Separating sets by functions and by sets (Q2216600)

The topic of characterising sets that can be separated with a function from a given class \(\mathcal F\) (of generalised continuous functions), motivated by Urysohn's lemma, has originated with a paper by \textit{A. Maliszewski} [Fundam. Math. 175, No. 3, 271--283 (2002; Zbl 1017.26002)] and has been followed by a number of works related to Maliszewski's colleagues and students; for more references on this topic see the bibliography of the article under review. This article is a follow-up to [the author, Topology Appl. 206, 46--57 (2016; Zbl 1345.26007)] and focuses, mainly, on the problem of characterising sets that can be separated with Darboux quasi-continuous and upper semicontinuous (\(\mathscr{D\!Q}\textup{usc}\)) functions. Two sets \(A_0,A_1\subset\mathbb R\) are said to be (classically exactly) separated with a function \(f\colon\mathbb R\to\mathbb R\) if \(f^{-1}(0)=A_0\) and \(f^{-1}(1)=A_1\). A characterisation of pairs \((A_0,A_1)\) which can be separated with a \(\mathscr{D\!Q}\textup{usc}\) function has been provided by the author first in [loc. cit.] and sounds there (Theorem~3.7) as follows: there are semi-closed \(\mathscr F_\sigma\) sets \(A_0,A_1\) such that (i)~\(\operatorname{cl}A_1\cap A_0=\emptyset\) and (ii)~\(\mathbb R\setminus A_0\) and \(\mathbb R\setminus(A_1\cup G)\) are both bilaterally dense in themselves; here \(G\) is the union of all intervals contiguous to \(\operatorname{cl}A_1\) that meet \(A_0\). In the present work, the author points out an error in that characterisation (Example~3.2). Then, along the same lines as in [Szczuka, loc. cit.] she proves that the previously claimed characterisation becomes complete if one adds the condition that also \(A_1\cup G\) is semi-closed (the main result, Theorem 3.3). Some other modes of separation with \(\mathscr{D\!Q}\textup{usc}\) functions are also considered.