Positive solutions of higher-order Sturm-Liouville boundary value problems with derivative-dependent nonlinear terms

We consider the Sturm-Liouville boundary value problem {y((m))(t) + F(t, y(t), y'(t), ..., y((q))(t)) = 0, t is an element of [0, 1], y((k))(0) = 0, 0 <= k <= m-3, zeta y((m-2))(0) - theta y((m-1))(0) = 0, rho y((m-2))(1) + delta y((m-1))(1) = 0, where m >= 3 and 1 <= q <= m-2. We note that the nonlinear term F involves derivatives. This makes the problem challenging, and such cases are seldom investigated in the literature. In this paper we develop a new technique to obtain existence criteria for one or multiple positive solutions of the boundary value problem. Several examples with known positive solutions are presented to dwell upon the usefulness of the results obtained.