When the sieve works (Q498664)

Let \(\mathcal{P}\) be a subset of primes not exceeding \(x\), \(x\geqslant 2\). Let \(\Psi(x,\mathcal{P})\) denote the number of integers up to \(x\) whose all prime factors are in \(\mathcal{P}\), i.e., \[ \Psi(x,\mathcal{P})=\sum\limits_{n\leq x\atop p|n\,\Rightarrow\, p\in\mathcal{P}}1. \] The paper deals with upper and lower bounds for hte quantity \(\Psi(x,\mathcal{P})/x\). In particular, the follo\-wing lower estimate is derived. Let \(\lambda\) and \(c\) be positive constants such that \[ \sum\limits_{p\,\in\,\mathcal{P}\atop x^{1/ev}<p\leq x}\frac{1}{p}\geq 1+\lambda \] for some \(v\leq c\sqrt{\log x}\) and for sufficiently large \(x\). Then \[ \frac{\Psi(x,\mathcal{P})}{x}\gg\frac{1}{v^{O(v)}}\prod\limits_{p\,\in\,\mathcal{E}}\left(1-\frac{1}{p}\right), \] with \(\mathcal{E}=\{p\leq x, p \;\text{prime},\;p\notin\mathcal{P}\}\).