where g±d 6= 0. The positive integer d is called the depth of this Z-grading, and of the nilpotent element e. This notion was previously studied e.g. in [P1]. An element of g of the form e+ F , where F is a non-zero element of g−d, is called a cyclic element, associated with e. In [K1] Kostant proved that any cyclic element, associated with a principal (= regular) nilpotent element e, is regula...