Periodic elements and lifting connections (Q6103336)

Given an element \(x\) of a ring \(R\), a lift of \(x\) (modulo an ideal \(I\)) is any element \(y \in R\) with \(y - x \in I\). (it is also said that \(y\) is a lift of \(x + I\).) If \(\mathcal{P}\) be any property of elements in rings, then \(x \in R\) ``lifts to an element with \(\mathcal{P}\)'' when there exists some lift of \(x\) satisfying \(\mathcal{P}\). Also periodic elements \(x \in R\) are those, which satisfy an equation of the form \(x^{i+j} = x^j\) for some integers \(i \geq 1\) and \(j \geq 0\). It is well known that idempotents lift modulo any nil one-sided ideal. But this is not true for periodic elements, it does hold true in many special cases. In this article the authors investigate the connections between these special cases, as well as limitations. They also answer three questions left open in [\textit{D. Khurana}, J. Pure Appl. Algebra 225, No. 11, Article ID 106762, 7 p. (2021; Zbl 1481.16049)]. To name one, for example, they construct a nilpotent ideal where torsion-units lift, but periodic elements do not lift, modulo that ideal.