The paper presents the most comprehensive and large-scale global study to date on how higher education students perceived the use of ChatGPT in early 2024. With a sample of 23,218 students from 109 countries and territories, the study reveals that students primarily used ChatGPT for brainstorming, summarizing texts, and finding research articles, with a few using it for professional and creative writing. They found it useful for simplifying complex information and summarizing content, but less reliable for providing information and supporting classroom learning, though some considered its information clearer than that from peers and teachers. Moreover, students agreed on the need for AI regulations at all levels due to concerns about ChatGPT promoting cheating, plagiarism, and social isolation. However, they believed ChatGPT could potentially enhance their access to knowledge and improve their learning experience, study efficiency, and chances of achieving good grades. While ChatGPT was perceived as effective in potentially improving AI literacy, digital communication, and content creation skills, it was less useful for interpersonal communication, decision-making, numeracy, native language proficiency, and the development of critical thinking skills. Students also felt that ChatGPT would boost demand for AI-related skills and facilitate remote work without significantly impacting unemployment. Emotionally, students mostly felt positive using ChatGPT, with curiosity and calmness being the most common emotions. Further examinations reveal variations in students’ perceptions across different socio-demographic and geographic factors, with key factors influencing students’ use of ChatGPT also being identified. Higher education institutions’ managers and teachers may benefit from these findings while formulating the curricula and instructions/regulations for ChatGPT use, as well as when designing the teaching methods and assessment tools. Moreover, policymakers may also consider the findings when formulating strategies for secondary and higher education system development, especially in light of changing labor market needs and related digital skills development.

Bone fractures represent a significant medical morbidity among aged population with osteoporosis. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are suggested to have therapeutic potential to enhance fracture healing in such patients. Though BMP-mediated fracture healing has been well-documented in preclinical models, there has been no clinical study that demonstrated unequivocally that indeed a BMP when presented with an appropriate scaffold could provide basis for robust outcome for delayed or non-union diaphyseal bone fractures. This review presents a comprehensive insight towards the existing knowledge on the role of BMP signaling in bone formation and maintenance. Also therapeutic options based on BMP biology are discussed. A novel osteoinductive autologous bone graft substitute (ABGS) aimed to accelerate bone regeneration was developed and is currently being tested in the clinical setting. It comprises of a biologically compatible autologous carrier made from the patient’s peripheral blood (autologous blood coagulum, ABC) and of rhBMP6 as an active ingredient. Such formulation circumvents the use of animal-derived materials, significantly limits inflammatory processes common in commercial bone devices and renders the carrier flexible, malleable, and injectable ensuring the ease of use. The ongoing clinical trials result will provide more detailed insights into the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics, and bone healing effects in humans and potentially provide novel and safe therapeutic options for bone repair.