We construct new examples of non-nil algebras with any number of generators, which are direct sums of two locally nilpotent subalgebras. Like all previously known examples, our examples are contracted semigroup algebras and the underlying semigroups are unions of locally nilpotent subsemigroups. In our constructions we make more transparent than in the past the close relationship between the considered problem and combinatorics of words.

Dimension subgroups and Lie dimension subgroups are known to satisfy a `universal coefficient decomposition', {\it i.e.} their value with respect to an arbitrary coefficient ring can be described in terms of their values with respect to the `universal' coefficient rings given by the cyclic groups of infinite and prime power order. Here this fact is generalized to much more general types of induced subgroups, notably covering Fox subgroups and relative dimension subgroups with respect to group algebra filtrations induced by arbitrary $N$-series, as well as certain common generalisations of these which occur in the study of the former. This result relies on an extension of the principal universal coefficient decomposition theorem on polynomial ideals (due to Passi, Parmenter and Seghal), to all additive subgroups of group rings. This is possible by using homological instead of ring theoretical methods.