Abstract: The escalating complexity of urban emergencies, driven by rapid urbanization and climate change, highlights the critical need for advanced emergency response systems. Traditional methods, reliant on manual judgment and fragmented information, struggle to meet demands for rapid, precise, and efficient incident management. While large language models (LLMs) offer potential, general-purpose LLMs exhibit limitations in information timeliness, domain expertise, multi-modal data integration, and decision support accuracy within smart city emergency response. To address these challenges, we propose GuardianMind, a novel multi-modal enhanced LLM system specifically engineered for smart city emergency response. GuardianMind integrates a powerful base LLM with specialized modules: a City Emergency Knowledge Retrieval component, a Smart City Knowledge Graph, a Real-time Data and Tools module, and a Public Information Search module. This architecture enables GuardianMind to effectively process and synthesize diverse, heterogeneous data streams, providing a holistic understanding of emergencies and generating professional, accurate, and actionable response suggestions. Through comprehensive experiments on a custom-built dataset, GuardianMind consistently outperforms state-of-the-art general LLMs, including leading commercial and open-source models, across critical dimensions of accuracy, professional depth, and timeliness, while maintaining excellent language fluency. An ablation study further validates the indispensable contribution of each integrated module. Our qualitative analysis demonstrates GuardianMind's capacity to deliver highly precise, context-rich, and immediately actionable intelligence, marking a significant advancement in intelligent urban crisis management.

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Purpose: This paper aims to systematically synthesize academic research published between 2020 and 2025 that investigates environmental, social, and governance (ESG) ratings and scores, with a focus on their methodologies, comparative performance, and impact on firm outcomes. Design/methodology/approach: A systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted using the Lens.org scholarly database. A structured title search retrieved 334 open access journal articles published between 2020 and May 2025 containing the terms "ESG Score", "ESG Rating", or "ESG Rater". The PRISMA 2020 protocol guided the selection and screening process. Findings: The literature exhibits growing concern about the divergence among ESG ratings, the methodological opacity of rating providers, and the variable financial implications of ESG scores. Common themes include score disagreements, rating agency biases, and emerging models for standardizing ESG assessments. Originality: This review provides the most up-to-date synthesis of ESG rating literature, focusing exclusively on articles explicitly addressing ESG ratings or scores in their titles. It contributes clarity to the fragmented ESG measurement space by organizing findings around key methodological and evaluative debates.

Abstract: This paper investigates percolation transitions in a disordered L-C system composed of inductors and capacitors (non-dissipative reactive elements). These transitions occur between different percolating states, resulting in distinct, constant values of the effective conductivity. We employ an exact approach based on the rotational symmetry of two-dimensional DC equations. A new type of phase transition is identified for these non-dissipative systems by analogy to a topological transition. The characteristics of these transitions, which are analogs of topological invariants, are calculated. We propose that these transitions may be considered a classical analog to quantum transitions, such as the quantum Hall effect.

Abstract: Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) frameworks are increasingly reshaping urban planning, real estate, and territorial governance. Originally conceived as corporate disclosure tools, ESG criteria are now influencing land use, regeneration strategies, and policy frameworks across Europe and beyond. This systematic review synthesizes 197 articles published between 2020 and 2025 to examine how ESG adoption translates into spatial, institutional, and governance outcomes. The findings show that ESG functions simultaneously as a financial instrument, a planning paradigm, and a governance mechanism. While it enables capital mobilization, climate resilience, and participatory innovation, it also risks reproducing socio- spatial inequities such as green gentrification, peripheral exclusion, and uneven infrastructure investment. Case studies from Florence, Cyprus, Russia, and broader European contexts demonstrate both methodological advances—such as spatiotemporal clustering, GIS-based analysis, and digital monitoring—and persistent gaps in regulatory frameworks, score reliability, and territorial integration. The paper contributes to planning scholarship by proposing an integrated framework that links ESG adoption to spatial justice, sustainable infrastructure, and multi-level governance. Policy implications emphasize the need to broaden ESG assessment to territorial indicators, embed safeguards against displacement, and align financial instruments with measurable social outcomes. Future research should advance geographic diversification, methodological innovation, and normative engagement with equity and resilience.

Abstract: Road freight transportation remains the dominant mode for goods distribution worldwide, with articulated vehicles playing a critical role in this sector. However, these vehicles are prone to severe instability phenomena such as jackknifing, trailer sway, and rollover, particularly under high-speed or emergency maneuvers. This paper presents an advanced steering stability control strategy for articulated vehicles based on Model Predictive Control (MPC) and differential braking, aiming to enhance lateral and yaw stability during autonomous driving operations. The proposed controller integrates trajectory tracking and yaw stability objectives within a unified optimization framework, systematically handling multi-variable constraints. A dynamic model of a tractor–semitrailer combination has been developed, enabling accurate representation of vehicle kinematics and tire forces. Simulation results demonstrate that the inclusion of differential braking significantly reduces articulation angle and yaw rate deviations, preventing instability even at speeds exceeding the critical threshold of 31.04 m/s. Comparative analysis reveals that coordinated braking applied to both tractor and trailer units achieves superior performance over single-unit application, particularly under high-speed conditions. While the findings confirm the effectiveness of MPC-based differential braking for articulated vehicle stability, the study also highlights the current limitation of simulation-based validation and the need for experimental testing to ensure real-world applicability. Future research should explore multi-actuator coordination, including active front steering integration, to further enhance stability and reduce longitudinal speed loss.

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This article provides a critical and thematically structured literature review of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) urbanism as it intersects with the right to the city, green gentrification, affordable housing, public-private partnerships, and participatory governance. Drawing from over 100 peer-reviewed sources published between 2020 and 2025, the study examines how ESG frameworks are adopted, contested, and operationalized across diverse urban contexts. While ESG has emerged as a dominant paradigm in urban planning and real estate, the review reveals its frequent co-optation by market-driven agendas, which risk reproducing socio-spatial inequalities under the guise of sustainability. At the same time, the literature highlights promising alternatives rooted in environmental justice, multispecies ethics, legal reform, and community-led planning. The review advances the argument that ESG must be reframed not as a universal compliance model, but as a situated, justice-oriented framework capable of responding to the complex ecological and social realities of contemporary urbanization. By foregrounding relational governance, inclusive design, and equitable urban futures, the article contributes to an emerging research agenda that challenges technocratic sustainability and reclaims ESG as a transformative tool for spatial and environmental justice.

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The qEEG findings of subjects with Down syndrome (DS) have not been described in the context of bipolar montage. Resting-state EEG (rsEEG) with a bipolar montage was performed in 22 young adults (26.0 ± 1.2 years) with DS but without psychiatric or neurological pathology and matched control subjects of the same sex and age, and the results were conventionally and numerically analysed. Channels were grouped into frontal, parieto-occipital, and temporal lobes. For every channel, the power spectrum was calculated and used to compute the area for the delta, theta, alpha and beta bands and was log-transformed. Shannon’s spectral entropy (SSE) and coherence by bands were computed. Finally, we also calculated the peak frequency distribution of the alpha band. qEEG revealed alterations in the rsEEG that were not detected visually. Subjects with DS showed a significant generalized increase in the power of the delta and theta bands, along with a decrease in the power of the alpha band in the posterior half of the scalp. This alpha activity also exhibited features corresponding to older euploid subjects, showing interhemispheric asynchrony in one-third of the individuals. The beta band power was significantly increased in the frontal lobes and adjacent regions, such as the parietal and mid-temporal regions. Individuals with DS showed a generalized decrease in parieto-occipital synchronization. Left temporal synchronization was also lower. The synchronization of specific channel pairs was greater in subjects with DS in the frontal lobe and much lower in the occipital and temporal regions. These results indicate that alterations in band structure and synchronization in subjects with DS are highly specific and can aid in the clinical evaluation of these individuals.

Abstract: Recent findings suggest that the gut microbiome significantly influences cancer outcomes, including responses to immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatments. Although early research focused on gut bacteria, it is now understood that the microbiome includes a bacteriome, virome, and mycobiome, all of which can modulate host immunity. Some commensal bacteria enhance anti-tumor immune responses and improve ICI efficacy, as demonstrated in both mice and patients. Fecal microbiota transplants (FMT) from patients responding to ICI have successfully reversed resistance in certain non-responders. In addition to bacteria, gut fungi and viruses are gaining attention as further factors influencing ICI effiectiveness and toxicity. Recent multi-omics studies across cancer cohorts show that fungal and viral populations in the gut vary between ICI responders and non-responders. Commensal fungi may shape anti-cancer immunity by inducing inflammatory or tolerogenic pathways, while viral components can stimulate innate immune sensors that promote tumor surveillance. On the other hand, gut dysbiosis marked by expansion of pathobionts (including opportunistic fungi) and reduction of beneficial microbes is linked to serious immune-related adverse events (irAEs) such as ICI-induced colitis. This review discusses the multi-kingdom gut microbiome – bacteria, fungi, and viruses – and their interactions with the immune system in cancer therapy. We emphasize known mechanisms linking these microbes to anti-tumor immunity, overview human studies associating gut microbiome profiles with ICI outcomes and explore strategies to modulate the microbiome to enhance ICI efficacy while reducing toxicity. Understanding and utilizing the gut mycobiome and virome in conjunction with the bacteriome could pave the way for new biomarkers and therapeutic adjuvants in cancer immunotherapy.

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Despite extensive technological advances and an ever-growing body of literature, liquid biopsy has yet to achieve reliable early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA). Numerous studies have investigated circulating tumor-derived components, including cell-free DNA (cfDNA), cell-free RNA (cfRNA), extracellular vesicles (EVs), and circulating tumor cells (CTCs), primarily using peripheral blood samples; however, their clinical utility for early-stage disease remains limited. The fundamental obstacles are biological rather than purely technical: early PDA and its precursor lesions, such as pancreatic intraepithelial neoplasia (PanIN) and intraductal papillary mucinous neoplasms (IPMN), are characterized by minimal tumor burden, low levels of nucleic acid shedding, and substantial background signals from non-neoplastic tissues. Increasing analytical complexity through multilayered liquid biopsy approaches, including analyses from pancreas-associated fluid, has not consistently translated into improved diagnostic performance and, in some cases, has amplified issues related to specificity, reproducibility, and interpretability. Moreover, molecular alterations detected in body fluids may reflect clonal expansion without inevitable malignant progression, raising concerns regarding overdiagnosis and clinical decision-making. Pre-analytical variability, lack of standardization, and limited access to tumor-adjacent fluids further hinder clinical implementation. Liquid biopsy should therefore be regarded as a complementary modality rather than a substitute for histopathological diagnosis, with its precise clinical role in early detection still ill-defined. In this review, we critically examine why liquid biopsy has not yet succeeded in early PDA detection, highlighting the key biological, technical, and clinical barriers that must be addressed to move the field beyond exploratory research toward meaningful clinical application.

Abstract: Wastewater is an abundant yet underutilized source of thermal energy. Integrating wastewater flow with heat exchangers and heat pumps is a promising method for addressing buildings' heating and cooling requirements. This approach not only enhances energy efficiency but also promotes sustainability in buildings. This study explores the techno-economic and environmental potential of such a system, known as a Wastewater Energy Transfer (WET) system. An energy model was developed to simulate and compare the performance of a WET system with an existing conventional Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system. Using local greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions factors, utility rates, and weather data, the model calculated both systems' comparative energy consumption, operating costs, and GHG emissions. The models were created to determine the project's economic and environmental viability. Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University) campus buildings were utilized for a case study and implementation of a WET system. The analysis included six Canadian cities of Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver, with varying climates and energy infrastructures. Montreal had the highest operating cost savings at $2,057,855, while Calgary had the lowest at $128,544. Winnipeg led in GHG reductions, offsetting 5,464 tonnes annually, whereas Montreal had the smallest reduction at 21 tonnes.

Abstract: This paper reviews digital floating-point arithmetic algorithms that employ Taylor series expansion combined with mantissa region division techniques, drawing upon the results of our research. In many scientific computing applications, compact and low-power hardware implementations are essential. To address these requirements, this review presents algorithms specifically designed to operate under such constraints. The focus is placed on efficient floating-point operations—including division, inverse square root, square root, exponentiation, and logarithmic functions—all realized through Taylor series expansions. Furthermore, the paper examines the trade-offs involved, such as the number of additions, subtractions, and multiplications, as well as the hardware cost associated with Look-Up Table (LUT) size. These factors are analyzed to identify the most suitable algorithms for engineering applications and to facilitate their practical implementation.

Abstract: Based on the derived equation of state for crystals under external stress and temperature, we derived that for non-crystal systems under general external stress and temperature and discussed its relationship with the Macroscopic Mechanical Equilibrium Condition.

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Introduction: Pediatric acute appendicitis (PAA) remains challenging to diagnose despite existing diagnostic scores. The BIDIAP index is a three-item diagnostic tool with very high discriminative performance in a derivation cohort. This study aimed to prospectively and externally validate the BIDIAP index in a multicenter pediatric population. Material and Methods: We conducted a prospective, multicenter observational study across four tertiary pediatric centers, enrolling children presenting with suspected PAA. Two groups were analyzed: patients with histopathologically confirmed PAA and patients in whom appendicitis was confidently excluded after diagnostic work-up, classified as non-surgical abdominal pain (NSAP). The BIDIAP index was applied using a predefined cutoff (≥ 4 points), and diagnostic performance was assessed using ROC analysis, calibration metrics, and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results: A total of 644 patients meeting the prespecified analytical criteria were included in the primary analysis. The BIDIAP index demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance, with an area under the ROC curve of 0.93 (95% CI, 0.92–0.95). The calibration slope was 1.00, and the intercept was close to zero, indicating close agreement between predicted and observed risks. At the prespecified cutoff value of ≥ 4 points, the BIDIAP index achieved a sensitivity of 89.89% and a specificity of 83.21%. DCA showed a positive net clinical benefit of the BIDIAP index over treat-all and treat-none strategies across the full range of clinically relevant threshold probabilities. Conclusions: The BIDIAP index demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance for PAA. Its simplicity, based on only three items, and its potential applicability even when the appendix is not visualized on ultrasonography make the BIDIAP index a promising tool for supporting clinical decision-making in routine pediatric emergency practice.

Abstract: Background: COVID-19 coincided with increased mental health needs in Alberta, Canada, intensifying pre-existing access gaps and service strain. Alberta responded with publicly funded interventions spanning digital care, youth-focused services, and recovery-oriented programs. Objective: To evaluate Alberta’s system-level response to pandemic-related increases in mental health help-seeking/service uptake using a health economics and policy lens. Methods: We extracted empirically reported program delivery outputs from the 2023–2024 Alberta Mental Health and Addiction Annual Report. We used a simulation calibrated to reported trends to examine directional changes in help-seeking (demand), service capacity (supply), and the modeled equilibrium quantity under a zero-copayment design. Results: Empirically reported outputs indicate that delivery met or exceeded planned/funded milestones for CASA Mental Health, VODP, and tele-mental health, while recovery communities reflected phased implementation. In the illustrative simulation, the demand-implied volume increases from 60 to 87 services/month, but delivered volume is capacity-constrained at 78 services/month (implying ~9 services/month unmet demand), while a unit-cost proxy is held constant for visualization (not an observed market price or patient copayment).Conclusion: Alberta’s response illustrates how coordinated, publicly funded capacity expansion and access-oriented policies can support service delivery during system shocks; the model also highlights that if capacity growth lags demand growth, unmet need may persist even under zero copayment.

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The conservation of culturally stratified heritage structures requires a holistic approach that balances the protection of historical integrity with the integration of contemporary functions. This study focuses on the Aya Payana Church, a late Ottoman rural ecclesiastical structure located in Isparta, Türkiye, as a case study to explore sustainable conservation and adaptive reuse strategies. Although the building retains much of its original physical fabric, its evolving uses—from sacred space to military storage and eventual abandonment—reflect a layered cultural narrative. In line with international conservation charters, intervention strategies were developed based on principles of minimal intervention, reversibility, and respect for historical authenticity. The adaptive reuse strategy involved transforming the site into a sensory-focused cultural facility, featuring a “Kokuhane” (scent museum) and a botanical garden cultivating local aromatic plants. This integration promotes active visitor engagement through laboratory workshops and enhances cultural continuity by linking traditional knowledge with contemporary experience. A transparent cafeteria structure was added with minimal visual impact, ensuring the preservation of the historical silhouette while improving visitor services. The proposed model demonstrates that sustainable conservation of culturally layered sites can be achieved through adaptive reuse strategies that prioritize historical integrity, cultural sustainability, and community engagement. The findings offer a replicable framework for future conservation projects aiming to revitalize underused rural heritage buildings while maintaining their cultural significance.

Abstract: Background: Optimizing intrauterine insemination (IUI) outcomes while minimizing gonadotropin exposure, treatment cost, and the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) remains a central challenge in ovulation induction, particularly among women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) or high antral follicle counts (AFC). Sequential stimulation protocols incorporating early letrozole followed by delayed recombinant follicle-stimulating hormone (rFSH) have been proposed as a strategy to improve clinical efficiency while preserving safety and pregnancy outcomes. Objective To compare pregnancy outcomes, gonadotropin consumption, and safety profiles of a letrozole plus late-onset rFSH protocol versus conventional rFSH stimulation in IUI cycles, with particular emphasis on patients with PCOS and high ovarian reserve. Methods: This retrospective comparative cohort study included 764 IUI cycles performed between January 2022 and December 2025 at a tertiary assisted reproductive technologies center. Cycles were stimulated either with early letrozole followed by late-onset rFSH (n = 392) or with conventional rFSH alone (n = 372). The primary outcome was pregnancy per cycle, defined by a positive serum β-hCG test. Secondary outcomes included total gonadotropin dose, endometrial thickness, cycle cancellation, OHSS incidence, and obstetric outcomes. Multivariable logistic regression, propensity score matching (PSM), inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW), mediation analysis, and doubly robust methods were applied to account for baseline imbalances and confounding. Results: In unadjusted analyses, different stimulation protocols influenced pregnancy rates, but the letrozole plus late-rFSH group used significantly lower gonadotropin doses. After accounting for factors like female age and ovarian reserve, stimulation protocol did not independently predict pregnancy outcomes; female age was the main predictor. The rates of cycle cancellation and OHSS were low and similar across protocols, including in women with PCOS and high AFC. Propensity score analyses verified that the letrozole-based protocol produced pregnancy outcomes comparable to standard rFSH stimulation while decreasing gonadotropin use. Conclusions: Sequential stimulation with letrozole plus late-onset rFSH provides pregnancy outcomes comparable to conventional rFSH stimulation while significantly reducing gonadotropin requirements and maintaining favorable safety profiles, even in high-risk populations such as PCOS and high AFC patients. These findings support individualized ovarian stimulation strategies that prioritize both clinical effectiveness and treatment efficiency in IUI cycles.

Abstract: Fiducia Supplicans is a thematic exegesis of blessings by the Roman Catholic Church. The possibility, contained within the document, of blessing same-sex couples has monopolised much of the discourse. A linguistic analysis is performed of the concept of blessings epiphanised in the New Testament. Primarily two words connote the single English lexeme “bless” – eulogeo and makarizo. Eulogeo is a semantically inclusive blessing without necessarily connoting rectitude or probity. It is a non-contingent gift or eleemosynary. By way of contrast makarizo is an approbative blessing indicative of propriety or a commendation. A similar dichotomy is seen in Hebrew with Baruch referring to an inclusive or restorative blessing and Asre consonant with makarizo, an approbative blessing. There potentially some support for a selective, qualified, non-ceremonial, extemporaneous blessing of individuals in irregular relations. Such blessings are coincident with eulogeo and cognates used by Christ, himself when instructing followers to bless their persecutors. This is essentially an act of charity and an aspirational blessing for repentance. Misunderstanding of and misapprehension regarding Fiducia Supplicans is borne from linguistic limitations of the English language. Almost paradoxically such an exegesis simultaneously expounds the protean blessings of the Blessed Virgin Mary in her sinless state. Mary, mother of God, through her Immaculate Conception and divine maternity was blessed by grace in an unmerited and unmeritable “eulogeo” formula, but through her faith and “fiat” is commended by a “makarizo” blessing. This contrast articulated by Elizabeth during the Visitation who uses cognates of both eulogeo and makarizo in the Greek translation in Luke 1:42-45, as she greets her Cousin and describes her as blessed.

Abstract: Cracks and holes are commonly found in wooden components, and ancient Chinese wooden buildings represented by Yingxian Wooden Pagoda demonstrate the ability to work with defects. This study systematically investigated the effects of longitudinal cracks and circular holes on the load-bearing capacity of wooden beams through four point bending experiments on 1580 samples. The study focuses on load-bearing capacity as the core indicator and provides calculation formulas for section weakening coefficient and damage tolerance coefficient to quantitatively evaluate the impact of cracks. Research has found that the harmfulness of damage strongly depends on its position within the wooden beam. In the horizontal direction, when the longitudinal crack is located in the pure bending section of the wooden beam, it has little effect on the load-bearing capacity of the wooden beam. Once it deviates to the transverse bending section, the load-bearing capacity of the wooden beam significantly decreases. The hole is most dangerous when it is located in the horizontal center of the wooden beam, and it is also dangerous when it is near the loading point. In the vertical direction, the crack has the greatest impact on the load-bearing capacity of the wooden beam when it is located in the neutral layer, while its impact decreases when it is close to the upper and lower surfaces of the wooden beam. Holes have the least impact when approaching the neutral layer, which is different from the impact pattern of cracks. In addition, the hazard increases when the hole is located in the tension zone of the wooden beam, and decreases when it is located in the compression zone. The anisotropy and fiber structure of wood are the microscopic basis for the damage tolerance mechanical behavior of timber beams.

Abstract: Regenerative rehabilitation can enhance skeletal muscle mass, function, and size following traumatic injuries such as volumetric muscle loss (VML). We previously optimized fibrin-laminin hydrogels for muscle regeneration and an electrically stimulated eccentric contraction training (EST) for muscle rehabilitation. The goal of this study was to examine the combined effect of these two therapies in maximizing tissue recovery. A VML defect was created by removing ~20% of muscle mass from the tibialis anterior (TA) muscle in adult male Lewis rats. The injured TA muscles were treated with fibrin-laminin (FBN450) hydrogel. EST was implemented 2 weeks post-injury at both 100 Hz and 150 Hz frequencies and was continued for 4 weeks. The results showed no improvement in muscle mass or function with combined FBN450 and EST application. Histological analysis revealed reduced type 2B myofiber size and percentage in the combined hydrogel and EST treatment group. Gene expression studies showed increased inflammatory and fibrotic signaling with no concomitant increase in myogenic markers. Collectively, these results indicate that the FBN450 hydrogel therapy did not synergize with EST to improve outcomes following VML.

Abstract: While privacy concerns are traditionally assumed to deter data sharing, this study challenges that consensus within the context of value-aligned green marketing. Drawing on privacy calculus theory and trust-building frameworks, we surveyed 1,136 consumers to investigate the mechanisms driving engagement with AI-driven sustainability initiatives. Following a rigorous attrition analysis to ensure data quality (final N = 482), structural equation modeling reveals a complementary mediation effect: brand trust mediates the relationship between privacy concern and data-sharing willingness (indirect effect = 0.068), yet a significant positive direct effect persists (\beta = .109, p = .010). This finding suggests that privacy-conscious consumers do not exhibit paradoxical behavior but rather exercise privacy self-efficacy—engaging in informed, strategic selectivity where high concern correlates with high competence in managing risks. Furthermore, the study addresses the “Green-AI Paradox”—the tension between AI’s environmental utility and its substantial carbon footprint. We propose a new framework of “Impact Transparency” and introduce the AI Data Usage Efficiency (ADUE) metric for integration into the EU Digital Product Passport. These findings offer a roadmap for marketers and policymakers to foster trust through authentic, outcome-based transparency.