Optofluidic microcavities: Dye-lasers and biosensors

Optofluidic microcavities are integrated elements of microfluidics that can be explored for a large variety of applications. In this review, we first introduce the physics basis of optical microcavities and microflow control. Then, we describe four types of optofluidic dye lasers developed so far based on both simple and advanced device fabrication technologies. To illustrate the application potential of such devices, we present two types of laser intracavity measurements for chemical solution and single cell analyses. In addition, the possibility of single molecule detection is discussed. All these recent achievements demonstrated the great importance of the topics in biology and several other disciplines.     

Talent development,work habits,and career exploration of Chinese middle‐school adolescents: development of the Career and Talent Development Self‐Efficacy Scale

This article describes the development of an instrument – the Career and Talent Development Self‐Efficacy Scale (CTD‐SES) – for assessing students’ self‐efficacy in applying life skills essential for personal talent development, acquisition of positive work habits, and career exploration. In Study 1, data were obtained from a large sample of Chinese middle‐school students (N=15,113) in Grades 7–9 in Hong Kong. The CTD‐SES is an 18‐item questionnaire with subscales containing items that address students’ orientations toward developing their own talents, acquiring and applying positive work habits, and exploring their career possibilities. Evidence is provided for internal consistency, temporal stability, and factor structure of the CTD‐SES. Goodness of fit statistics provided support for a three‐primary‐factor‐plus‐higher‐factor model, and this solution was used in the statistical analyses. The data also indicated that students with plans for university study reported significantly higher scores than those without on all three domains of career and talent development. In Study 2 (N=308) Grade 10 high‐ability students’ scores in CTD‐SES were correlated with scores in career decision self‐efficacy and academic performance. The development and validation of CTD‐SES is the first step toward investigating career exploration, work habits, and talent development among Asian middle‐school adolescents.     

“求人”抑或“求己”？经营困境下的企业家活动配置与价值再造

经营困境中的企业家倾向于采取何种策略以提升组织价值再造能力,是战略领域的学者高度关注的研究热点。本文考察了经营困境对企业家活动配置的影响及外部制度因素与企业控股性质的调节作用,并探讨了不同的企业家活动配置对组织后续价值再造能力的差异化影响效应,得到如下结论。经营困境下的企业家活动配置存在双面性,困境不仅激发了企业家的创新投入动机,同时也提升了企业家的关系投入意愿,并且,相对于“求己”式创新投入,企业家更倾向于采用“求人”式关系构建等非生产性策略。地方政策不确定性越高,越发促使困境企业同时增加创新投入与关系投入,“求人”与“求己”双管齐下的动机越强。国有控股制约经营困境与企业家活动配置之间的关系,相对而言,困境企业在国有控股治理机制下的创新动力和关系运营动机都将弱化。困境企业通过增加创新投入提高自身能力能够起到抑制衰退、恢复市场价值的积极作用,而依赖他人的关系策略则并不利于企业价值再造能力的提升,困境企业要实现战略复苏,创新投入优于关系投入。本研究不仅丰富了企业家活动配置的前因研究范畴,而且有效拓展了顺序注意逻辑与企业价值再造理论的研究框架,同时通过比较企业家活动配置的差异化复苏效应探究...     

Keep DRAGging ON: Is solving more problems in DragonBox 12+ associated with higher mathematical performance during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Prior research has shown that game-based learning tools, such as DragonBox 12+, support algebraic understanding and that students' in-game progress positively predicts their later performance. Using data from 253 seventh-graders (12–13 years old) who played DragonBox as a part of technology intervention, we examined (a) the relations between students' progress within DragonBox and their algebraic knowledge and general mathematics achievement, (b) the moderating effects of students' prior performance on these relations and (c) the potential factors associated with students' in-game progress. Among students with higher prior algebraic knowledge, higher in-game progress was related to higher algebraic knowledge after the intervention. Higher in-game progress was also associated with higher end-of-year mathematics achievement, and this association was stronger among students with lower prior mathematics achievement. Students' demographic characteristics, prior knowledge and prior achievement did not significantly predict in-game progress beyond the number of intervention sessions students completed. These findings advance research on how, for whom and in what contexts game-based interventions, such as DragonBox, support mathematical learning and have implications for practice using game-based technologies to supplement instruction.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

• DragonBox 12+ may support students' understanding of algebra but the findings are mixed.
• Students who solve more problems within math games tend to show higher performance after gameplay.
• Students' engagement with mathematics is often related to their prior math performance.

What this paper adds

• For students with higher prior algebraic knowledge, solving more problems in DragonBox 12+ is related to higher algebraic performance after gameplay.
• Students who make more in-game progress also have higher mathematics achievement, especially for students with lower prior achievement.
• Students who spend more time playing DragonBox 12+ make more in-game progress; their demographic, prior knowledge and prior achievement are not related to in-game progress.

Implications for practice and/or policy

• DragonBox 12+ can be beneficial as a supplement to algebra instruction for students with some understanding of algebra.
• DragonBox 12+ can engage students with mathematics across achievement levels.
• Dedicating time and encouraging students to play DragonBox 12+ may help them make more in-game progress, and in turn, support math learning.