Read the full paper: Spatial coordination in the codevelopment of the human urogenital system during organogenesis

Imagine a developing embryo not as a static sculpture, but as a bustling city under construction, where the architects are not blueprints but chemical gradients and physical forces dancing in…

You spoke at #DirectionsEMEA. We listened. 👂 One piece of feedback was clear: requiring a BC Idea (http://aka.ms/bcidea) before proposing a feature contribution adds friction to co-development ⛈️ So...

Background: Despite several efforts to expand tobacco cessation services through tobacco cessation centers (TCCs) and quit lines, key operational challenges still persist. Recently, AI-based #Digital interventions have shown promise globally for smoking cessation; however, they remain underused in tobacco cessation strategy in the Indian context. Objective: This #Study aimed to (1) codevelop the conversational interface with beneficiaries and cessation providers; (2) assess its feasibility, acceptability, usability, and user engagement; and (3) evaluate its effectiveness in promoting attempts and intention to quit tobacco. Methods: The #Study consists of three phases: (1) codeveloping the comprehensive AI-powered Conversational Interface to Quit Tobacco (CARE) conversational interface through in-depth interviews with tobacco users, counselors, and health care professionals; (2) feasibility testing with tobacco users to assess engagement, usability, and acceptability; and (3) 6-month effectiveness testing using pre-post surveys. The CARE conversational interface will be developed using a retrieval-augmented generation–based large language model by the Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay, Maharashtra, India), delivering personalized, multilingual cessation support via a chatbot integrated into a mobile #App. Key evaluation measures will use validated tools such as the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, Smoking Self-Efficacy Questionnaire, Decisional Balance Scale, and a Knowledge Score Questionnaire. Data will be analyzed using mixed methods, including thematic analysis for qualitative data and descriptive statistics and a multivariate logistic regression for quantitative data. Results: The CARE #Study was funded in March 2025 and is being implemented across 3 TCCs. Preparatory activities, including tool development, site engagement, ethics approval, and trial registration (CTRI/2024/11/076916), were completed in 2025. Phase 1 (codevelopment) is scheduled from February to August 2026, followed by phase 2 (feasibility testing) from September 2026 to August 2027, and phase 3 (effectiveness assessment) from September to November 2027. Data analyses are expected to be completed by late 2027, with key findings on feasibility, acceptability, usability, user engagement, and preliminary cessation outcomes targeted for peer-reviewed publication from 2027 onward. Conclusions: The CARE #Study will attempt to introduce a novel, culturally tailored conversational interface targeting both smokers and smokeless tobacco users in India by integrating AI-based solutions as an adjunct to conventional counseling at the TCCs. Given the single-group pre-post design without a control arm, feasibility and effectiveness findings will be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating rather than causal evidence of intervention impact. The intervention approach of codevelopment, strengthening capacity in evidence-based content, and enabling a multilingual conversation interface is expected to enhance tobacco user engagement and improve cessation outcomes. Findings from this pilot will inform a future #RCT #ClinicalTrial and provide evidence for the potential integration of the CARE interface into India’s tobacco cessation platforms, offering a low-cost, high-impact solution for India and other low- and middle-income countries that face similar challenges. Trial Registration: Clinical Trials Registry–India CTRI/2024/11/076916; https://tinyurl.com/3vfs5d8s

Two reports highlight the changes needed in academia to facilitate the fast, collaborative, responsive and inclusive research that aids global decision makers.

The USTBC President spoke at "Building US-Taiwan Defense Supply Chain Collaboration: Opportunities for Codevelopment and Coproduction

Presentation of WorldPop's work at a India-UK Education Collaboration event at the Indian High Commission in London, highlighting the challenges of India's large, densely packed, and diverse populatio...

I will be presenting in Vancouver a full day presentation...

I will be presenting in Vancouver a full day presentation...

Introduction Over the last decade, the number of older people in custody with common mental and physical health problems has increased. Little is known about the effectiveness of interventions targe...

Modi calls Takaichi 'younger sister'; PMs note High-Speed Rail's partial launch in 2027

Over the past decade, extensive research has revealed strong links between the gut microbiome and the brain, at least in adults or those with neuropsychiatric disorders. This study explores how these associations emerge in early development using a ...