In consideration of family system theory, the vulnerability model of depression, and the stress buffering model of social support, the current study examined the effect of family functioning on adolescent depression, the mediating effect of self-esteem, and the moderating effect of peer relationships. A sample of Chinese adolescents completed questionnaires regarding family functioning, depression, self-esteem, and peer relationships. The results showed that: family functioning had a significant negative predictive effect on adolescent depression; self-esteem plays a mediating (...) role between family functioning and adolescent depression; and peer relationships have a moderating effect on the relationship between self-esteem and adolescent depression, supporting the moderated mediation model. These results reveal the influence mechanism of family functioning on adolescent depression and have implications for adolescent depression intervention. (shrink)

Research has consistently found that poor family functioning is a risk factor for adolescents' internalizing problems. However, studies of the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation are insufficient. In this study, we explore the association between family functioning and adolescents' internalizing problems by testing the mediating roles of positive youth development attributes and the moderating role of migrant status. A large cross-sectional sample of 11,865 Chinese adolescents were used to measure internalizing problems, family functioning, PYD, migrant (...) status, and other demographic information. After controlling for covariates, the results revealed that PYD mediated the relation between family functioning and internalizing problems. Moreover, migrant status moderated the relationship between family functioning and internalizing problems. Specifically, the effects of family functioning on internalizing problems were stronger among local-born adolescents than among migrant adolescents. The findings indicate that improving family functioning and PYD attributes may be promising approaches to prevent/reduce adolescent internalizing problems. (shrink)

Objectives: Childhood cancer is a life-threatening disease that poses significant challenges to the life of the diagnosed child and his/her family members. Based on the ABCX-model, the aim of the current study was to explore the association between family functioning, cancer appraisal and the individual adjustment of patients, parents and siblings. Method: Participants were 60 children with leukemia or non-Hodgkin lymphoma, 172 parents and 78 siblings (115 families). Time since diagnosis varied from zero to 33 months. Patients, parents (...) and siblings completed the Family Environment Scale, Perceived Stress Scale, Situation-Specific Emotional Reactions Questionnaire and Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory/Maudsley Marital Questionnaire. Results: Family functioning and the appraisal of the cancer diagnosis proved to be related to patients’, parents’ and siblings’ cancer-related emotions and quality of life post-diagnosis. In addition, family members differed in their perception of some family functioning domains, the appraisal of the cancer diagnosis, positive feelings and quality of life. Discussion: Our findings led to the conclusion that family functioning and the appraisal of the cancer diagnosis are important for the individual adjustment of patients, parents and siblings when facing a diagnosis of cancer in the child. Differences across members within one family speak to the need of screening all family members and intervening at the level of the family unit. (shrink)

This essay argues that "the family" should be understood in functional terms:whatever functions as a family should have the legal status of a family. Theauthor's argument thus avoids two extreme positions. The first is the position ofthe hard-line "platonic" essentialists who, on grounds of nature, supernature, orcultural history, argue that a family unit must comprise heterosexual partners.The second is the position of the radical relativist, who argues that there are noessences whatsoever or that essences are purely (...) arbitrary. Treating the family infunctionalist terms, the author argues, would have positive consequences thatwould strengthen the social fabric. (shrink)

PurposeTo examine the influence of family functioning on college students’ loneliness and the mediating effects of core self-evaluation and problematic mobile phone use.MethodsFamily Function Scale, Core Self-evaluation Scale, Problem Mobile Phone Use Scale, and Loneliness Scale were used to investigate 8,524 college students.Results Family functioning positively predicted core self-evaluation and negatively predicted loneliness ; Core self-evaluation negatively predicted problematic mobile phone use and loneliness ; Problematic mobile phone use significantly positively predicted loneliness ; Core self-evaluation and problematic mobile (...) phone use showed a significant chain-mediation effect between family functioning and loneliness.ConclusionThe results are helpful to comprehend the producing mechanism of loneliness and provide a theoretical basis for the intervention of loneliness. (shrink)

A lot of previous research has highlighted the negative consequences of Internet addiction. However, relatively few is known about the underlying mechanism for Internet addiction among college students in relation to family function. The present study explored the relationship between family function and Internet addiction among college students, as well as the mediating effects of alexithymia and loneliness. A sample of 783 Chinese college students were administered a number of psychometric scales including the “General Function” subscale of the (...) Chinese version of the Family Assessment Device, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, UCLA Loneliness Scale, and Revised Chinese Internet Addiction Scale. The results showed that family function was negatively associated with Internet addiction; the association was significantly mediated by alexithymia; the association was significantly mediated by loneliness; and alexithymia and loneliness sequentially mediated the association. The total mediating effect was 63.96%. The results of the present study are of great significance to the prevention and intervention of Internet addiction among college students. (shrink)

This study aimed to explore the effect of parents’ education anxiety on children’s academic burnout, and the mediation effect of parental burnout and the moderating effect of family function. A total of 259 paired parents and children from two middle schools in central China participated in the survey. The questionnaire was conducted using the Educational Anxiety Scale, Parental Burnout Scale, Adolescent Student Burnout Inventory, and Family APGAR Index. Our results indicated that parental education anxiety had a positive predictive (...) effect on children’s academic burnout. Moreover, parental burnout played a complete mediating role between parents’ education anxiety and children’s academic burnout. Finally, the relationship between education anxiety and parental burnout was moderated by family function, and higher family function buffered the effect of education anxiety on parental burnout. The results suggest the mechanism of parental education anxiety on children’s academic burnout, and the role of family function in alleviating parental burnout. (shrink)

Some previous studies have explored the impact of family function on school belonging. However, little is known about the parallel mediating relationship underlying them. This study aims to investigate the formation mechanism of school beginning in a sample of Chinese adolescents and examined the parallel mediating role of interpersonal self-support and individual self-support in the link between family function and school belonging. A cross-sectional study was conducted in four schools of the district of Hunan province in China, and (...) 741 students were surveyed using cluster sampling. Family cohesion and adaptability scale, Adolescent students self-supporting personality scale, School belonging scale were applied. The results indicated that interpersonal self-support and individual self-support, together, and uniquely, parallel mediated the relationship between family function and school belonging. It can be concluded that family function not only has direct effects on school belonging but also has indirect effects through interpersonal self-support and individual self-support. (shrink)

This study explored possible changes in family functioning from the perspective of parents during the COVID-19 pandemic. Thirty-four parents/guardians of children under 18 years completed a semi-structured interview, average length 47 min. Interviews focussed on changes in different aspects of family functioning including family roles, routines, and rules; parenting practices; communication and relationships; and strengths, challenges, and tensions. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis applied in an idiographic and inductive manner to reduce the loss of individual (...) experiences and perspectives. Four superordinate themes were identified: shifting family roles and boundaries throughout the pandemic; impacts on routines and relationships; opportunities and resourcing; and, experiences of support and unity. Gender differences were evident across some themes, particularly changing roles, workload and work-home boundaries. Challenges and tensions were frequently highlighted, particularly by “vulnerable” family groups such as those with children with disabilities. Parents also described a renewed sense of family and community that underpinned adaptive coping responses. The results highlight the importance of family connectedness in times of need. (shrink)

Two sets are said to be almost disjoint if their intersection is finite. Almost disjoint subsets of [ω]ω and ωω have been studied for quite some time. In particular, the cardinal invariants \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mathfrak{a}}$$\end{document} and \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mathfrak{a}_e}$$\end{document}, defined to be the minimum cardinality of a maximal infinite almost disjoint family of [ω]ω and ωω respectively, are known to be consistently less than \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} (...) \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mathfrak{c}}$$\end{document}. Here we examine analogs for functions in \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mathbb{R}^\omega}$$\end{document} and projections on l2, showing that they too can be consistently less than \documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$${\mathfrak{c}}$$\end{document}. (shrink)

Patients with bipolar disorder may experience family dysfunction, which might result in worse psychosocial functioning through environmental and psychological factors. Research investigating the mediating role of social support, resilience and suicidal ideation on family and psychosocial functioning in BD is rare. The study aims to explore the predicting and mediating effects of social support, resilience and suicidal ideation on family and psychosocial functioning in BD patients. Two hundred forty-six patients with BD and sixty-nine healthy controls were recruited. (...) The Family Assessment Device, Functioning Assessment Short Test, Social Support Rating Scale, Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale and Beck Scale for Suicide Ideation were used to assess family functioning, psychosocial functioning, social support, resilience and suicidal ideation, respectively. Bipolar patients exhibited worse family and psychosocial functioning than healthy controls. Family functioning, social support, resilience and suicidal ideation significantly predict psychosocial functioning in the bipolar group. Social support, resilience and suicidal ideation indirectly mediate the effect of family functioning on psychosocial functioning in bipolar patients. Cross-sectional design and mixed sample including acute and remitted stages. Treatments for patients with bipolar disorder should be combined with family strategies that are formulated to improve psychosocial functioning. An emphasis should be placed on enhancing social support and resilience while paying attention to suicidal ideation. (shrink)

The members of the Six gene family were identified as homologues of Drosophila sine oculis which is essential for compound-eye formation. The Six proteins are characterized by the Six domain and the Six-type homeodomain, both of which are essential for specific DNA binding and for cooperative interactions with Eya proteins. Mammals possess six Six genes which can be subdivided into three subclasses, and mutations of Six genes have been identified in human genetic disorders. Characterization of Six genes from various (...) animal phyla revealed the antiquity of this gene family and roles of its members in several different developmental contexts. Some members retain conserved roles as components of the Pax-Six-Eya-Dach regulatory network, which may have been established in the common ancestor of all bilaterians as a toolbox controlling cell proliferation and cell movement during embryogenesis. Gene duplications and cis-regulatory changes may have provided a basis for diverse functions of Six genes in different animal lineages. (shrink)

Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder or Conversion Disorder, is a fairly common diagnosis among mental health patients in Pakistan. Despite its prevalence there's a dearth of research on the phenomenon, particularly on the experience of FNSD. The study was conducted with the aim to ascertain the lived experiences of individuals with Functional Neurological Symptom Disorder around stressful situations in their families in Pakistan. For this purpose, a total sample of 10 participants were recruited from the psychiatry department of a tertiary care (...) hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analyzed through Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The two main themes revealed in the analyses were quarrels and unexpressed emotions. The sub-themes of quarrels included quarrels with family members, quarrels within family, parental/marital discord, and quarrels with extended family members. The subthemes for unexpressed emotions were hurt, anger, sadness, and jealousy. In conclusion, this study revealed that in Pakistan, stressors related to family serve as significant contributing factors in the development of FNSD. (shrink)

We study independent families of functions and permutations and associated cardinal characteristics and. In this paper, we show that these cardinals lie between the cardinals and and give some related consistency results.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) are ligand‐gated ion channels that bring about a diversity of fast synaptic actions. Analysis of the Caenorhabditis elegans genome has revealed one of the most‐extensive and diverse nAChR gene families known, consisting of at least 27 subunits. Striking variation with possible functional implications has been observed in normally conserved motifs at the acetylcholine‐binding site and in the channel‐lining region. Some nAChR subunits are particular to neurons whilst others are present in both neurons and muscles. The localization (...) of subunits in non‐synaptic regions suggests novel roles for nAChRs. Genetic and heterologous expression studies have identified a subset of nAChR subunits that are important drug targets while the study of mutants has identified genes functionally‐linked to nAChRs. Future studies using C. elegans offer the prospect of increasing our understanding of the functional diversity of a complex nAChR gene family as well as addressing the role of nAChRs and associated proteins in human disorders. BioEssays 26:39–49, 2004.© 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (shrink)

There is increasing evidence to suggest that cytoplasmic tyrosine kinases of the Src family have a pivotal role in the regulation of a number of cellular processes. Members of this family have been implicated in cellular responses to a variety of extracellular signals, such as those arising from growth factors and cell‐cell interactions, as well as in differentiative and developmental processes in both vertebrates and invertebrates. A better understanding of the regulation and of the structure‐function relationships of these (...) enzymes might aid in the development of specific ways to interfere with their action, as well as serving as a paradigm for regulation of other protein tyrosine kinases that have SH2 and SH3 domains. In this review we will first discuss the regulation of Src family protein tyrosine kinases, with particular emphasis on their SH2 and SH3 domains. We will then briefly review other non‐receptor protein tyrosine kinases that have SH2 and SH3 domains. (shrink)

Members of the serine/arginine (SR)‐rich protein family of splicing factors play versatile roles in RNA processing steps and are often essential for normal development. Dynamic changes in RNA processing and turnover allow fast cellular adaptions to a changing microenvironment and thereby closely cooperate with transcription factor networks that establish cell identity within tissues. SR proteins play fundamental roles in the processing of pre‐mRNAs by regulating constitutive and alternative splicing. More recently, SR proteins have also been implicated in other aspects (...) of RNA metabolism such as mRNA stability, transport and translation. The‐ emerging noncanonical functions highlight the multifaceted functions of these SR proteins and identify them as important coordinators of gene expression programmes. Accordingly, most SR proteins are essential for normal cell function and their misregulation contributes to human diseases such as cancer. (shrink)

Ubiquitination is essential in mediating diverse cellular functions including protein degradation and trafficking. Ubiquitin‐protein (E3) ligases determine the substrate specificity of the ubiquitination process. The Nedd4 family of E3 ligases is an evolutionarily conserved family of proteins required for the ubiquitination of a large number of cellular targets. As a result, this family regulates a wide variety of cellular processes including transcription, stability and trafficking of plasma membrane proteins, and the degradation of misfolded proteins. The modular architecture (...) of the proteins, comprising a C2 domain, multiple WW domains and a catalytic domain, enables diverse intermolecular interactions and recruitment to various subcellular locations. The WW domains commonly mediate interaction with substrate proteins; however, an increasing number of Nedd4 targets do not contain obvious WW domain‐interaction motifs suggesting the involvement of accessory proteins. This review discusses recent insights into how accessory and adaptor proteins modulate the activities of Nedd4 family members, including recruitment of novel substrates, alteration of subcellular localisation and effects on ubiquitination. BioEssays 28: 617–628, 2006. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (shrink)

If F ⊆ NN is an analytic family of pairwise eventually different functions then the following strong maximality condition fails: For any countable H ⊆ NN. no member of which is covered by finitely many functions from F, there is f ∈ F such that for all h ∈ H there are infinitely many integers k such that f(k) = h(k). However if V = L then there exists a coanalytic family of pairwise eventually different functions satisfying this (...) strong maximality condition. (shrink)

Wnts are a recently described family of secreted glycoproteins related to the Drosophila segment polarity gene, wingless, and to the proto‐oncogene, int‐1. Wnts are thought to function as developmental modulators, with signalling distances of only a few cell diameters. In Xenopus, at least six Wnts, including Xwnts‐1, ‐3A, and ‐4, are expressed initially in the developing central nervous system, with some regions expressing multiple Xwnts. Xwnt‐8 is expressed by mid‐blastula stage, in ventral and lateral mesoderm. Xwnt‐5A mRNAs are stored (...) in the egg, and later are expressed throughout the embryo in both ectoderm and mesoderm, but with a pronounced enrichment in the head and tail. Recent studies in Xenopus have pursued the diverse roles of Xwnts in early development, the mechanisms by which Xwnts signal information between cells, and the cell physiological responses to Xwnt signals. (shrink)

We obtain several game characterizations of Baire 1 functions between Polish spaces _X_, _Y_ which extends the recent result of V. Kiss. Then we propose similar characterizations for equi-Bare 1 families of functions. Also, using related ideas, we give game characterizations of Baire measurable and Lebesgue measurable functions.

We consider the existence of coherent families of finite-to-one functions on countable subsets of an uncountable cardinal κ. The existence of such families for κ implies the existence of a winning 2-tactic for player TWO in the countable-finite game on κ. We prove that coherent families exist on κ = ωn, where n ∈ ω, and that they consistently exist for every cardinal κ. We also prove that iterations of Axiom A forcings with countable supports are Axiom A.

The Motin family proteins (Motins) are a class of scaffolding proteins consisting of Angiomotin (AMOT), AMOT‐like protein 1 (AMOTL1), and AMOT‐like protein 2 (AMOTL2). Motins play a pivotal role in angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and neurogenesis by modulating multiple cellular signaling pathways. Recent findings indicate that Motins are components of the Hippo pathway, a signaling cascade involved in development and cancer. This review discusses how Motins are integrated into the Hippo signaling network, as either upstream regulators or downstream effectors, to modulate (...) cell proliferation and migration. The repression of YAP/TAZ by Motins contributes to growth inhibition, whereas subcellular localization of Motins and their interactions with actin fibers are critical in regulating cell migration. The net effect of Motins on cell proliferation and migration may contribute to their diverse biological functions. (shrink)

The Y‐box proteins are the most evolutionarily conserved nucleic acid binding proteins yet defined in bacteria, plants and animals. The central nucleic acid binding domain of the vertebrate proteins is 43% identical to a 70‐amino‐acid‐long protein (CS7.4) from E. coli. The structure of this domain consists of an antiparallel fivestranded β‐barrel that recognizes both DNA and RNA. The diverse biological roles of these Y‐box proteins range from the control of the E. coli cold‐shock stress response to the translational masking of (...) messenger RNA in vertebrate gametes. This review discusses the organization of the prokaryotic and eukaryotic Y‐box proteins, how they interact with nucleic acids, and their biological roles, both proven and potential. (shrink)

Despite the availability of evidence-based treatment models for adolescent behavior problems, little is known about the effectiveness of these programs for adolescents with callous-unemotional traits. Defined by lack of empathy, lack of guilt, flattened affect and lack of caring, CU traits have been linked to long-term anti-social behavior and unfavorable treatment outcomes and might be negatively related to outcomes in evidence-based programs such as Functional Family Therapy. This study used a single-group pre-post evaluation design with a sample of 407 (...) adolescents receiving FFT to investigate whether outcomes in FFT are predicted by CU traits and to what extent reliable changes in CU traits can be observed. The results showed that although CU traits are related to increased problem severity at baseline, they predicted neither treatment dropout nor post-treatment externalizing behavior and family functioning. CU traits were related to diminished improvement ratings, in particular with respect to parental supervision. Reductions in CU traits were observed across the time of treatment, and these were most profound among adolescents with elevated levels of CU traits at baseline. Further research should investigate whether certain evidence-based treatment components are more suited for adolescents with CU, and if the addition of specific intervention elements for reducing CU-traits could further improve outcomes for this high-risk population. (shrink)

Rho/Rac proteins constitute a subgroup of the Ras superfamily of GTP hydrolases. Although originally implicated in the control of cytoskeletal events, it is currently known that these GTPases coordinate diverse cellular functions, including cell polarity, vesicular trafficking, the cell cycle and transcriptomal dynamics. In this review, we will provide an overview on the recent advances in this field regarding the mechanism of regulation and signaling, and the roles in vivo of this important GTPase family. BioEssays 29:356–370, 2007. © 2007 (...) Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (shrink)

The chapter starts with an exploration of what the family is in order then to move on to look at its parts. The family has been defined in terms of its form (e.g. a mother, a father, and their biological offspring) or its function (e.g. adults taking and/or sharing custodial responsibility for children). In both of these cases, children are a necessary ingredient for a unit to be called a family – but the chapter also briefly reviews (...) proposals to extend the accolade of “family” to beyond child-rearing. From a perspective concerned primarily with family form, biological and more specifically genetic parents have been seen as those to whom children should be born, and by whom they should be raised. From a perspective concerned with family function, this is not necessarily the case. Lastly, the chapter looks at the relation between parents and the requirements that co-parenting may generate in this regard. (shrink)

Sigmoid functions have been applied in many areas to model self limited population growth. The most popular functions; General Logistic (GL), General von Bertalanffy (GV), and Gompertz (G), comprise a family of functions called Theta Logistic ( $$ \Uptheta $$ L ). Previously, we introduced a simple model of tumor cell population dynamics which provided a unifying foundation for these functions. In the model the total population ( N ) is divided into reproducing ( P ) and non-reproducing/quiescent ( (...) Q ) sub-populations. The modes of the rate of change of ratio P / N was shown to produce GL, GV or G growth. We now generalize the population dynamics model and extend the possible modes of the P / N rate of change. We produce a new family of sigmoid growth functions, Trans-General Logistic (TGL), Trans-General von Bertalanffy (TGV) and Trans-Gompertz (TG)), which as a group we have named Trans-Theta Logistic ( T $$ \Uptheta $$ L ) since they exist when the $$ \Uptheta $$ L are translated from a two parameter into a three parameter phase space. Additionally, the model produces a new trigonometric based sigmoid ( TS ). The $$ \Uptheta $$ L sigmoids have an inflection point size fixed by a single parameter and an inflection age fixed by both of the defining parameters. T $$ \Uptheta $$ L and TS sigmoids have an inflection point size defined by two parameters in bounding relationships and inflection point age defined by three parameters (two bounded). While the Theta Logistic sigmoids provided flexibility in defining the inflection point size, the Trans-Theta Logistic sigmoids provide flexibility in defining the inflection point size and age. By matching the slopes at the inflection points we compare the range of values of inflection point age for T $$ \Uptheta $$ L versus $$ \Uptheta $$ L for model growth curves. (shrink)

Although many aspects of the physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms remain unknown, recent advances in our knowledge suggest that the CREC proteins are promising disease biomarkers or targets for therapeutic intervention in a variety of diseases. The CREC family of low affinity, Ca2+‐binding, multiple EF‐hand proteins are encoded by five genes,RCN1,RCN2,RCN3,SDF4, andCALU, resulting in reticulocalbin, ER Ca2+‐binding protein of 55 kDa (ERC‐55), reticulocalbin‐3, Ca2+‐binding protein of 45 kDa (Cab45), and calumenin. Alternative splicing increases the number of gene products. The proteins (...) are localized in the cytosol, in various parts of the secretory pathway, secreted to the extracellular space or localized on the cell surface. The emerging functions appear to be highly diverse. The proteins interact with several different ligands. Rather well‐described functions are attached to calumenin with the inhibition of several proteins in the endoplasmic or sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane, the vitamin K12,3‐epoxide reductase, the γ‐carboxylase, the ryanodine receptor, and the Ca2+‐transporting ATPase. Other functions concern participation in the secretory process, chaperone activity, signal transduction as well as participation in a large variety of disease processes. (shrink)

Wittgenstein's remarks about family resemblance in the Philosophical Investigations should not be construed as implying a comprehensive theory of universals. They possess, rather, a defensive function in his exposition. The remarks allow one, nevertheless, to draw certain general conclusions about how Wittgenstein thought about concepts. Reflection on the notion of family resemblance reveals that kinship and similarity considerations intersect in it in a problematic fashion.