Some general comparison results for second order ordinary differential equations (Q1840538)

The aim of the paper consists in establishing two antimaximum principles for the operator \(-(\varphi(u'))'-Mu\) with Neumann and periodic conditions, respectively. Here, \(\varphi: \mathbb{R}\to \mathbb{R}\) is an increasing homeomorphism, \(M>0\) a real constant, and \(u\) a continuous function defined on a real interval \([a,b]\). For it, the author investigates some properties of bounded variation functions and proves some maximum principles for mixed boundary value problems, which are of independent interest. Some remarks about the optimality of the obtained results are included. In particular, the assumptions involved permit to develop the monotone iterative technique for nonlinear \(\varphi\)-Laplacian boundary value problems using upper and lower solutions with less regularity than usually required in the literature.