Work demands and work resources : Testing a model of factors predicting turnover intentions in early childhood education

We studied the working conditions in Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC). The aim was to explore how ECEC staff experience work demands and resources and how these relate to turnover intentions. The research was based on a modified Job Demands-Resources model (Bakker and Demerouti in J Manage Psychol 22(3):309-328, 2007) according to which job strain is influenced by both job demands and resources. The sample was identified through trade union registers and the data were collected via a survey (N = 538). The findings show a rather high proportion of turnover intentions. Both general workload and emotional workload were related to turnover intentions, and they were mediated by participation. However, leadership satisfaction did not mediate the relationship between workload and turnover intentions. This study contributes to the knowledge on risk factors related to intentions to leave the ECEC profession in the Finnish as well as the international context. It is urgent to know more about factors related to turnover because a high rate undermines trust in the ECEC sector and negatively impacts staff and children.Peer reviewe

Mapping Nanocellulose- and Alginate-Based Photosynthetic Cell Factory Scaffolds:Interlinking Porosity, Wet Strength, and Gas Exchange

To develop efficient solid-state photosynthetic cell factories for sustainable chemical production, we present an interdisciplinary experimental toolbox to investigate and interlink the structure, operative stability, and gas transfer properties of alginate- and nanocellulose-based hydrogel matrices with entrapped wild-type Synechocystis PCC 6803 cyanobacteria. We created a rheological map based on the mechanical performance of the hydrogel matrices. The results highlighted the importance of Ca2+-cross-linking and showed that nanocellulose matrices possess higher yield properties, and alginate matrices possess higher rest properties. We observed higher porosity for nanocellulose-based matrices in a water-swollen state via calorimetric thermoporosimetry and scanning electron microscopy imaging. Finally, by pioneering a gas flux analysis via membrane-inlet mass spectrometry for entrapped cells, we observed that the porosity and rigidity of the matrices are connected to their gas exchange rates over time. Overall, these findings link the dynamic properties of the life-sustaining matrix to the performance of the immobilized cells in tailored solid-state photosynthetic cell factories.</p

Fibriinihydrogeelit rintasyöpäsolujen kolmiulotteisen viljelyn tukirankana

Despite the advances in the management of breast cancer, discovery of novel and targeted drugs remains a challenge. It has been suggested that drug failure rates in clinical trials might be diminished by improving the predictive potential of preclinical cancer models. Three-dimensional (3D) scaffold-based cell culture has emerged as an attractive platform for mimicking tissue-like microenvironment, since it is well-known that cells respond to the cues in the extracellular matrix (ECM). The aim of this thesis was to develop fibrin-based hydrogels and evaluate their performance in 3D cell culture of breast cancer cells. The fibrin gel formulation was first optimized by testing the effect of different buffers on gel properties. Structural properties were examined with scanning electron microscopy and mechanical properties measured with oscillatory rheometry. Three different fibrin concentrations of the optimized formulation were then used as scaffolds for DU4475 breast cancer cells. After seven days of culture, the morphology, phenotype and proliferation of the resulting cell structures were assessed by using techniques such as light microscopy, immunofluorescent confocal microscopy and Western blot analysis. The desired properties for 3D cell culture were obtained by preparing fibrin gels at high pH in the absence of calcium. The main finding of the thesis was that fibrin concentration strongly affected the phenotype of DU4475 cells, with cells cultured in the softest gel retaining their original characteristics to the greatest extent. In the future, the developed scaffold could possibly be used in drug discovery and personalized medicine by culturing tumor explants from patients. However, the methods used in the study must be further optimized and the results validated with other breast cancer cell lines and with primary tissues

TULE KUULLUKSI - KUULE, KUULU : Opas ikähuonokuuloisuudesta Espoon seurakuntien työntekijöille

TIIVISTELMÄ Heilala, Anna-Maria & Kuokkanen, Anu. Tule kuulluksi – kuulu, kuule. Opas ikähuonokuuloisuudesta Espoon seurakuntien työntekijöille. Helsinki, kevät 2010, 75 s., 2 liitettä. Diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulu, Diak Etelä, Helsinki. Sosiaalialan koulutusohjelma, sosionomi (AMK), Diakonisen sosiaalityön suuntautumisvaihtoehto, sosionomi (AMK) + diakoni. Ikäihmisten määrä tulee kasvamaan huomattavasti seuraavien vuosikymmenten aikana. Koska kuulon alentumisen riski kasvaa iän myötä, myös kuulovammaisten määrä tulee lisääntymään. Espoon seurakunnissa huonokuuloisten huomioiminen erityisryhmänä on jäänyt muun työn varjoon. Opinnäytetyö toteutettiin produktiona, jossa tuloksena syntyi kaikille Espoon seurakuntien työntekijöille suunnattu opas ikähuonokuuloisten seurakuntalaisten kohtaamisesta. Produktion sisältö esiteltiin kaikille Espoon seurakuntien työntekijöille erilaisissa työntekijäkokouksissa syksyn 2009 aikana. Opas jaettiin kaikille työntekijöille pdf muodossa sähköpostitse sekä paperisena versiona pääsääntöisesti ikäihmisten parissa työskenteleville. Aineistona opinnäytetyössämme käytimme monipuolisen kirjallisuuden lisäksi asiantuntijoille ja eläkeläiskerholaisille tehtyjä teemahaastatteluita. Näiden haastatteluiden pohjalta saimme aineistoa produktin rakentamiseksi, niin että asiakkaan ja asiantuntijoiden ääni kuuluisi työntekijöille. Opas otettiin vastaan positiivisesti ja sitä kohtaan on osoitettu suurta innostusta. Produktimme sai useilta eri tahoilta kiitosta siitä, että asiaan on puututtu ja että tällainen opas on tehty. Työmme koettiin tarpeelliseksi seurakuntatyön kehittämisen kannalta. Asiasanat: huonokuuloisuus, vanhuus, ikääntyminen, seurakunnat, oppaat, seurakuntatyö, elämänlaatu, produktiotABSTRACT Heilala, Anna-Maria and Kuokkanen Anu. To hear and to be heard. Information pamphlet about the age-related hearing loss to the parish workers in city of Espoo. 75 p., 2 appendices. Language: Finnish. Helsinki, Spring 2010. Diaconia Uni-versity of Applied Sciences. Degree Programme in Social Services. Degree: Bachelor of Social Services / Bachelor of Social Services + Diacon. Within the next decades the number of elderly people will be increasing. Hear-ing loss difficulties will increase because hearing loss is often age-related. People with hearing difficulties were not noticed within the Espoo parish. This thesis was carried out in production. Based on the theory and the results of the thesis information pamphlet which was handed to workers in every Espoo parish was compiled. The information pamphlet includes information on the age-related hearing loss and how to meet parishioners who have difficulties of hearing. The content of the production was presented to the parish of Espoo workers in various meetings in autumn 2009. An information pamphlet was sent by e-mail to all employees in a PDF format and a paper version was handed to employees that work mainly with elderly people. The sources used in the thesis were diverse literature and interviews. In the interviews with specialists and elderly club members themed interview method was used. Through the interviews it was possible to gather information for the production so that the specialists’ and customers’ voice would be heard by the employees. Positive feedback was received on the pamphlet and it was accepted with an open mind. The subject has raised plenty of interest. Compliments were re-ceived from various directions on the product as well as on the fact that this subject had been tackled by creating an information pamphlet. The thesis is also of use for developing parish work. Keywords: age-related hearing loss, elderly, production, parishTuoteosana: Tule kuulluksi -opa

Magnetic microrheometry of tumor-relevant stiffness levels and probabilistic quantification of viscoelasticity differences inside 3D cell culture matrices.

The progression of breast cancer involves cancer-cell invasions of extracellular matrices. To investigate the progression, 3D cell cultures are widely used along with different types of matrices. Currently, the matrices are often characterized using parallel-plate rheometry for matrix viscoelasticity, or liquid-like viscous and stiffness-related elastic characteristics. The characterization reveals averaged information and sample-to-sample variation, yet, it neglects internal heterogeneity within matrices, experienced by cancer cells in 3D culture. Techniques using optical tweezers and magnetic microrheometry have measured heterogeneity in viscoelasticity in 3D culture. However, there is a lack of probabilistic heterogeneity quantification and cell-size-relevant, microscale-viscoelasticity measurements at breast-tumor tissue stiffness up to ≃10 kPa in Young's modulus. Here, we have advanced methods, for the purpose, which use a magnetic microrheometer that applies forces on magnetic spheres within matrices, and detects the spheres displacements. We present probabilistic heterogeneity quantification using microscale-viscoelasticity measurements in 3D culture matrices at breast-tumor-relevant stiffness levels. Bayesian multilevel modeling was employed to distinguish heterogeneity in viscoelasticity from the effects of experimental design and measurement errors. We report about the heterogeneity of breast-tumor-relevant agarose, GrowDex, GrowDex-collagen and fibrin matrices. The degree of heterogeneity differs for stiffness, and phase angle (i.e. ratio between viscous and elastic characteristics). Concerning stiffness, agarose and GrowDex show the lowest and highest heterogeneity, respectively. Concerning phase angle, fibrin and GrowDex-collagen present the lowest and the highest heterogeneity, respectively. While this heterogeneity information involves softer matrices, probed by ≃30 μm magnetic spheres, we employ larger ≃100 μm spheres to increase magnetic forces and acquire a sufficient displacement signal-to-noise ratio in stiffer matrices. Thus, we show pointwise microscale viscoelasticity measurements within agarose matrices up to Young's moduli of 10 kPa. These results establish methods that combine magnetic microrheometry and Bayesian multilevel modeling for enhanced heterogeneity analysis within 3D culture matrices

Fibrin Stiffness Regulates Phenotypic Plasticity of Metastatic Breast Cancer Cells

The extracellular matrix (ECM)-regulated phenotypic plasticity is crucial for metastatic progression of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). While ECM faithful cell-based models are available for in situ and invasive tumors, such as cell aggregate cultures in reconstituted basement membrane and in collagenous gels, there are no ECM faithful models for metastatic circulating tumor cells (CTCs). Such models are essential to represent the stage of metastasis where clinical relevance and therapeutic opportunities are significant. Here, CTC-like DU4475 TNBC cells are cultured in mechanically tunable 3D fibrin hydrogels. This is motivated, as in circulation fibrin aids CTC survival by forming a protective coating reducing shear stress and immune cell-mediated cytotoxicity and promotes several stages of late metastatic processes at the interface between circulation and tissue. This work shows that fibrin hydrogels support DU4475 cell growth, resulting in spheroid formation. Furthermore, increasing fibrin stiffness from 57 to 175 Pa leads to highly motile, actin and tubulin containing cellular protrusions, which are associated with specific cell morphology and gene expression patterns that markedly differ from basement membrane or suspension cultures. Thus, mechanically tunable fibrin gels reveal specific matrix-based regulation of TNBC cell phenotype and offer scaffolds for CTC-like cells with better mechano-biological properties than liquid.Peer reviewe

Cooperative colloidal self-assembly of metal-protein superlattice wires

Material properties depend critically on the packing and order of constituent units throughout length scales. Beyond classically explored molecular self-assembly, structure formation in the nanoparticle and colloidal length scales have recently been actively explored for new functions. Structure of colloidal assemblies depends strongly on the assembly process, and higher structural control can be reliably achieved only if the process is deterministic. Here we show that self-assembly of cationic spherical metal nanoparticles and anionic rod-like viruses yields well-defined binary superlattice wires. The superlattice structures are explained by a cooperative assembly pathway that proceeds in a zipper-like manner after nucleation. Curiously, the formed superstructure shows right-handed helical twisting due to the right-handed structure of the virus. This leads to structure-dependent chiral plasmonic function of the material. The work highlights the importance of well-defined colloidal units when pursuing unforeseen and complex assemblies.Peer reviewe