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The Moral Compass as a Design Constraint: Ergonomic Principles for Building Safe AGI
No full textThe transition from narrow AI to Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) presents a shift that necessitates moving beyond purely algorithmic solutions toward a sociotechnical perspective. Our article argues that determining the moral compass of AGI is fundamentally a problem of cognitive compatibility and design constraints. We integrate established Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE) principles, specifically Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), Joint Cognitive Systems, and Distributed Situation Awareness, to address the process gulf arising from the opacity of AGI goal pursuit. We critically examine seminal AI safety thought experiments through the lens of automation surprises and mode error. Furthermore, we adapt Rasmussen’s Risk Management Framework to model AGI alignment as a hierarchical control problem, introducing the concept of Ecological Alignment Interfaces to visualise the safety envelope. Finally, we argue that AGI safety requires Bidirectional Human-AI Alignment and the rigorous, non-iterative safety protocols found in High Reliability Organisations (HROs). We conclude that the HFE discipline offers the essential toolkit for defining the design constraints necessary for safe AGI.
Practitioner Summary:
This article argues that Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is a sociotechnical challenge requiring Human Factors expertise. This article demonstrates how practitioners can apply Cognitive Work Analysis and Systems Theoretic Accident Model and Processes to define the moral compass of AGI as a set of rigorous design constraints. We provide a framework for using Rasmussen’s Risk Management model to design governance structures that maintain human control over opaque, autonomous systems
Beyond Retributive Justice: When and Why do People Favour Restorative Justice over Traditional Punishment
No full textThis quantitative study employs a within-subject design to explore public perception towards restorative and retributive justice practices. The study also assesses whether individuals' worldviews mediate the relationship between moral foundations and justice preferences. Justice preferences can be characterised as the dependent variable, while perceived seriousness of the crimes and the influence of worldviews and moral foundations is examined as independent variables.
Data are collected via an online survey on the platform Qualtrics. In the first part of the study, participants who give their consent are required to complete two validated self-report questionnaires, the Moral Foundations Questionnaire (Graham et al., 2009) assessing their moral foundations and the Modified Polarity Scale (Nilsson, 2015) examining their worldview.
In the second part of the study, participants are introduced to the constructs relevant for their task in this study. Acting as an impartial judge they will read six fictional crime case vignettes of varying severity presented in randomised order and choose between three approaches to punishment: (1) a purely retributive sentencing process, (2) a restorative procedure with impact on sentencing, and (3) a parallel restorative procedure without impact on sentencing. Participants will also rate the appropriateness of each justice option on a scale and indicate their perception on the seriousness for each crime. Having evaluated all six cases, participants are asked whether they have been familiar with the concepts of restorative justice and victim-offender mediation before this study.
At the end of the survey, they report their demographic information (e.g., age, gender, highest level of education, and their occupation) and are debriefed on further details of the study and its purpose
Systematic Review of the impact of regulatory changes on technical and tactical learning in school-age handball
No full textThis systematic review examines how game constraints and rule modifications influence the learning of technical-tactical skills in youth handball players. National and international studies were reviewed, prioritizing JCR publications and recent literature, including interventions with small-sided games (SSG) and rule modifications. Results indicate that the application of constraints increases action density, improves decision-making, and promotes equitable participation, positively impacting motivation and technical-tactical learning. Pedagogical implications, research gaps, and recommendations for future studies are discussed
University of Stirling's Prosopagnosia CPD training
No full textRecording of online training session for paediatric clinical neuropsychology and psychiatric team January 2026. We also produced some free factsheets for clinicians, people with the condition, schools and workplaces. To download the factsheets please visit
Visit https://faceresearch.stir.ac.uk/prosopagnosi
Measurement properties of Patient-Reported Outcome Measures after third molar surgery: a COSMIN-based Systematic Review Protocol
No full textBackground: To critically evaluate the development and measurement properties of patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) used in patients undergoing third molar surgery, applying the methodology proposed by the Consensus-based Standards for the selection of health Measurement Instruments (COSMIN).
Methods: This research protocol will follow the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology for meta-research and will be reported in accordance with the COSMIN guideline for systematic reviews of patient-reported outcome measures (version 2.0). A comprehensive three-step search strategy will be employed to identify all relevant studies. In the first step, an initial exploratory search will be conducted across selected databases to identify sentinel studies and to inform the selection of keywords and the development of the final search strategy. The second step will consist of a systematic and comprehensive search of the following electronic databases: MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, The Cochrane Library, CINAHL (via EBSCO), LIVIVO, Epistemonikos, and Google Scholar (grey literature). Search terms related to “third molar,” “patient-reported outcomes,” and “validation” will be combined using Boolean operators (AND/OR). The third step will involve updating the search prior to data extraction and analysis. Data extraction will be performed independently by two blinded reviewers. Measurement properties will be evaluated using the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist, and the certainty of evidence will be assessed using the COSMIN-adapted GRADE approach. Meta-analysis will be conducted when appropriate.
Conclusion: This systematic review will provide a comprehensive and methodologically rigorous synthesis of the available evidence on the development and measurement properties of PROMs used in individuals undergoing third molar surgery, evaluated in accordance with COSMIN standards
Phyto-Mechanochemically Extruded Mt-Ag/Sn@CeO₂ Nanocomposites for Crystal Violet Dye Adsorption and CO₂ Capture
No full textThe potential of mechanochemistry via extrusion has been investigated for the design of sustainable nanocomposites with dual environmental remediation applications; the removal of organic pollutants from aqueous media and capture of CO2. The Ag/Sn@CeO2 nanocomposite was synthesized using twin screw extruders for the continuous phyto-mechanochemical synthesis utilizing a Melothria scabra leaf extract. To create a stable and high surface area nanocomposite, the Ag/Sn@CeO2 nanocomposite was further combined with montmorillonite (Mt) clay to form the Mt-Ag/Sn@CeO2 composite. The composite was characterized using FTIR, PXRD, SEM, EDS, Zeta Potential, PL, N2 adsorption-desorption isotherm, and BJH pore size analysis. The potential of composites for the adsorption of crystal violet (CV) dye was assessed. The adsorption capacity of Mt-Ag/Sn@CeO2 and Ag/Sn@CeO2 was found to be 48.10mg/g (96.08%) and 31.02mg/g (89.22%) for CV, respectively, at 25℃, reaching equilibrium within 90 min. The adsorption behavior followed both Freundlich and Langmuir isotherms, and the kinetic study followed a pseudo-second order kinetic model, suggesting chemisorption between the adsorbent and the cationic CV dye. Thermodynamic studies indicated that the adsorption was exothermic and spontaneous. The Mt-Ag/Sn@CeO2 composite exhibits the highest K value (0.0039 mmol/g/mmHg) at 298K compared to 313K (0.0033 mmol/g/mmHg), demonstrating greater adsorption at a lower temperature. Based on these results, the Mt-Ag/Sn@CeO2 composite is a valuable candidate for CV dye and CO2 adsorption, with the potential to integrate mitigation of water and air pollution
Mapping practice variation in early care pathways in endometrial cancer
No full textThis research study aims to investigate how early care pathways for endometrial cancer (EC) are organised and delivered across the UK, with a particular focus on how pathology and biomarker testing are integrated into first-line treatment decisions. Building on initial findings of current practices, we will map real-world practice through a structured online survey.
Emerging evidence suggests significant variation in diagnostic pathways, initial treatment decisions, and MDT functioning in endometrial cancer care. A recent nationwide survey of UK clinicians found that real-world practice often diverges from guideline recommendations. Notably, while 89% of surveyed clinicians reported performing immunohistochemical testing for mismatch repair deficiency, only about 10% had access to POLE gene sequencing for molecular subtyping (George et al., 2024). Such findings highlight gaps between ideal and actual practice, potentially leading to inconsistent care. This heterogeneity may reflect system-level challenges – for instance, limited funding, laboratory capacity, or personnel to support emerging tests – which can hinder the swift adoption of new diagnostics and treatments (George et al., 2024). Indeed, a recent national audit reported significant regional variation in endometrial cancer outcomes, underscoring the need to identify and address disparities in care delivery (NDRS, 2025). In light of this, an exploration of current practices is warranted.
To inform the scope of the proposed survey, GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals (GSK) conducted informal scoping interviews with four key opinion leaders (a medical oncologist, two gynaecological pathologists, and a gynaecological oncology surgeon) from across the UK. These preliminary discussions provided expert insights on current challenges and variations in the early management pathways for endometrial cancer. Clinicians described notable variation in biomarker testing workflows, interpretation of molecular findings, staging practices, MDT structure and function, and pathways for genetic assessment. They also highlighted differences in resource availability and specialist pathology support, which may contribute to variation in treatment planning and patient experience across UK centres. The input from these interviews helped shape the survey content – reinforcing the focus on how pathology results and biomarkers are integrated into treatment planning, how MDT decision-making structures operate, and what system-level barriers clinicians face in delivering guideline-aligned care. This preparatory work underlines the relevance of the research questions and ensures the survey targets areas of genuine concern in the field.
The current study involves a 20-minute online self-completion survey with a sample of 100 participants. The study is observational and exploratory in nature and is not powered for formal hypothesis testing or inferential statistics. Participants will be recruited from various regions across the UK and practice settings. We aim to recruit a mix of general/gynaecological pathologists, medical oncologists, clinical oncologists, and gynaecological surgeons. The survey will include the following question types: numeric response question, single code response question, multi-code response question, Agree/Disagree statement question, frequency scale question, open-ended question, and ranking question. These question types are used to capture a variety of variables. Examples of key variables being measured are as follows: routine biomarker testing practices, perceived familiarity with biomarker testing, MDT meeting practices, personnel involved in MDT meetings, guidelines used in routine practices for care and management of primary advanced or recurrent endometrial cancer (pa/rEC) patients, lynch syndrome screening practices, personnel involved in lynch screening practices, and perceived knowledge gaps within the early pa/rEC care pathway.
References
George, A., Herbertson, R. A., Stillie, A., McCormack, S., Drean, A. M., Wesselbaum, A., et al. (2024). Current management practices for endometrial cancer in the UK: a national healthcare professional survey (KNOW-EC). Clinical Oncology, 36, e448–e455. doi: 10.1016/j.clon.2024.05.017
National Disease Registration Service (NDRS). (2025). Endometrial Cancer Audit Pilot – Baseline Report: Incidence, mortality and survival (2017–2019). NHS Digital. Available at: https://digital.nhs.uk/ndrs/data/data-outputs/cancer-publications-and-tools/ecap-baseline-repor
Analytics for Wellbeing trials - University of Staffordshire
No full textThe Policy Institute at King’s College London (KCL) has been commissioned by the Centre for Transforming Access and Student Outcomes in Higher Education (TASO) to design and deliver a randomised controlled trial (RCT) to assess the impact of wellbeing interventions driven by learning analytics in higher education (HE). This project was funded by a grant from the Evaluation Task Force (Cabinet Office/HM Treasury) and its Evaluation Accelerator Fund (2023-2025). The intervention will be delivered by the University of Staffordshire (SU), who have also been commissioned by TASO to design and deliver an associated Implementation and Process Evaluation (IPE). This trial protocol details the aims, evaluation design for the project and administrative caveats to be accounted for when delivering the RCT
Distinguishing Subjective and Objective Predictions in the Human Brain
No full textIn this study, we aim to investigate how subjective experiences of expectedness and unexpectedness influence neural responses to cued visual stimuli. We adapt a previously validated behavioural paradigm for use in fMRI to test whether neural responses to expected and unexpected stimuli are better explained by participants’ subjective experience or by predictions and prediction errors defined solely by the objective statistical structure of the task. Using whole-brain analyses, we will assess whether BOLD responses to unexpected events in brainstem, sensory, and frontal regions are primarily driven by the subjective magnitude of unexpectedness or by objectively defined prediction error
The Interaction Between Childhood Adversity and the 5-HTTLPR Polymorphism Across Mental Health Outcomes: A Transdiagnostic Meta-Analysis
No full textNo systematic quantitative synthesis has been published to evaluate the interaction of 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms and childhood adversity in diverse mental health outcomes. The present meta-analysis aimed to quantitatively evaluate whether 5-HTTLPR polymorphisms moderates the association between childhood adversity and a broad range of mental health outcomes, including mood, anxiety, trauma-related, eating, personality, and psychotic disorders. Given inconsistent findings in prior research, this meta-analysis provides an updated and transdiagnostic evaluation of the serotonin transporter × childhood adversity interaction