No label defined (Q4031767)

The author considers the retarded differential inequalities \[ \begin{aligned} x'(t) &+\int_ a^ b P(t,\xi) x[g(t,\xi)]d\sigma(\xi)\leq 0\tag{1}\\ \text{and} x'(t)&-\int_ a^ b P(t,\xi)x[h(t,\xi)]d\sigma(\xi)\geq 0,\tag{2}\end{aligned} \] and their associated equations, with reasonable conditions for the functions \(P(t,\xi)\), \(g(t,\xi)\), \(h(t,\xi)\) and \(\sigma(\xi)\). Necessary and sufficient conditions for the non-existence of ultimately positive solutions of (1) and (2) are derived, respectively. Especially, the Hunt- Yorke conjecture on the non-existence of ultimately positive solution of (1) is proved in Proposition 4 of this note.