Background: Surgical mortality data are collected routinely in high-income countries, yet virtually no low-or middle-income countries have outcome surveillance in place. The aim was prospectively to collect worldwide mortality data following emergency abdominal surgery, comparing findings across countries with a low, middle or high Human Development Index (HDI).Methods: This was a prospective, multicentre, cohort study. Self-selected hospitals performing emergency surgery submitted prespecified data for consecutive patients from at least one 2-week interval during July to December 2014. Postoperative mortality was analysed by hierarchical multivariable logistic regression.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, educational institutions were closed, and students worldwide were confined to their homes. In an educational environment, students depend on collaborative learning (CL) to improve their learning performance. This study aimed to increase the understanding of social media adoption among students during the COVID-19 pandemic for the purpose of CL. Social media provides a learning platform that enables students to easily communicate with their peers and subject specialists, and is conducive to students' CL. This study addresses the key concept of CL during the COVID-19 pandemic by assessing social media use among students in higher education. The relationship between social media use and students' performance is crucial to understanding the role of social media during a pandemic. This study is based on constructivism theory and the technology acceptance model. Structural equation modeling was used to analyze the conceptual model using SmartPLS. The research findings indicate that social media plays an important role during the pandemic because it provides opportunities for students to enhance CL under the aforementioned situations. This study makes noteworthy theoretical and practical contributions.

Blended Learning (BL) is one of the most used methods in education to promote active learning and enhance students’ learning outcomes. Although BL has existed for over a decade, there are still several challenges associated with it. For instance, the teachers’ and students’ individual differences, such as their behaviors and attitudes, might impact their adoption of BL. These challenges are further exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, as schools and universities had to combine both online and offline courses to keep up with health regulations. This study conducts a systematic review of systematic reviews on BL, based on PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, to identify BL trends, gaps and future directions. The obtained findings highlight that BL was mostly investigated in higher education and targeted students in the first place. Additionally, most of the BL research is coming from developed countries, calling for cross-collaborations to facilitate BL adoption in developing countries in particular. Furthermore, a lack of ICT skills and infrastructure are the most encountered challenges by teachers, students and institutions. The findings of this study can create a roadmap to facilitate the adoption of BL. The findings of this study could facilitate the design and adoption of BL which is one of the possible solutions to face major health challenges, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

No abstract

This paper explores the experiences of Chinese university teachers during the COVID-19 pandemic, with a particular emphasis on the teaching and learning methods adopted and the benefits and challenges encountered in the process. It is based on semi-structured interviews with 13 Chinese university teachers selected through purposive sampling. The findings suggest that the COVID-19 pandemic forced the university and teachers to adopt online teaching and learning without necessary preparations. Most of the teachers had no adequate ICT and pedagogical training to engage in online teaching and learning. The teachers used the little knowledge they had to learn creating videos and managing online classes gradually. In addition to the flexibility benefits, online learning is expected to transform the teaching and learning process in China to become more interactive and student-centered, which would be a significant achievement for teachers who have been practicing traditional teaching methods. This research provides a better understanding of the benefits and challenges of online learning, which could be vital for future adjustments or educational reforms.

Background During the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an increase in the use of digital platforms for educational purposes, and increased use of smartphones and social media has affected the academic performance of students. In this study, we explored how emotional intelligence can, directly and indirectly, influence academic performance, with academic social networking sites (ASNS) as a mediator. Methods A survey questionnaire comprising 42 items was used to collect data on emotional intelligence, ASNS, and academic performance. In total, 305 undergraduate university students participated in the study. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (SmartPLS-SEM 3.2.2) was used to measure the effects of emotional intelligence and ASNS. Results Two dimensions of emotional intelligence, namely, self-regulation and self-awareness, showed significant positive effects on academic performance. Similarly, emotional intelligence and subscales of self-regulation, self-awareness and social skills showed a positive effect on ASNS. Likewise, ASNS showed a significant positive effect on academic performance. Looking at indirect influence, three dimensions of emotional intelligence, including self-regulation, self-awareness, and social skills, exerted a significant positive indirect influence on academic performance. Thus, outcomes of this study indicate that ASNS worked as a mediator between emotional intelligence and academic performance. Conclusion Emotional intelligence contributes directly and indirectly to increased academic performance. Together with emotional intelligence, ASNS played a positive and significant role in nurturing academic performance during the COVID-19 pandemic.

In sports literature, women’s participation in physical activities has always been characterized as “problematic.” Muslim women’s participation is often considered to be limited by their culture and religion, which also affects their attitude toward physical activities. The purpose of this study is to explore the participation and perceived constraints of Pakistani female students in physical activities, using a feminism-in-sports approach. Semi-structured and informant-style interviews with female students from Larkana, Pakistan, were conducted. The results show that participants either do not practice or participate very little, due to the limitations of socioeconomic factors, religious values, and culture. By exploring the diverse ways in which 20 female students talk about their participation in sports activities, we provide different narratives for sports decision-makers (at the school and government level), parents, and community practitioners (political and religious) to consider and draw upon in their curriculum and policy design, as well as daily practices, to support women’s participation in sport activities.

Using qualitative research methods, this study explores international students’ socio-cultural adjustment experiences in Chinese Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). The study indicates that many international students in China are facing linguistic and cultural challenges. They have limited interaction with Chinese students and the local people, which results in shallow socio-cultural understanding of China and its people. Although they are inadequate, Chinese HEIs are tackling these challenges by providing various supporting mechanisms such as offering introductory Chinese language course/s, organizing orientation programmes and partnering international and Chinese students. The study helps (Chinese) HEIs to enhance their services to international students and boost students’ experiences.