The quality of teachers is one of the most frequently cited factors explaining the quality of an education system. This article discusses the nature and role teacher education plays as a part of the Finnish education system. Teacher education in Finland is a highly competitive field of masters' degree university studies and is provided in universities all across the country. Students are selected through two-phase entrance exams which emphasise, in addition to academic qualifications, the candidates' personal suitability and motivation for teacher's work. Elementary-class-teacher education, which is discussed in more detail, includes a strong practical and research orientation. The Finnish school system's approach in responding to the demands of increasing standards is to put a lot of trust in teachers and local education authorities to deliver good outcomes instead of centralised norms and consequential accountability. One Finnish solution is also the extensive learning support system; for example, by special education, which can also be regarded as a challenge for the future with regard to the universally agreed goals of inclusive education.

Introducing and increasing the use of insect-based foods as an alternative source of protein has recently aroused academic and commercial interest in Europe. In this research, we examined Finnish consumers’ intentions to consume insect-based foods in the near future. As a theoretical background we used Ajzen’s theory of planned behaviour (TPB), where individuals’ intentions to change their behaviour are affected by their attitude (A), subjective norm (SN) and perceived behavioural control (PBC). The data was obtained by using an online questionnaire and convenience sampling. For measuring TPB-components a self-administered 58-item Likert-type questionnaire was used. Food neophobia (FN) was measured by using the food neophobia scale. Respondents’ (n=564) intentions to consume insect-based foods were explained significantly (80%) by their A (β=0.749, P<0.001), SN (β=0.133, P<0.001), and PBC (β=-0.070, P<0.001), and gender (β=0.040, P<0.033). Food neophobia was negatively correlated with the intention to consume insect-based foods, ρ=-0.501, P<0.001. We found that women, students, those under 25 years of age, those living in rural areas and those who had no earlier experience of eating insects had less intention to consume insect-based foods. Based on the respondents’ perceptions of conditions for the consumption of insect-based foods, three clusters of consumers were identified; ‘likely consumers’ (44%), ‘potential consumers’ (39%) and ‘unlikely consumers’ (17%). Based on the findings, reasonable price and convenience are most important issues to potential consumers of insect-based foods.

The identification of periodontal pathogens by conventional methods is time-consuming and difficult. Therefore, a multiplex PCR method for simultaneous detection of Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans (A.a.) and Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g.) was developed for rapid and easy determination of these risk-indicator bacteria in human periodontal disease. The PCR primers were designed to hybridize to various regions of 16S rRNA genes, and a hot-start technique was used to obtain maximum sensitivity and specificity. This method can detect both of these bacteria in subgingival plaque samples at concentrations as low as 5 to 50 cells per sample. The sensitivity, however, was even 10 times better when the bacteria were analyzed in a water suspension. Since the only step between sample collection and the actual analysis is a brief centrifugation of the patient sample, the detection can be readily carried out in four hours. The performance of the method was studied with 36 patient samples. The results showed that the PCR method detected A.a. (44% vs. 25%, respectively) and P.g. (56% vs. 42%, respectively) more often than the conventional culture in plaque samples. Thus, our multiplex PCR method is rapid and more effective than conventional protocols in detecting these periodontal pathogens.

Background: Consumption of foods of insect origin is encouraged, since insect consumption is seen as one of the responses to the environmental impact of meat production. This study examines the attitude (A), subjective norm (SN), perceived behavioral control (PC), and food neophobia (FN) toward the consumption of foods of insect origin, as well as the conditions for eating insect-based foods among vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. Methods: The data was obtained by using an online survey and convenience sampling (n = 567, of whom omnivores represented 74%, vegans 5%, and non-vegan vegetarians 22%). Results: The three dietary groups exhibited significantly different intention (I) to eat foods of insect origin. Vegans held the most rigid negative attitude (A), and their subjective norm (SN) to eat insects was weaker compared to that of omnivores (p < 0.001) and non-vegan vegetarians (p < 0.001). Vegans’ perceived behavioral control (PC) over their eating of insects was stronger compared to that of omnivores (p < 0.001) and non-vegan vegetarians p < 0.001), and they were more neophobic than omnivores (p < 0.001) and non-vegan vegetarians (p < 0.001). Non-vegan vegetarians held the most positive attitude toward eating insects, and both non-vegan vegetarians and omnivores thought that insect consumption is wise and offers a solution to the world’s nutrition problems. In contrast, vegans regarded insect consumption as immoral and irresponsible. Conclusions: Vegans’ weak intention, negative attitude, and low willingness to eat insects in the future exhibit their different dietarian identity compared to that of omnivores and non-vegan vegetarians.

Bacteroides forysthus has been shown to be prevalent among patients with periodontitis. Conventional microbiological methods used to identify this bacterium, however, are laborious and time-consuming and are therefore not well-suited for screening purposes. We have developed a polymerase chain-reaction (PCR) method which is rapid, specific, and simple to perform and does not require other sample pre-treatment except a brief centrifugation. This method was applied to the detection of B. forsythus in subgingival plaque of 58 periodontitis patients. When compared with the results of conventional culturing, the PCR method always confirmed the culture-positive results, while none of the PCR negative samples was shown to be culture-positive. The PCR method appeared to give more than double the number of samples positive for B. forsythus than culturing (89.7% vs. 37.9%). The analysis requires less than 4 hrs to perform, and is specific only to B. forsythus and sensitive enough to detect fewer than 5 bacteria.