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This research aimed at investigating university teachers' engagement in CPD activities, perceived importance of different CPD activities, skills to be focused in future training and barriers in professional development of teachers. Comparison of teachers' opinions was also made by gender and discipline. A self-developed questionnaire was administered to 700 conveniently selected teachers that belonged to four faculties. The data were analyzed by applying descriptive statistics including frequency of responses, mean scores and standard deviation, and t-test of independent samples for comparing views of respondents from different groups. The results showed that teachers were moderately engaged in all the fifteen professional development activities included in the questionnaire. Producing research papers, reviewing articles for journals, and developing teaching and learning materials were activities rated highly important by teachers. There was no significant difference in male and female teachers' opinions about their involvement in CPD activities. However as compared to teachers of social sciences, teachers of science disciplines were more involved in CPD activities. The respondents considered communication skills, management skills and research skills important for inclusion in their future training. Time, funding and unavailability of study leaves were major barriers that affected continuous professional development of teachers. It was suggested that professional development of university teachers may be taken as ongoing process. For helping teachers improve their academic and research skills, workshops and seminars must be frequently planned and organized by the universities.

This research aimed at investigating university teachers' engagement in CPD activities, perceived importance of different CPD activities, skills to be focused in future training and barriers in professional development of teachers. Comparison of teachers' opinions was also made by gender and discipline. A self-developed questionnaire was administered to 700 conveniently selected teachers that belonged to four faculties. The data were analyzed by applying descriptive statistics including frequency of responses, mean scores and standard deviation, and t-test of independent samples for comparing views of respondents from different groups. The results showed that teachers were moderately engaged in all the fifteen professional development activities included in the questionnaire. Producing research papers, reviewing articles for journals, and developing teaching and learning materials were activities rated highly important by teachers. There was no significant difference in male and female teachers' opinions about their involvement in CPD activities. However as compared to teachers of social sciences, teachers of science disciplines were more involved in CPD activities. The respondents considered communication skills, management skills and research skills important for inclusion in their future training. Time, funding and unavailability of study leaves were major barriers that affected continuous professional development of teachers. It was suggested that professional development of university teachers may be taken as ongoing process. For helping teachers improve their academic and research skills, workshops and seminars must be frequently planned and organized by the universities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is often used in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) with refractory hypoxemia. There is limited literature highlighting the development of right ventricular (RV) failure while on ECMO. We conducted a retrospective multicenter observational study including 70 patients who were placed on veno-venous (VV)-ECMO for respiratory failure at Mayo Clinic, Jacksonville, and Mayo Clinic, Rochester, between January 2018 and June 2022 and had at least two post-ECMO transthoracic echoes. The primary outcomes were the incidence and progression of RV dysfunction and dilatation. The secondary outcome was in-patient mortality. Among 70 patients in our cohort, 60.6% had a normal RV function at the time of ECMO placement, whereas only 42% had a normal RV function at the second post-ECMO echo. On multinomial regression, a moderate decrease in RV function was associated with ECMO flow (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32, p = 0.001) and ECMO duration (OR = 1.01, p = 0.01). A moderately dilated RV size was also associated with ECMO flow (OR = 2.62, p < 0.001) and ECMO duration (OR = 1.02, p = 0.02). An increasing degree of RV dysfunction was associated with worse outcomes. Our study showed that the increasing duration and flow of VV-ECMO correlated with progressive RV dilatation and dysfunction, which were associated with poor survival., Competing Interests: Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report., (Copyright © ASAIO 2024.)