Positive Function Research Articles

Protective Factors in the Context of Childhood Bereavement: Youth Gratitude, Future Orientation, and Purpose in Life.

The objective of the study was to examine potential associations between positive youth development constructs (gratitude, future orientation, purpose in life) and psychological functioning (posttraumatic stress symptoms, depressive symptoms, maladaptive grief reactions) among bereaved youth and test whether these associations vary by age. A diverse sample of 197 clinic-referred bereaved youth (56.2% female; M = 12.36, SD = 3.18; 36.1% Hispanic, 23.7% White, 20.1% Black, 11.9% Multiracial, and 8.2% another race/ethnicity) completed self-report measures of psychological functioning and positive youth development constructs. Linear regression models indicated that gratitude and purpose were associated with lower posttraumatic stress and depressive symptoms among bereaved youth. Future orientation was associated with higher posttraumatic stress symptoms. Results were consistent across age. If replicated longitudinally, gratitude and purpose may be important protective factors against negative mental health outcomes in the aftermath of losing a loved one.

Normalized bound state solutions of fractional Schrödinger equations with general potential

ABSTRACT In this article, we study a class of fractional Schrödinger equation (1) { ( − Δ ) s u = λu + a ( x ) | u | p − 2 u , ∫ R N | u | 2 d x = c 2 , u ∈ H s ( R N ) , where N>2s, s ∈ ( 0 , 1 ) and 0 $ ]]> p ∈ ( 2 , 2 + 4 s / N ) , c > 0 . a ( x ) ∈ C ( R N , R ) is a positive potential function. By using fixed-point theorem of Brouwer, barycenter function and variational method, we obtain the existence of normalized bound solutions for problem (1).

Associations of recent stressful life events with anxiety symptoms among Chinese adolescents with a consideration of family functioning

ABSTRACT Background: The association between stressful life events (SLEs) and adolescent anxiety symptoms has been extensively studied, but the specific impacts of different SLEs domains remain inconclusive. Moreover, limited research has examined the role of family functioning in these associations. Objective: This study aimed to investigate the associations between various recent SLEs and adolescent anxiety symptoms and explore the role of family functioning. Methods: Data were obtained from the second phase of the Longitudinal Study of Adolescents’ Mental and Behavioral Well-being Research in Guangzhou, China. A total of 10,985 students (51.9% boys; mean [SD] age, 15.3 [1.5] years) from forty middle schools participated in the study in 2022 and completed a self-report questionnaire assessing anxiety symptoms, SLEs, and family functioning using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Adolescent Self-rating Life Events Checklist (ASLEC; including five subscales: interpersonal stress, academic stress, punishment-related stress, loss-related stress, and adaptation-related stress), and the adapted Chinese version of the Family Assessment Device (FAD), respectively. Linear mixed-effects models were performed and the moderation role of family functioning was also examined. Results: The fully adjusted model revealed that a 1-SD increase in the overall ASLEC score was associated with higher levels of anxiety symptoms (β = 2.23, 95%CI: 2.15–2.32). Among various SLEs domains, the academic domain shows the most significant association (β = 2.25, 95%CI: 2.17–2.33). Family functioning exerted an independent protective influence on anxiety symptoms, with each 1-SD increase in FAD scores negatively associated with anxiety symptoms (β = −2.11, 95%CI: – 2.29 to – 1.93) in the adjusted model. Moreover, family functioning significantly buffered the impacts of overall SLEs and each domain, except for adaptation-related SLEs, on anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: Higher recent SLEs levels were associated with increased anxiety symptoms among adolescents, with academic SLEs showing the greatest association. Positive family functioning had both direct and buffering influences on anxiety symptoms.

Optimality of generalized Choi maps in M 3

Abstract A family of linear positive maps in the algebra of $3 \times 3$ complex matrices proposed recently by \href{https://doi.org/10.1080/03081087.2024.2326249}{Bera {\em et al.} (Linear and Multilinear Algebra, 2024)} is further analyzed. It provides a generalization of a seminal Choi nondecomposable extremal map in $M_3$. We investigate when generalized Choi maps are optimal, i.e. cannot be represented as a sum of positive and completely positive maps. This property is weaker than extremality, however, it turns out that it plays a key role in detecting quantum entanglement.

Adaptive tracking control of nonlinear systems with unknown time‐varying parameters via a monotonically increasing function

AbstractThis article considers the adaptive tracking control problem of a class of strict feedback nonlinear systems with unknown time‐varying parameters. Note that the recent adaptive method, that is, congelation of variables, is built upon the assumption that the known basis functions are zeros as zero states. To remove this assumption, a novel monotonically increasing function is designed to transform the output tracking error and the backstepping tracking errors into increasing forms, which is integrated into the congelation of variables to design the ‐modification adaptive tracking control law. It is noted that the proposed form of monotonically increasing function is general, which includes positive proportional functions, exponential functions, and logarithmic functions and so on. To yield the boundedness of increasing tracking errors, a barrier Lyapunov function is designed. The asymptotic convergence of the resulting adaptive tracking system is analyzed in detail. Simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Universal constraint for relaxation rates of semigroups of qubit Schwarz maps

Abstract Unital qubit Schwarz maps interpolate between positive and completely positive maps. It is shown that the relaxation rates of the qubit semigroups of unital maps enjoying the Schwarz property satisfy the universal constraint, which provides a modification of the corresponding constraint known for completely positive semigroups. As an illustration, we consider two paradigmatic qubit semigroups: Pauli dynamical maps and phase-covariant dynamics. This result has two interesting implications: it provides a universal constraint for the spectra of qubit Schwarz maps and gives rise to a necessary condition for a Schwarz qubit map to be Markovian.

Unified Fuzzy Control of High-Order Nonlinear Systems With Multitype State Constraints.

This article presents a unified adaptive fuzzy control approach for high-order nonlinear systems (HONSs) with multitype state constraints. Existing methods always require the upper and lower constraint boundaries are strictly positive and negative functions (or constants), respectively, which is often inconsistent with the actual constraints. In this article, "multitype state constraint" means that the upper and lower constraint boundaries include multiple types, such as both being strictly positive (or negative), sometime be positive or negative, and so on (cases ①-⑥). By designing a unified mapping function (UMF), the multitype state constraints are processed under removal the feasibility conditions (FCs). Furthermore, a technical design makes the proposed method also applicable to unconstrained HONSs without changing the control structure. By means of a fuzzy-logic system (FLS) and fixed-time stability theory (FTST), the proposed algorithm can ensure that the tracking error converges to a zero-centered neighborhood within a fixed time, and the singularity which often appears in the existing fixed-time control (FTC) methods of HONSs is effectively avoided. Simulation results demonstrate the scheme developed.

353 Eph/Ephrin Signaling Influences Innervation of Outer Hair Cells in Cochlea

OBJECTIVES/GOALS: 48,000,000 people in the U.S. have hearing loss, negatively impacting quality of life and work. Unveiling axon guidance for auditory type II spiral ganglia neurons (SGNs) will aid development of new therapies. I study the role of Eph/Ephrin and planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling during type II SGN turning and outer hair cell (OHC) innervation. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: This quantitative study was conducted on Efna3 and Vangl2 null mice possessing Neurog1CreERT2 and R26RtdTomato mutations. Spontaneous Cre activity within the Neurogenin1CreERT2 line causes recombination and expression of fluorescent Rosa26 Reporter (R26R)tdTomatoin a restricted number of SGNs, including type IIs. Together, these lines permit SGN sparse labeling. Immunostaining and confocal imaging were used to analyze dsRed in Efna3 and Vangl2 mice and quantify type II SGN turning. In combination, Imaris 3D renderings were used to quantify type II SGN turning, branching, navigation features and temporal effects of EPHRIN-A3-Fc on type IIs via cochlear cultures (a gain-of-function manipulation). For both sexes, 5-6 cochleae per genotype were analyzed and compared by t-test to wildtype (WT) controls. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Efna3 nulls showed a small rise in type II SGNs incorrectly turning toward the apex at an error rate of 16.0% compared to WTs (n=6; p=0.05). P0 Efna3 nulls had reduced branch number compared to WTs, 4.1 and 7.2, respectively (n=129; p=<0.0001), suggesting EPHRIN-A3 acts as a positive growth cue. In cochlear cultures, EPHRIN-A3-Fc led to type II SGN collapse at E15.5, indicating a repulsive function. However, at P0, EPHRIN-A3-Fc treatment led to type II SGNs with elevated branch numbers compared to Control-Fc treatment: 18.1 and 11.4, respectively (n=116; p=<0.0001). This indicates a positive growth function. At E16.5, EPHRIN-A3 protein immunoreactivity on Deiters’ and pillar cells appears reduced in Vangl2 nulls compared to WT cochleae, suggesting that EPHRIN-A3 acts downstream of PCP signaling. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: Results suggest that Eph/Ephrin signaling acts downstream of PCP signaling to mediate type II SGN guidance and EPHRIN-A3 switches its mode of activation. The clinical implications of these findings are that therapeutics targeting EPHRIN-A3 and/or VANGL2 in their given pathways could stimulate new OHC innervation following auditory damage.

A hybrid kernel-based meshless method for numerical approximation of multidimensional Fisher’s equation

We propose and analyze a meshless method of lines by considering some hybrid radial kernels. These hybrid kernels are constructed by linearly combining infinite smooth radial functions to piecewise smooth radial functions; which are then used for spatial approximation on trial spaces spanned by translates of positive definite radial functions. After spatial approximation, a high-order ODE solver is invoked for efficient and stable time-integration of the resultant semi-discrete system of ordinary differential equations (ODEs). Unlike the mesh-based method of lines, the proposed method works for arbitrary scattered data points and is equally effective for problems over non-rectangular domains. The proposed method is tested on one-, two- and three-dimensional reaction–diffusion Fisher equation for its numerical stability, accuracy, and efficiency against the contemporary meshless and mesh-based methods. The economical computational cost, improved accuracy, eigenvalues stability, and well-conditioning of system matrices are observed against RBF collocation and RBF-PS methods.

RESEARCH ON FRACTAL DIMENSIONS AND THE HÖLDER CONTINUITY OF FRACTAL FUNCTIONS UNDER OPERATIONS

Based on the previous studies, we make further research on how fractal dimensions of graphs of fractal continuous functions under operations change and obtain a series of new results in this paper. Initially, it has been proven that a positive continuous function under unary operations of any nonzero real power and the logarithm taking any positive real number that is not equal to one as the base number can keep the fractal dimension invariable. Then, a general method to calculate the Box dimension of two continuous functions under binary operations has been proposed. Using this method, the lower and upper Box dimensions of the product and the quotient of continuous functions without zero points have been investigated. On this basis, these conclusions will be generalized to the ring of rational functions. Furthermore, we discuss the Hölder continuity of continuous functions under operations and then prove that a Lipschitz function can be absorbed by any other continuous functions under certain binary operations in the sense of fractal dimensions. Some elementary results for vector-valued continuous functions have also been given.

The Impact of Radiation Therapy on Sexual Health in Breast, Cervix, and Prostate Cancer Patients: A Systematic Review

Purpose: To examine the effects of radiation therapy on sexual health in cervical, breast, and prostate cancer patients. Methods: Four electronic databases (PubMed/PubMed Central, Google Scholar, Embase(Ovid), and SCOPUS) were searched, and articles published in English from January 1, 2011, through 2022 were extracted. Five reviewers independently selected primary studies that reported patient sexual health symptoms caused by cervical, breast, or prostate cancer following radiation therapy treatment. The primary outcome measures sexual health trends during or after radiation therapy through external beam radiotherapy or brachytherapy where applicable. Secondary outcomes measured predictive factors contributing to sexual health scores (age, race, and geographical location). Results: 32 studies with a total of 5033 individuals were included in the systematic review. Overall, 19 studies reported a reduction in sexual health trends, 8 reported mixed trends, and 4 reported no significant trends in sexual health. Of the 10 breast cancer studies, 6 reported decreased sexual well-being, 2 found no trends, and 2 stated mixed trends. Among 12 prostate cancer studies, 5 reported worsening sexual health, 2 found no trends, 1 reported positive sexual functioning, and 4 found mixed trends. Among 10 cervical cancer studies, 8 reported worse sexual health, while 2 reported mixed trends. Younger breast and cervical cancer patients who received radiation therapy experienced greater body image and sexual health concerns. Evidence was insufficient to evaluate trends in geographical location or race between sexual health and radiation therapy. Conclusion: In this study, prostate, breast, and cervical cancer patients who received radiation therapy treatment experienced more troublesome sexual health symptoms compared to non-irradiated cancer patients. Interventions to improve sexual health should be prioritized.

An Explicit Form of Harnack’s Inequality for Poisson’s Dirichlet Problem

The explicit form of Harnack’s inequality for non-negative harmonic functions in the open ball  plays an important role in harmonic analysis and elliptic partial differential equations. In this paper, we establish the explicit form of Harnack’s inequality for Poisson’s Dirichlet problem in the open ball with non-negative boundary data. We involve the Green’s function for Laplacian operator to find it out. Harnack’s inequality for positive harmonic functions can be followed from Harnack’s inequality for Poisson’s Dirichlet problem when the source function is set to be zero.

A randomized controlled trial examining the effect of camp HOPE Tennessee on youth functioning: Results from a pilot study.

Family violence can negatively affect youth's psychosocial functioning. Strengths-based interventions may enhance positive youth functioning among youth experiencing adversity, but little is known about the effectiveness of camp-based interventions for youth exposed to family violence. The current study examined the effectiveness of Camp HOPE Tennessee in promoting multidimensional well-being and school engagement among youth exposed to family violence. This pilot study employed a nonmasked, parallel randomized controlled design. Participants were 47 children and their caregivers who sought services from a Family Justice Center. Children were 7-12 years old (M = 9.55, SD = 1.63; 79% Black/African American). Using block randomization, caregiver-child dyads were assigned to the camp (n = 23) or waitlist control (n = 24) condition and completed evaluations at baseline, 2-month follow-up, and 5-month follow-up. Children reported on two indicators of positive functioning: multidimensional Quality of Life (i.e., Physical Well-Being, Psychological Well-Being, Autonomy And Parent Relations, Social Support And Peers, And School Environment) and School Engagement. Piecewise latent growth curve models evaluated between-group differences in positive youth functioning at 2- and 5-month follow-up (ClinicalTrials.gov: CampHopeTN). Results suggest that Camp HOPE positively impacted children's psychological well-being (difference = 12.28, SE = 2.84, p < .001, g = 0.94) and autonomy and parent relations (difference = 7.96, SE = 2.95, p = .007, g = 0.77) at 2-month follow-up. Additionally, the camp appeared to have a long-term effect on school engagement at 5-month follow-up (difference = 9.97, SE = 4.83, p = .039, g = 0.59). Results suggest that camp interventions may enhance positive functioning among youth exposed to family violence. Larger investigations are needed to strengthen the evidence base for Camp HOPE's effectiveness and support further dissemination. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Optimized leader–follower consensus control for high-order nonlinear multi-agent system modeled in canonical dynamic form

This paper addresses the optimized leader–follower consensus control problem of nonlinear canonical dynamic multi-agent system (MAS). Since every agent is modeled in high-order dynamic, they contain the various state variables having derivative relations. Consequently, to attain the optimized consensus control, backstepping technique and reinforcement learning (RL) are combined together. In the first backstepping step, the virtual control is formulated to have the consensus error term consisting of neighbor agents’ output states. In the last backstepping step, since the nonlinearity dynamic is arisen, the optimized actual control is derived by performing the critic-actor RL. It is worth mentioning that, in the traditional RL optimal control, the critic and actor updating laws are obtained by performing the gradient descent algorithm to square of the approximated Hamilton–Jacobi-Bellman (HJB) equation, which includes multiple nonlinearity items, as a result, the algorithm is very intricate. However, in this optimized consensus control, since the RL training laws are yielded in the light of negative gradient of a simple positive function that is relevant to the HJB equation, its algorithm is very simple. At the same time, it can also avoid the persistence excitation conditions. Finally, theory and simulation confirm the validity of this optimized consensus method.

Job boredom as an antecedent of four states of mental health: life satisfaction, positive functioning, anxiety, and depression symptoms among young employees – a latent change score approach

BackgroundJob boredom has been generally associated with poorer self-rated health but the evidence is mainly cross-sectional and there is a lack of a holistic mental health approach. We examined the temporal relationships between job boredom and mental health indicators of life satisfaction, positive functioning, anxiety, and depression symptoms.MethodsWe analyzed a two-wave postal survey data of adults aged 23 to 34 that was collected from the Finnish working population between 2021 and 2022 (n = 513). Latent change score modelling was used to estimate the effects of prior levels of job boredom on subsequent changes in mental health indicators, and of prior levels of mental health indicators on subsequent changes in job boredom.ResultsJob boredom was associated with subsequent decreases in life satisfaction and positive functioning and increases in anxiety and depression symptoms. Of these associations, job boredom was more strongly associated with changes in positive functioning and anxiety symptoms than with changes in life satisfaction.ConclusionsOur two-wave study suggests that job boredom, a motivational state of ill-being in the work domain, spills over into general mental health by decreasing life satisfaction and positive functioning and increasing anxiety and depression symptoms. Our findings contribute to the understanding of the potential detrimental effects of job boredom and its nomological network. From a practical perspective, workplaces are adviced to improve working conditions that mitigate job boredom and thus promote employees’ mental health.

Probabilistic linguistic prospect outranking risk decision making method based on stochastic dominance and application in emergency plan evaluation

In the decision-making process, probabilistic linguistic term sets (PLTSs) could represent decision-makers’ uncertain evaluation information. The combination of probabilistic and linguistic information assists decision-makers to depict their evaluation information more flexibly. In this paper, a prospect outranking decision-making method based on stochastic dominance is proposed for solving the multi-attribute risk decision-making problem under the probabilistic linguistic information environment. Firstly, to fully preserve the original probabilistic linguistic information, we give the definitions of the generalized probability distribution and the corresponding generalized cumulative distribution function of a PLTS for defining the distance measure between PLTSs. Secondly, based on the positive and negative ideal cumulative distribution functions, we propose the probabilistic linguistic prospect value functions. After that, considering the uncertainty of the relationship between alternatives, several kinds of novel prospect stochastic dominance and almost stochastic dominance relations are defined, which consider the decision makers’ distinction between gains and losses to measure the subtle relationship between alternatives. The stochastic dominance approach and the almost stochastic dominance approach under the probabilistic linguistic decision-making environment are put forward. Besides, we use the superiority and inferiority ranking method to solve the dominance ranking problem of the uncertainty relationship between any two alternatives. Finally, the proposed method is applied in the evaluation of emergency plans to show the accuracy and reliability, and comparative analyses are made to illustrate its availability.

Spatial Distribution and Diffusion Characterisation of Water in Coal Samples: An Experimental Study

Comprehending the water absorption process inherent to coal, including the associated spatial distribution patterns of water, proves indispensable in the design and evaluation of coal pillar dams in underground water reservoirs. To better understand this process, a series of NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance) tests were carried out on cylindrically shaped coal samples immersed in water for varying durations, with the upper and lower surfaces of the samples sealed. A method involving image digital processing and finite element simulation was used to quantitatively characterise the water absorption process, as well as the spatial distribution of water in the samples. The results showed that NMR imaging colour brightness differences were positively correlated with water content and that the wetted ring gradually increased in width as the water immersion time increased. The expectation and sum of squared deviations of the pixel greyscale values of the NMR images, which were used to characterise the water saturation and spatial distribution of the coal samples, represented positive and negative exponential functions of the water immersion time, respectively. This indicated that the water saturation gradually increased and became more uniformly distributed. Furthermore, based on the set threshold value of the target variable rate of change, the limiting expectation of the pixel greyscale values was obtained, and the limiting water absorption time of the coal sample was predicted. The water diffusion equation was then used to characterise the water absorption process of the coal samples, and a water diffusion model was developed to accurately obtain the wet ring boundary data. A reasonable value of the diffusion coefficient was determined by comparing and correcting the results of the numerical simulation and physical experiments with full consideration of the non-homogeneity of the numerical model. This water diffusion model can better characterise the water transport phenomena in the macroscopic barrier zone of coal pillar dams. Finally, the application prospects in terms of practical engineering were investigated.

Alteration in left frontoparietal connectivity correlates with impaired cognitive reappraisal in early psychosis

BackgroundImpaired cognitive reappraisal is a notable symptom of early psychosis, but its neurobiological basis remains underexplored. We aimed to identify the underlying neurobiological mechanism of this impairment by using resting-state functional connectivity (FC) analyses focused on brain regions related to cognitive reappraisal. MethodsResting-state functional magnetic resonance images were collected from 36 first-episode psychosis (FEP) patients, 32 clinical high-risk (CHR) individuals, and 48 healthy controls (HCs). Whole-brain FC maps using seed regions associated with cognitive reappraisal were generated and compared across the FEP, CHR and HC groups. We assessed the correlation between resting-state FC, reappraisal success ratio, positive symptom severity and social functioning controlling for covariates. ResultsFEP patients showed higher FC between the left superior parietal lobe and left inferior frontal gyrus than HCs. Higher FC between the left superior parietal lobe and left inferior frontal gyrus negatively correlated with the reappraisal success ratio in the FEP group after controlling for covariates. Lower FC correlated with lower positive symptom severity and improved global functioning in the FEP group. ConclusionsAlteration in left frontoparietal connectivity reflects impaired cognitive reappraisal in early psychosis, and such alteration correlates with increased positive symptoms and decreased global functioning. These findings offer a potential path for interventions targeting newly emerging symptoms in the early stages of psychosis.

Introducing the Comprehensive Value Function for Sustainability Full-Spectrum Assessment

This paper introduces the comprehensive value function, a novel framework designed to address multi-dimensional challenges in sustainability assessment within decision-making processes. Multi-criteria decision-making methods based on multi-attribute utility theory excel at integrating environmental, social, and economic factors but typically focus on positive and neutral impacts. This limitation often results in the oversight of critical negative consequences, thus restricting their effectiveness in all-encompassing sustainability evaluations. The proposed framework addresses this gap by quantifying the degree of satisfaction across a full spectrum of sustainability impacts and integrating negative outcomes essential for holistic assessments. The necessity of this model is highlighted by the shortcomings of current practices, where adverse impacts are frequently overlooked and existing frameworks fail to foresee the negative repercussions of various alternatives. By facilitating the creation of positive, negative, or piecewise functions, the CVF provides a comprehensive reflection of impacts, essential for well-informed sustainability decisions. Integrating this function into established decision-making models leads to a more balanced approach adept at navigating the intricate trade-offs inherent in sustainable development. Organised systematically, the paper presents the comprehensive value function, its application across various domains, and a concluding section synthesising the findings.

Relationship between gender roles, motherhood beliefs and mental health.

Gender roles, as social constructs, play a significant role in shaping individuals' beliefs and attitudes, influencing various aspects of life, including perceptions and expectations surrounding motherhood. These beliefs, acquired through culture and society, can have an impact on our mental well-being. This research consists of three independent studies conducted in the Mexican population. In the first and second studies, we extended the Attitudes Towards Gender Roles Scale and Motherhood Beliefs Scale and performed psychometric validation through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The aim of including additional items in both scales was to update these attitudes and beliefs in Mexican culture to avoid the traditionalist bias in both instruments. Finally, the third study examined the relationship between the new versions of both scales and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and Positive Psychological Functioning as indicators of mental health in women and men with and without children. Our findings revealed a significant association between higher levels of traditional attitudes towards gender roles and traditional motherhood beliefs, as well as between non-traditional attitudes towards gender roles and non-traditional beliefs about motherhood. Interestingly, we observed that traditional attitudes toward gender roles were associated with lower anxiety and depression scores, while non-traditional attitudes were associated with higher levels of depression. Furthermore, individuals who embraced non-traditional attitudes towards both gender roles and motherhood beliefs tended to exhibit better psychological well-being in all subsamples. Additionally, women generally showed lesser alignment with traditional attitudes towards both gender roles and motherhood beliefs compared to men. However, women reported higher rates of depression and anxiety, along with lower psychological well-being scores, than their male counterparts. This highlights the significant influence that traditional cultural norms about gender roles and motherhood have on women's mental health, underscoring the need for a deeper understanding and reevaluation of these traditional constructs in society.