lvirtuozlrus,
In your sentences "yet" and "as yet" have the meaning of "up to this time". With this meaning "yet" is used in negative sentences and questions.
-We've had no luck yet.
-Have we had any luck yet?
"As yet" and "as of yet" are used in formal and literary English. That is the difference.
We haven't heard from him yet. = We haven't as yet heard from him.