A PENALTY FUNCTION METHOD FOR THE PRINCIPAL-AGENT PROBLEM WITH AN INFINITE NUMBER OF INCENTIVE-COMPATIBILITY CONSTRAINTS UNDER MORAL HAZARD

In this paper,we propose an iterative algorithm to find the optimal incentive mechanism for the principal-agent problem under moral hazard where the number of agent action profiles is infinite,and where there are an infinite number of results that can be observed by the principal.This principal-agent problem has an infinite number of incentive-compatibility constraints,and we transform it into an optimization problem with an infinite number of constraints called a semi-infinite programming problem.We then propose an exterior penalty function method to find the optimal solution to this semi-infinite programming and illustrate the convergence of this algorithm.By analyzing the optimal solution obtained by the proposed penalty function method,we can obtain the optimal incentive mechanism for the principal-agent problem with an infinite number of incentive-compatibility constraints under moral hazard.

Relationship between parenting stress and behavioral and emotional problems in preschool children: A mediation effect analysis

BACKGROUND Emotional reactions,such as anxiety,irritability,and aggressive behavior,have attracted clinical attention as behavioral and emotional problems in preschool-age children.AIM To investigate the current status of family rearing,parental stress,and behavioral and emotional problems of preschool children and to analyze the mediating effect of the current status of family rearing on parental stress and behavioral/emo-tional problems.METHODS We use convenience sampling to select 258 preschool children in the physical examination center of our hospital from October 2021 to September 2023.The children and their parents were evaluated using a questionnaire survey.Pearson's correlation was used to analyze the correlation between child behavioral and emotional problems and parental stress and family rearing,and the structural equation model was constructed to test the mediating effect.RESULTS The score for behavioral/emotional problems of 258 preschool children was(27.54±3.63),the score for parental stress was(87.64±11.34),and the score for parental family rearing was(31.54±5.24).There was a positive correlation between the behavioral and emotional problems of the children and the“hostile/mandatory”parenting style;meanwhile,showed a negative correlation with the“support/participation”parenting style(all P<0.05).The intermediary effect value between the family upbringing of parents in parental stress and children's behavior problems was 29.89%.CONCLUSION Parental family upbringing has a mediating effect between parental stress and behavioral and emotional problems of children.Despite paying attention to the behavioral and emotional problems of preschool-age children,clinical medical staff should provide correct and reasonable parenting advice to their parents to promote the mental health of preschool-age children.

Some Eigenvalue Properties of Third-order Boundary Value Problems with Distributional Potentials

Several eigenvalue properties of the third-order boundary value problems with distributional potentials are investigated.Firstly,we prove that the operators associated with the problems are self-adjoint and the corresponding eigenvalues are real.Next,the continuity and differential properties of the eigenvalues of the problems are given,especially we find the differential expressions for the boundary conditions,the coefficient functions and the endpoints.Finally,we show a brief application to a kind of transmission boundary value problems of the problems studied here.

Combining deep reinforcement learning with heuristics to solve the traveling salesman problem

Recent studies employing deep learning to solve the traveling salesman problem(TSP)have mainly focused on learning construction heuristics.Such methods can improve TSP solutions,but still depend on additional programs.However,methods that focus on learning improvement heuristics to iteratively refine solutions remain insufficient.Traditional improvement heuristics are guided by a manually designed search strategy and may only achieve limited improvements.This paper proposes a novel framework for learning improvement heuristics,which automatically discovers better improvement policies for heuristics to iteratively solve the TSP.Our framework first designs a new architecture based on a transformer model to make the policy network parameterized,which introduces an action-dropout layer to prevent action selection from overfitting.It then proposes a deep reinforcement learning approach integrating a simulated annealing mechanism(named RL-SA)to learn the pairwise selected policy,aiming to improve the 2-opt algorithm's performance.The RL-SA leverages the whale optimization algorithm to generate initial solutions for better sampling efficiency and uses the Gaussian perturbation strategy to tackle the sparse reward problem of reinforcement learning.The experiment results show that the proposed approach is significantly superior to the state-of-the-art learning-based methods,and further reduces the gap between learning-based methods and highly optimized solvers in the benchmark datasets.Moreover,our pre-trained model M can be applied to guide the SA algorithm(named M-SA(ours)),which performs better than existing deep models in small-,medium-,and large-scale TSPLIB datasets.Additionally,the M-SA(ours)achieves excellent generalization performance in a real-world dataset on global liner shipping routes,with the optimization percentages in distance reduction ranging from3.52%to 17.99%.

Study on Principal-agent Mechanism in Chinese Private Enterprises

Based on the principal-agent theory, this paper analyzes the current situation and the developing trends of Chinese private enterprises. It points out the obstacles confronted by Chinese private enterprise in setting up the principal-agent mechanism and proposes the corresponding solutions to these problems.

Association of preschool children behavior and emotional problems with the parenting behavior of both parents

BACKGROUND Parental behaviors are key in shaping children’s psychological and behavioral development,crucial for early identification and prevention of mental health issues,reducing psychological trauma in childhood.AIM To investigate the relationship between parenting behaviors and behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.METHODS From October 2017 to May 2018,7 kindergartens in Ma’anshan City were selected to conduct a parent self-filled questionnaire-Health Development Survey of Preschool Children.Children’s Strength and Difficulties Questionnaire(Parent Version)was applied to measures the children’s behavioral and emotional performance.Parenting behavior was evaluated using the Parental Behavior Inventory.Binomial logistic regression model was used to analyze the association between the detection rate of preschool children’s behavior and emotional problems and their parenting behaviors.RESULTS High level of parental support/participation was negatively correlated with conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal total difficulty scores and abnormal prosocial behavior problems.High level of maternal support/participation was negatively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms and abnormal peer interaction in children.High level of parental hostility/coercion was positively correlated with abnormal emotional symptoms,abnormal conduct problems,abnormal hyperactivity,abnormal peer interaction,and abnormal total difficulty scores in children(all P<0.05).Moreover,paternal parenting behaviors had similarly effects on behavior and emotional problems of preschool children compared with maternal parenting behaviors(all P>0.05),after calculating ratio of odds ratio values.CONCLUSION Our study found that parenting behaviors are associated with behavioral and emotional issues in preschool children.Overall,the more supportive or involved the parents are,the fewer behavioral and emotional problems the children experience;conversely,the more hostile or controlling the parents are,the more behavioral and emotional problems the children face.Moreover,the impact of fathers’parenting behaviors on preschool children’s behavior and emotions is no less significant than that of mothers’parenting behaviors.

SCM Implementation Decisions of Principal-Agent under Asymmetric Information

The optimization investment policy decision of SCM-Supply Chain Management-implementation has been analysed under symmetric and asymmetric information conditions. For both conditions, SCM implementation options’ decision optimizing models have been developed. In these models, both clients and vendors try to pursue their own benefits. Based upon the principal-agent theory, the models show to what extent a principal (a client) needs to pay more to an agent (a vendor) in a context of asymmetric information. For the client, it is important to understand the extra costs to be able to adopt effective strategies to stimulate a vendor to perform an optimal implementation of a SCM system. The results of a simulation experiment regarding SCM implementation options illustrate and verify the theoretical findings and confirm the general notion that the less informed party is obliged to pay information rent to the better-informed party.

Bi-Level Programming for the Optimal Nonlinear Distance-Based Transit Fare Structure Incorporating Principal-Agent Game

The urban transit fare structure and level can largely affect passengers’travel behavior and route choices.The commonly used transit fare policies in the present transit network would lead to the unbalanced transit assignment and improper transit resources distribution.In order to distribute transit passenger flow evenly and efficiently,this paper introduces a new distance-based fare pattern with Euclidean distance.A bi-level programming model is developed for determining the optimal distance-based fare pattern,with the path-based stochastic transit assignment(STA)problem with elastic demand being proposed at the lower level.The upper-level intends to address a principal-agent game between transport authorities and transit enterprises pursing maximization of social welfare and financial interest,respectively.A genetic algorithm(GA)is implemented to solve the bi-level model,which is verified by a numerical example to illustrate that the proposed nonlinear distance-based fare pattern presents a better financial performance and distribution effect than other fare structures.

Quafu-Qcover:Explore combinatorial optimization problems on cloud-based quantum computers

We introduce Quafu-Qcover,an open-source cloud-based software package developed for solving combinatorial optimization problems using quantum simulators and hardware backends.Quafu-Qcover provides a standardized and comprehensive workflow that utilizes the quantum approximate optimization algorithm(QAOA).It facilitates the automatic conversion of the original problem into a quadratic unconstrained binary optimization(QUBO)model and its corresponding Ising model,which can be subsequently transformed into a weight graph.The core of Qcover relies on a graph decomposition-based classical algorithm,which efficiently derives the optimal parameters for the shallow QAOA circuit.Quafu-Qcover incorporates a dedicated compiler capable of translating QAOA circuits into physical quantum circuits that can be executed on Quafu cloud quantum computers.Compared to a general-purpose compiler,our compiler demonstrates the ability to generate shorter circuit depths,while also exhibiting superior speed performance.Additionally,the Qcover compiler has the capability to dynamically create a library of qubits coupling substructures in real-time,utilizing the most recent calibration data from the superconducting quantum devices.This ensures that computational tasks can be assigned to connected physical qubits with the highest fidelity.The Quafu-Qcover allows us to retrieve quantum computing sampling results using a task ID at any time,enabling asynchronous processing.Moreover,it incorporates modules for results preprocessing and visualization,facilitating an intuitive display of solutions for combinatorial optimization problems.We hope that Quafu-Qcover can serve as an instructive illustration for how to explore application problems on the Quafu cloud quantum computers.

ON DE FINETTI'S OPTIMAL IMPULSE DIVIDEND CONTROL PROBLEM UNDER CHAPTER 11 BANKRUPTCY

Motivated by recent advances made in the study of dividend control and risk management problems involving the U.S.bankruptcy code,in this paper we follow[44]to revisit the De Finetti dividend control problem under the reorganization process and the regulator's intervention documented in U.S.Chapter 11 bankruptcy.We do this by further accommodating the fixed transaction costs on dividends to imitate the real-world procedure of dividend payments.Incorporating the fixed transaction costs transforms the targeting optimal dividend problem into an impulse control problem rather than a singular control problem,and hence computations and proofs that are distinct from[44]are needed.To account for the financial stress that is due to the more subtle concept of Chapter 11 bankruptcy,the surplus process after dividends is driven by a piece-wise spectrally negative Lévy process with endogenous regime switching.Some explicit expressions of the expected net present values under a double barrier dividend strategy,new to the literature,are established in terms of scale functions.With the help of these expressions,we are able to characterize the optimal strategy among the set of admissible double barrier dividend strategies.When the tail of the Lévy measure is log-convex,this optimal double barrier dividend strategy is then verified as the optimal dividend strategy,solving our optimal impulse control problem.

Design of Principal-agent Incentive Mechanism between Government and NPO

Based on principal-agent theory,this paper establishes an incentive contract mechanism between government and NPO under asymmetric information,and analyzes the impact of absolute risk aversion and output level on the expected utility of government,NPO and society.Research shows that risk aversion is negatively correlated with the expected utility of government,NPO and society.The output coefficient is positively correlated with the expected utility of government,NPO and society.Reducing absolute risk aversion,increasing output coefficient and increasing government incentives can effectively motivate NPO to actively participate in social rescue activities.

SHORT COMMUNICATION Principal-agent Relationships: A Note on Biomass Depletion

Public authorities frequently mandate public or private agencies to manage their renewable natural resources.Contrary to the agency,which is an expert in renewable natural resource management,public authorities usually ignore the sustainable level of harvest.In this note,we first model the contractual relationship between a principal,who owns the renewable natural resource,and an agent,who holds private information on its sustainable level of harvest.We then look for the Pareto-optimal allocations.In the situation of an imperfect information setting,we find that the Pareto-optimal contracting depends on the probability that the harvesting level stands outside the sustainability interval.The information rent held by the agent turns out to be unavoidable,such that stepping outside the sustainability interval implies the possibility of depletion of the renewable natural resource.This,in turn,compromises the maintenance of the ecological balance in natural ecosystems.

Enhancing Critical Path Problem in Neutrosophic Environment Using Python

In the real world,one of the most common problems in project management is the unpredictability of resources and timelines.An efficient way to resolve uncertainty problems and overcome such obstacles is through an extended fuzzy approach,often known as neutrosophic logic.Our rigorous proposed model has led to the creation of an advanced technique for computing the triangular single-valued neutrosophic number.This innovative approach evaluates the inherent uncertainty in project durations of the planning phase,which enhances the potential significance of the decision-making process in the project.Our proposed method,for the first time in the neutrosophic set literature,not only solves existing problems but also introduces a new set of problems not yet explored in previous research.A comparative study using Python programming was conducted to examine the effectiveness of responsive and adaptive planning,as well as their differences from other existing models such as the classical critical path problem and the fuzzy critical path problem.The study highlights the use of neutrosophic logic in handling complex projects by illustrating an innovative dynamic programming framework that is robust and flexible,according to the derived results,and sets the stage for future discussions on its scalability and application across different industries.

A Comparative Study of Metaheuristic Optimization Algorithms for Solving Real-World Engineering Design Problems

Real-world engineering design problems with complex objective functions under some constraints are relatively difficult problems to solve.Such design problems are widely experienced in many engineering fields,such as industry,automotive,construction,machinery,and interdisciplinary research.However,there are established optimization techniques that have shown effectiveness in addressing these types of issues.This research paper gives a comparative study of the implementation of seventeen new metaheuristic methods in order to optimize twelve distinct engineering design issues.The algorithms used in the study are listed as:transient search optimization(TSO),equilibrium optimizer(EO),grey wolf optimizer(GWO),moth-flame optimization(MFO),whale optimization algorithm(WOA),slimemould algorithm(SMA),harris hawks optimization(HHO),chimp optimization algorithm(COA),coot optimization algorithm(COOT),multi-verse optimization(MVO),arithmetic optimization algorithm(AOA),aquila optimizer(AO),sine cosine algorithm(SCA),smell agent optimization(SAO),and seagull optimization algorithm(SOA),pelican optimization algorithm(POA),and coati optimization algorithm(CA).As far as we know,there is no comparative analysis of recent and popular methods against the concrete conditions of real-world engineering problems.Hence,a remarkable research guideline is presented in the study for researchersworking in the fields of engineering and artificial intelligence,especiallywhen applying the optimization methods that have emerged recently.Future research can rely on this work for a literature search on comparisons of metaheuristic optimization methods in real-world problems under similar conditions.

An Effective Meshless Approach for Inverse Cauchy Problems in 2D and 3D Electroelastic Piezoelectric Structures

In the past decade,notable progress has been achieved in the development of the generalized finite difference method(GFDM).The underlying principle of GFDM involves dividing the domain into multiple sub-domains.Within each sub-domain,explicit formulas for the necessary partial derivatives of the partial differential equations(PDEs)can be obtained through the application of Taylor series expansion and moving-least square approximation methods.Consequently,the method generates a sparse coefficient matrix,exhibiting a banded structure,making it highly advantageous for large-scale engineering computations.In this study,we present the application of the GFDM to numerically solve inverse Cauchy problems in two-and three-dimensional piezoelectric structures.Through our preliminary numerical experiments,we demonstrate that the proposed GFDMapproach shows great promise for accurately simulating coupled electroelastic equations in inverse problems,even with 3%errors added to the input data.

Efficient Inverse Analysis for Solving a Coupled Conduction,Convection and Radiation Problem Involving Non⁃gray Participating Media

The presence of non-gray radiative properties in a reheating furnace’s medium that absorbs,emits,and involves non-gray creates more complex radiative heat transfer problems.Furthermore,it adds difficulty to solving the coupled conduction,convection,and radiation problem,leading to suboptimal efficiency that fails to meet real-time control demands.To overcome this difficulty,comparable gray radiative properties of non-gray media are proposed and estimated by solving an inverse problem.However,the required iteration numbers by using a least-squares method are too many and resulted in a very low inverse efficiency.It is necessary to present an efficient method for the equivalence.The Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm is utilized to solve the inverse problem of coupled heat transfer,and the gray-equivalent radiative characteristics are successfully recovered.It is our intention that the issue of low inverse efficiency,which has been observed when the least-squares method is employed,will be resolved.To enhance the performance of the Levenberg-Marquardt algorithm,a modification is implemented for determining the damping factor.Detailed investigations are also conducted to evaluate its accuracy,stability of convergence,efficiency,and robustness of the algorithm.Subsequently,a comparison is made between the results achieved using each method.

Highly Accurate Golden Section Search Algorithms and Fictitious Time Integration Method for Solving Nonlinear Eigenvalue Problems

This study sets up two new merit functions,which are minimized for the detection of real eigenvalue and complex eigenvalue to address nonlinear eigenvalue problems.For each eigen-parameter the vector variable is solved from a nonhomogeneous linear system obtained by reducing the number of eigen-equation one less,where one of the nonzero components of the eigenvector is normalized to the unit and moves the column containing that component to the right-hand side as a nonzero input vector.1D and 2D golden section search algorithms are employed to minimize the merit functions to locate real and complex eigenvalues.Simultaneously,the real and complex eigenvectors can be computed very accurately.A simpler approach to the nonlinear eigenvalue problems is proposed,which implements a normalization condition for the uniqueness of the eigenvector into the eigenequation directly.The real eigenvalues can be computed by the fictitious time integration method(FTIM),which saves computational costs compared to the one-dimensional golden section search algorithm(1D GSSA).The simpler method is also combined with the Newton iterationmethod,which is convergent very fast.All the proposed methods are easily programmed to compute the eigenvalue and eigenvector with high accuracy and efficiency.

Linking 24-h Movement Behavior Guidelines to Cognitive Difficulties,Internalizing and Externalizing Problems in Preterm Youth

Background:Given the heightened risk of developmental challenges associated with preterm birth,it is crucial to explore interventions that may ameliorate potential adverse outcomes.This study aimed to examine whether meeting the 24-h movement behavior(24-HMB)guidelines,which include recommendations on physical activity(PA),screen time(ST),and sleep(SL),is related to indicators of cognitive difficulties,internalizing problems(e.g.,depression and anxiety),and externalizing problems(e.g.,difficulties in making friends and arguing)in a sample of preterm youth(children and adolescents born preterm).Methods:In this cross-sectional study,data from 3410 preterm youth(aged 6 to 17 years)were included for data analyses.Multivariable logistic regression was used to investigate associations between meeting the 24-HMB guidelines and the above-mentioned health outcomes,while controlling for sociodemographic and health-related factors.Results:The prevalence of meeting 24-HMB guidelines varied across independent and integrated components of the 24-HMB guidelines.Meeting the ST guideline alone(p<0.05)and integrated guidelines(i.e.,ST+SL and ST+SL+PA)were associated with fewer cognitive difficulties and reduced internalizing and externalizing problems(p<0.05).Specifically,meeting the SL guideline alone and integrated guidelines(i.e.,SL+ST)were associated with lower odds of depression and anxiety(p<0.01).Additionally,meeting independent,and integrated(PA and/or ST)guidelines were associated with less pronounced difficulties in making friends and arguing(p<0.05).Meeting 24-HMB guidelines in an isolated and integrated manner are linked to better cognitive performance and fewer internalizing and externalizing problems in preterm youth.Conclusion:Results suggest that advocating for the implementation of the 24-HMB guidelines may reduce cognitive challenges and behavioral issues,which is of high relevance for improving public health.Future longitudinal studies in preterm youth should investigate how modifying specific 24-HMB behaviors,especially ST,influence cognitive difficulties,internalizing and externalizing problems in this vulnerable population.

Optimal Shape Factor and Fictitious Radius in the MQ-RBF:Solving Ill-Posed Laplacian Problems

To solve the Laplacian problems,we adopt a meshless method with the multiquadric radial basis function(MQRBF)as a basis whose center is distributed inside a circle with a fictitious radius.A maximal projection technique is developed to identify the optimal shape factor and fictitious radius by minimizing a merit function.A sample function is interpolated by theMQ-RBF to provide a trial coefficient vector to compute the merit function.We can quickly determine the optimal values of the parameters within a preferred rage using the golden section search algorithm.The novel method provides the optimal values of parameters and,hence,an optimal MQ-RBF;the performance of the method is validated in numerical examples.Moreover,nonharmonic problems are transformed to the Poisson equation endowed with a homogeneous boundary condition;this can overcome the problem of these problems being ill-posed.The optimal MQ-RBF is extremely accurate.We further propose a novel optimal polynomial method to solve the nonharmonic problems,which achieves high precision up to an order of 10^(−11).

Identifying multidisciplinary problems from scientific publications based on a text generation method

Purpose:A text generation based multidisciplinary problem identification method is proposed,which does not rely on a large amount of data annotation.Design/methodology/approach:The proposed method first identifies the research objective types and disciplinary labels of papers using a text classification technique;second,it generates abstractive titles for each paper based on abstract and research objective types using a generative pre-trained language model;third,it extracts problem phrases from generated titles according to regular expression rules;fourth,it creates problem relation networks and identifies the same problems by exploiting a weighted community detection algorithm;finally,it identifies multidisciplinary problems based on the disciplinary labels of papers.Findings:Experiments in the“Carbon Peaking and Carbon Neutrality”field show that the proposed method can effectively identify multidisciplinary research problems.The disciplinary distribution of the identified problems is consistent with our understanding of multidisciplinary collaboration in the field.Research limitations:It is necessary to use the proposed method in other multidisciplinary fields to validate its effectiveness.Practical implications:Multidisciplinary problem identification helps to gather multidisciplinary forces to solve complex real-world problems for the governments,fund valuable multidisciplinary problems for research management authorities,and borrow ideas from other disciplines for researchers.Originality/value:This approach proposes a novel multidisciplinary problem identification method based on text generation,which identifies multidisciplinary problems based on generative abstractive titles of papers without data annotation required by standard sequence labeling techniques.