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Let $G$ be an additive abelian group. A sequence $S = g_1 \cdot \ldots \cdot g_{\ell}$ of terms from $G$ is a plus-minus weighted zero-sum sequence if there are $\varepsilon_1, \ldots, \varepsilon_{\ell} \in \{-1, 1\}$ such that $\varepsilon_1 g_1 + \ldots + \varepsilon_{\ell} g_{\ell}=0$. We study sets of lengths in the monoid $\mathcal B_{\pm} (G)$ of plus-minus weighted zero-sum sequences over $G$. If $G$ is finite, then sets of lengths are highly structured. If $G$ is infinite, then every finite, nonempty subset of $\mathbb N_{\ge 2}$ is the set of lengths of some sequence $S \in \mathcal B_{\pm} (G)$.

Every Krull monoid has a transfer homomorphism onto a monoid of zero-sum sequences over a subset of its class group. This transfer homomorphism is a crucial tool for studying the arithmetic of Krull monoids. In the present paper, we strengthen and refine this tool for Krull monoids with finitely generated class group.

Let $H$ be a commutative semigroup with unit element such that every non-unit can be written as a finite product of irreducible elements (atoms). For every $k \in \mathbb N$, let $\mathscr U_k (H)$ denote the set of all $\ell \in \mathbb N$ with the property that there are atoms $u_1, \ldots, u_k, v_1, \ldots, v_{\ell}$ such that $u_1 \cdot \ldots \cdot u_k = v_1 \cdot \ldots \cdot v_{\ell}$ (thus, $\mathscr U_k (H)$ is the union of all sets of lengths containing $k$). The Structure Theorem for Unions states that, for all sufficiently large $k$, the sets $\mathscr U_k (H)$ are almost arithmetical progressions with the same difference and global bound. We present a new approach to this result in the framework of arithmetic combinatorics, by deriving, for suitably defined families of subsets of the non-negative integers, a characterization of when the Structure Theorem holds. This abstract approach allows us to verify, for the first time, the Structure Theorem for a variety of possibly non-cancellative semigroups, including semigroups of (not necessarily invertible) ideals and semigroups of modules. Furthermore, we provide the very first example of a semigroup (actually, a locally tame Krull monoid) that does not satisfy the Structure Theorem., Comment: 34 pages, no figures; fixed minor details and made editorial changes; to appear in Journal of Algebra and its Applications

We study the arithmetic of seminormal $v$-noetherian weakly Krull monoids with nontrivial conductor which have finite class group and prime divisors in all classes. These monoids include seminormal orders in holomorphy rings in global fields. The crucial property of seminormality allows us to give precise arithmetical results analogous to the well-known results for Krull monoids having finite class group and prime divisors in each class. This allows us to show, for example, that unions of sets of lengths are intervals and to provide a characterization of half-factoriality.