Matrix rings over *-regular rings and pseudo-rank functions (Q1118668)

We say that a *-regular ring R satisfies the condition LP\(\sim^{*}RP\) if any two equivalent projections of R are *-equivalent. One of the main results of this paper contains a characterization of those *-regular rings whose matrix rings are *-regular satisfying LP\(\sim^{*}RP\). As an application of this the author finds a structure theorem for *-regular self-injective rings of type I whose matrix rings satisfy LP\(\sim^{*}RP\). The condition LP\(\sim^{*}RP\) is also studied for *- regular rings that are complete with respect to a pseudo-rank function. Thus it is shown that if R is a unit regular *-regular ring satisfying LP\(\sim^{*}RP\), then the completion of R with respect to any pseudo- rank function satisfies LP\(\sim^{*}RP\). (This extends some previous results of \textit{J. L. Burke} [Can. Math. Bull. 19, 21-38 (1976; Zbl 0334.16018)].) In particular, the completion of \(\lim_{\to}M_{2^ n}(Q(x))\) with respect to its unique rank function is a *-regular ring R satisfying LP\(\sim^{*}RP\) (In [\textit{D. Handelman}, Trans. Am. Math. Soc. 235, 1-34 (1978; Zbl 0369.46053), p. 31, Example 1] it was stated erroneously that R does not satisfy LP\(\sim^{*}RP.)\) Finally many examples are constructed of *-regular self-injective rings of type II which satisfy LP\(\sim^{*}RP\).