The effects of laser welding on heterogeneous immunoassay performance in a microfluidic cartridge

Sealing of a microfluidic cartridge is a challenge, because the cartridge commonly contains heat-sensitive biomolecules that must also be protected from contamination. In addition, the objective is usually to obtain a sealing method suitable for mass production. Laser welding is a rapid technique that can be accomplished with low unit costs. Even though the technique has been widely adopted in industry, the literature on its use in microfluidic applications is not large. This paper is the first to report the effects of laser welding on the performance of the heterogeneous immunoassay in a polystyrene microfluidic cartridge in which biomolecules are immobilized into the reaction surface of the cartridge before sealing. The paper compares the immunoassay performance of microfluidic cartridges that are sealed either with an adhesive tape or by use of laser transmission welding. The model analyte used is thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). The results show that the concentration curves in the laser-welded cartridges are very close to the curves in the taped cartridges. This indicates, first, that laser welding does not cause any significant reduction in immunoassay performance, and second, that the polystyrene cover does not have significant effect on the signal levels. Interestingly, the coefficients of variance between parallel samples were lower in the laser-welded cartridges than in the taped cartridges.     

Spatio-temporal processes of knowledge creation

This article presents a novel spatio-temporal framework for studying knowledge creation. To achieve this, we analyzed the recent literature on space, time and knowledge and conducted an empirical study. The intensive case was about four international distinguished university research groups in Finland in the fields of technology and science. Object, communicative and cognitive spaces with linear and relational times were used as tools for empirical analysis. Combinations of space and time bring out different aspects of knowledge. Knowledge processes of progressing knowledge (time-space), creating distinguished knowledge (space-time), and path-taking and bundling knowledge (spacetime) bind spaces and times closely together. Besides academy, the spatio-temporal framework can be applied to study the knowledge creation processes in art, business and local communities, for example.     

School neighbourhood socio-economic status and teachers’ work commitment in Finland: longitudinal survey with register linkage

The extent to which school neighbourhood affects teachers’ work commitment is poorly known. In the current study, we investigated whether school neighbourhood socio-economic characteristics predicted teachers’ organizational and professional commitment. Primary school teachers (n?=?1042) responded to surveys in 2000–2001 (baseline) and 2004 (follow-up). Their responses were linked to records of the school neighbourhood income and unemployment levels obtained from nationwide registers. Teachers working in areas with a high income level and low unemployment rate had longer job tenure and higher probability of organizational (school) commitment at follow-up compared to teachers working in areas with a low income level or high unemployment rate. Less consistent associations were found for professional commitment. These findings suggest that school neighbourhood characteristics may affect teachers’ work commitment, especially their organizational commitment. Further research is needed to determine whether this increases inequalities in children’s learning opportunities.     

Is There a Need for a European Institutional Research?

Recent changes in European higher education have accompanied a strong desire and need by national ministries to have comparable data across institutions and a growing recognition from campus leaders that effective planning and decision-making requires reliable institutional data and analyses. This has induced changes and restructuring of duties and roles of administration, administrative staff and academic staff. In North America, internal institutional data analysis is often referred to as institutional research. We examine the roles and functions of institutional research within North America and how the changes within European higher education have created a purpose for institutional research. Specifically, we explore the topical areas of institutional assessment, data management, institutional governance, as well asthe changing identity of academic professionals within European universities. Within our examination, we explore in-depth one European country’s higher education system to demonstrate how history, culture and legislative changes manifest into a need for institutional research.     

Influence of Content Knowledge on Pedagogical Content Knowledge: The case of teaching photosynthesis and plant growth

The aim of the research was to investigate the effect of the amount and quality of content knowledge on pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). The biological content photosynthesis and plant growth was used as an example. The research sample consisted of 10 primary and 10 secondary (biology) teacher students. Questionnaires, lesson preparation task and an interview were used to collect data. Primary student‐teachers’ were not aware of students’ conceptual difficulties and had problems in choosing the most important content. Neither of the groups had knowledge on suitable experiments and demonstrations, which indicates that PCK should be explicitly taught. The usefulness of PCK and some related constructs in initial teacher training is discussed.     

Changes in performance and poling kinetics during cross-country sprint skiing competition using the double-poling technique

In this study, changes in skiing performance and poling kinetics during a simulated cross-country sprint skiing competition were investigated. Twelve elite male cross-country skiers performed simulated sprint competition (4 × 1,150 m heat with 20 min recovery between the heats) using the double-poling technique. Vertical and horizontal pole forces and cycle characteristics were measured using a force plate system (20-m long) during the starting spurt, racing speed, and finishing spurt of each heat. Moreover, heat and 20-m phase velocities were determined. Vertical and horizontal pole impulses as well as mean cycle length were calculated. The velocities of heats decreased by 2.7 ± 1.7% (p = 0.003) over the simulated competition. The 20-m spurting velocity decreased by 16 ± 5% (p < 0.002) and poling time increased by 18 ± 9% (p < 0.003) in spurt phases within heats. Vertical and horizontal poling impulses did not change significantly during the simulation; however, the mean forces decreased (p < 0.039) (vertical by 24 ± 11% and horizontal by 20 ± 10%) within heats but not between the heats. Decreased heat velocities over the simulated sprint and spurting velocities within heats indicated fatigue among the skiers. Fatigue was also manifested by decreased pole force production and increased poling time.     

Two discourses: Researchers and policy-making in higher education

The theme of this article focuses on how policy discourse and research discourse meet in contract research in higher education. The interplay of these discourses has consequences for researchers who have to balance conflicting demands, which we view as links between research and policy cycles. Two evaluation studies on the introduction and effects of new policy instruments are discussed, focusing on the interaction between policy needs, and research design. The examples are taken from policies in the development towards increasing self-regulation in higher education, of which Finland and the Netherlands are interesting examples in the European context.     

The influence of performance-based management on teaching and research performance of Finnish senior academics

Despite the widespread use of performance-based management in higher education, empirical research on its actual impact has remained scarce, particularly in Europe. With agency theory as a framework, our study utilised survey data collected from Finnish universities in order to explore the influence of performance management on perceived teaching and research performance of senior academics. Our findings suggest that, although academics hold a quite positive view of performance measurement as such, this attitude does not correlate with perceived high performance in either teaching or research. Moreover, our results suggest that perceived high performance among academics still relates primarily to acknowledgement from the academic community and academic achievement rather than to measurement and financial incentives.     

Pedagogical perspectives on the relationships between higher education and working life

The relationship between higher educationinstitutions and their environment has changedmarkedly during the last two decades.Massification and diversification of the highereducation system, economic globalisation, novelmodes of knowledge production, new professionalrequirements and the establishment of newvocational higher education systems in manycountries have challenged higher educationinstitutions to develop new forms ofcollaboration with working life. The newsituation also challenges higher education todevelop pedagogical and educational thinkingand practices. The purpose of this article isto examine the pedagogical aspects of theincreasing interaction and collaboration thatis taking place between higher education andworking life and to outline what kind ofchallenges it poses for research on highereducation. It is emphasised that from thepedagogical viewpoint integration betweentheory and practice in work-based learning isessential. Our general conclusion is that therelationship between higher education andworking life should be examined at least fromfour different perspectives: (1) from theviewpoint of student learning and thedevelopment of expertise, (2) from the viewpointof educational institutions and staff, (3) fromthe viewpoint of working life organisations andemployers, and (4) from the viewpoint of societyand the system of education.