Electronic Correlations in Oligo-acene and -thiophene Organic Molecular Crystals

From first principles calculations we determine the Coulomb interaction between two holes on oligo-acene and -thiophene molecules in a crystal, as a function of the oligomer length. The relaxation of the molecular geometry in the presence of holes is found to be small. In contrast, the electronic polarization of the molecules that surround the charged oligomer, reduces the bare Coulomb repulsion between the holes by approximately a factor of two. In all cases the effective hole-hole repulsion is much larger than the calculated valence bandwidth, which implies that at high doping levels the properties of these organic semiconductors are determined by electron-electron correlations.Comment: 5 pages, 3 figure

A simulation model shows how individual differences affect major life decisions

Individuals are faced with a number of major decisions throughout their lives, including the choice of a suitable education, career, and life partner. Making such ‘major life decisions’ is challenging, as is evidenced by substantial rates of divorce and drop-out from higher education. Although poor major life decisions can lead to considerable costs for both individuals and society, little is known about how people make these decisions. This is because major life decisions are not simple short-term weighings of options – they are strongly intertwined with identity development. Here, we present a simulation model of major life decisions that integrates the short-term perspective of decision science with the long-term perspective of identity theory. We model major life decisions as a process comprising many explorations of available options, resulting in changing commitments, and eventually leading to a decision. Using our model, we run a large-scale in silico experiment, systematically simulating how three key individual characteristics affect the choice process and the quality of the decision: (1) exploration tendency (broad vs in-depth), (2) accuracy in assessing how well options fit, and (3) selectiveness. We identify the types of individuals who are at risk of exhibiting ‘maladaptive’ decision dynamics, including ruminative exploration and rash decision making, and conclude that these features often, but not always, lead to bad decisions. Our simulation results generate concrete predictions that can be empirically tested and may eventually result in individually tailored tools to aid individuals in making major life decisions

Phenological mismatch affects individual fitness and population growth in the winter moth

Climate change can severely impact species that depend on temporary resources by inducing phenological mismatches between consumer and resource seasonal timing. In the winter moth, warmer winters caused eggs to hatch before their food source, young oak leaves, became available. This phenological mismatch changed the selection on the temperature sensitivity of egg development rate. However, we know little about the fine-scale fitness consequences of phenological mismatch at the individual level and how this mismatch affects population dynamics in the winter moth. To determine the fitness consequences of mistimed egg hatching relative to timing of oak budburst, we quantified survival and pupation weight in a feeding experiment. We found that mismatch greatly increased mortality rates of freshly hatched caterpillars, as well as affecting caterpillar growth and development time. We then investigated whether these individual fitness consequences have population-level impacts by estimating the effect of phenological mismatch on population dynamics, using our long-term data (1994-2021) on relative winter moth population densities at four locations in The Netherlands. We found a significant effect of mismatch on population density with higher population growth rates in years with a smaller phenological mismatch. Our results indicate that climate change-induced phenological mismatch can incur severe individual fitness consequences that can impact population density in the wild.</p

Pre-job loss grief reactions and work attachment among sick-listed employees:Introduction of the imminent job loss scale

Purpose: With this study, we aimed to explore the emotional experiences of sick-listed employees facing imminent job loss, as this emotional distress may hinder successful job search outcomes. The study had two objectives: (1) to develop and validate the Imminent Job Loss Scale (IJLS) for assessing pre-job loss grief reactions and (2) to examine its relationship to work attachment.Method: Development of the IJLS was carried out using feedback from an expert panel. The psychometric properties of the IJLS were evaluated, and its association with work attachment was examined using data from 200 sick-listed employees facing imminent job loss. Results: The IJLS demonstrated strong internal consistency and temporal stability, distinctiveness from depression and anxiety symptoms, and solid convergent validity. Work-centrality and organizational commitment were positively related to pre-job loss grief reactions, while work engagement and calling showed no significant associations.Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into pre-job loss grief reactions and shows the potential utility of the IJLS for screening and monitoring purposes. Understanding pre-job loss grief reactions can improve the re-integration and job prospects of sick-listed employees. In future research, explorations of these dynamics should continue to provide better support to sick-listed employees during this challenging period