On functional identities in prime rings with involution (Q1266465)

The paper extends results from \textit{K. I. Beidar}'s recent work [Commun. Algebra 26, No. 6, 1819-1850 (1998; Zbl 0901.16011)] to rings with involution. Let \(R\) be a prime ring with involution \(*\), \(Q\) be its maximal left ring of quotients, and \(E_i,F_i,G_i,H_i\colon R^{m-1}\to Q\) be arbitrary mappings. Functional identities of the form \(\sum^m_{i=1} E^i_ix_i+x_iF^i_i+G^i_ix^*_i+x^*_iH^i_i=0\) are studied. Here, \(E^i_i\) stands for \(E_i(x_1,\dots,x_{i-1},x_{i+1},\dots,x_m)\). The definitive description of all mappings can be given, unless every symmetric and every skew element in \(R\) is algebraic of degree \(\leq 2m\) over the extended centroid of \(R\). Several applications of this result are obtained. The paper also yields an interesting observation that one does not need to assume multi-additivity of mappings when treating functional identities.