Semigroups characterizing hypergraphs (Q1066164)

A hypergraph \((V,E,I)\) is determined by (an arbitrary) relation \(I\subset V\times E\) (\(V,E\) sets), its semigroup \((V\times E\cup \{0\},*)\) by \((v_ 1,e_ 1)*(v_ 2,e_ 2)=(v_ 1,e_ 2)\) iff \((v_ 2,e_ 1)\subset I\) (otherwise the product \(=0\)). It is proved that a hypergraph is characterized by its semigroup up to isomorphism. An algebraic characterization of hypergraph semigroups is given.