Almost relative injective modules. (Q294166)

Given two right \(R\)-modules \(M\) and \(N\), \(M\) is called almost \(N\)-injective if for any homomorphism \(f\colon A\to M\), \(A\) a submodule of \(N\), either \(f\) extends to \(N\) or \(N\) can be decomposed as \(N=N_1\oplus N_2\), \(N_1\) nonzero, where there exists a homomorphism \(h\colon M\to N_1\) such that for a projection \(\pi\colon N\to N_1\) with kernel \(N_2\), we have \(hf(x)=\pi(x)\) for all \(x\in A\) [\textit{Y. Baba}, Osaka J. Math. 26, No. 3, 687-698 (1989; Zbl 0701.16004)]. For a particular module \(M\), the class of modules \(N\) such that \(M\) is almost \(N\)-injective, is known not to be closed with respect to direct sums. Conditions for a uniform module \(M\) to be almost \(V\)-injective, where \(V\) is a finite direct sum of indecomposable modules, are studied first. The main result states that for a uniform module \(M\), module \(N=N_1\oplus N_2\oplus\cdots\oplus N_k\), \(k\) finite, and \(\mathrm{End}_R(N_i)\) local, \(M\) is almost \(N\)-injective if and only if \(M\) is almost \(N_i\)-injective for every \(i\). Moreover, if \(M\) is not \(N_i\)-injective for some \(i\), then for every \(j\neq i\), the module \(N_i\oplus N_j\) has the property that, for any uniform submodule \(V\) of \(N_i\oplus N_j\), we have \(U\cap V\neq 0\) for some proper summand \(U\) of \(N_i\oplus N_j\). This result generalizes a known result by Baba [loc. cit.] and leads to an alternative proof of a result by \textit{M. Harada} [Osaka J. Math. 28, No. 3, 751-758 (1991; Zbl 0753.16002)]. In the second section, commutative rings \(R\) are considered and necessary and sufficient conditions are found for \(R_R\) to be almost self-injective, i.e. for \(R_R\) to be almost \(R_R\)-injective. The final section is dedicated to the study of almost self-injectivity of von Neumann regular rings. The results in this section lead to the construction of a von Neumann regular ring that is not almost right self-injective.