In this paper we consider the question of uniqueness of positive solutions for Dirichlet problems of the form - Δ u(x)= g(λ,u(x)) in B, u(x) = 0 on ϑB, where A is the Laplace operator, B is the unit ball in RˆN, and A>0. We show that if g(λ,u)=uˆ(N+2)/(N-2) + λ, that is g has "critical growth", then large positive solutions are unique. We also prove uniqueness of large solutions when g(λ,u)=A f(u) with f(0) < 0, f "superlinear" and monotone. We use a number of methods from nonlinear functional analysis such as variational identities, Sturm comparison theorems and methods of order. We also present a regularity result on linear elliptic equation where a coefficient has critical growth.

The primary result from this dissertation is following inequality: d(B) ≤ min(2^< wd(B),sup{λ^c(B): λ < wd(B)}) in ZFC, where B is a homogeneous complete Boolean algebra, d(B) is the density, wd(B) is the weak density, and c(B) is the cellularity of B. Chapter II of this dissertation is a general overview of homogeneous complete Boolean algebras. Assuming the existence of a weakly inaccessible cardinal, we give an example of a homogeneous complete Boolean algebra which does not attain its cellularity. In chapter III, we prove that for any integer n > 1, wd_2(B) = wd_n(B). Also in this chapter, we show that if X⊂B is κ—weakly dense for 1 < κ < sat(B), then sup{wd_κ(B):κ < sat(B)} = d(B). In chapter IV, we address the following question: If X is weakly dense in a homogeneous complete Boolean algebra B, does there necessarily exist b € B\{0} such that {x∗b: x ∈ X} is dense in B|b = {c € B: c ≤ b}? We show that the answer is no for collapsing algebras. In chapter V, we give new proofs to some well known results concerning supporting antichains. A direct consequence of these results is the relation c(B) < wd(B), …