Periodic solutions for Duffing equations with a \(p\)-Laplacian-like operator (Q2458524)

The authors state a theorem on the existence of a \(T\)-periodic solution to \[ (\phi(u'))'+g(u)=p(t,u,u')\tag{1} \] where \(\phi\), \(g\) and \(p\) are continuous functions; \(\phi \) is an increasing homeomorphism of \({\mathbb R}\) such that for some \(p>1\) and positive constants \(m_1,\,m_2\) we have \[ m_1| y| ^{p-1}\leq| \varphi(y)| \leq m_2| y| ^{p-1}; \] \(p\) is \(T\)-periodic in \(t\) and \[ p(t,x,y)\leq a| x| ^{p-1}+b| y| ^{p-1}+c\;\forall (t,x,y); \] (1) enjoys uniqueness with respect to initial value problems. The existence is obtained by adding a very strong condition on the ratio \(\frac{g(x)}{\varphi(x)}\): the ratio must stay between two bounds that depend on the coeficients \(a,b,m_i\). For the proof, an angular coordinate is introduced in the plane \((u, \varphi(u'))\) and the Brouwer degree of the Poincaré map is computed. Reviewer's remark: I have some doubts on the validity of the results.