Positive periodic solutions for singular higher order delay differential equations (Q2406974)

The following delay differential equation is considered in this paper \[ [r(t)x^{(n)}(t)]^{(m)}+f(x(t))x'(t)+g(t,x(t-\tau))=e(t),\tag{1} \] where \(m,n\geq 1\) are integers, \(0<\tau\leq T\) are constants, \(f:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}\) is a continuous function, \(g:\mathbb{R}\times (0,\infty)\to\mathbb{R}\) is continuous, \(T\)-periodic in the first argument and can be singular when the second argument is \(0\). Moreover, the functions \(r:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}_+\) and \(e:\mathbb{R}\to\mathbb{R}\) are continuous, \(T\)-periodic with \(\int_0^Te(t)dt=0\). Under some more assumptions, using a continuation theorem within the coincidence degree theory, the existence of some positive periodic solution is proved. Examples are also provided.