Stieltjes integral inequalities of Gronwall type and applications (Q1176040)

Integral inequalities of Gronwall and Bihari types, involving Stieltjes integrals, are presented in this paper. The main result deals with the inequality of the form \[ x(t) \underset{\ge} \leq f(t)+g(t)\int^{\tau(t)}_{\tau(0)}x(s)\,d_su(k,s), \] where \(u(t,s)\) is continuous and nondecreasing in \(s\), \(\tau(t)\) is continuous, strictly increasing, and \(\tau(t)\leq t\). Some linear generalizations also for Riemann integrals and the function \(x\) depending on retarded arguments are given. Two nonlinear cases are considered. The obtained results are used to study boundedness and stability of solutions of differential equations with retarded argument. For earlier results in this direction see, e.g. \textit{G. St. Jones} [J. Soc. Ind. Appl. Math. 12, 43--57 (1964; Zbl 0154.05702)], \textit{W. Schmaedeke} and \textit{G. R. Sell} [Proc. Am. Math. Soc. 19, 1217--1222 (1968; Zbl 0174.34901)], \textit{V. S. H. Rao} [J. Math. Anal. Appl. 72, 545--550 (1979; Zbl 0432.26007)]. [Reviewer's remarks: The inductive argument cannot be applied in the presented form in the proof of Theorem 3. Hence also the proof of Theorem 6 based on that theorem is doubtful.].