Digital Commons Network^™

Death And Debts, Kevin Bennardo

Faculty Publications

This Article analyzes how inheritance law treats debts owed to and by a decedent, focusing on the Uniform Probate Code’s treatment of unpaid purchase-price balances associated with specifically devised property. While UPC §2‑606(a)(1) automatically gives the outstanding balance to the specific devisee, the Article argues that this rule is inconsistent with modern intent‑based ademption doctrine and with the Code’s treatment of debts owed by the estate. It contends that only outstanding balances secured by the devised asset reflect a meaningful connection to the testator’s likely intent. Unsecured balances, by contrast, should not automatically avoid ademption. The Article proposes amending the …

Leveraging Artificial Intelligent For Optimized Crop Production: An Ann-Based Approach, Yahya Layth Khaleel, Fadya A. Habeeb, Mustafa Abdulfattah Habeeb, Fatimah N. Ameen

Mesopotamian Journal of Computer Science

To incite modern day crop production and ensure sustainability, exact crop recommendations are key to the process. This study pays significant attention to the need for the use of big data tools in studies involving comprehensive data sets that contain information on soil and other environmental characteristics. The set of data used in this research includes Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium content coordinated with Temperature, Humidity, pH Value, and Rainfall. Knowing these factors is to make a favorable decision about improving agricultural products yield, availability and management of the resources, as well as general well-being of the crops. Specialized advisory on …

Approach For Detecting Face Morphing Attacks Using Convolution Neural Network, Essa M. Namis, Khalid Shaker, Sufyan Al-Janabi

Mesopotamian Journal of Computer Science

The facial morphing method combines at least two images of the face to get a singular altered facial image that exposes the vulnerabilities of face recognition systems (FRS). The extensive implementation of face recognition algorithms, particularly in Automatic Border Control (ABC) systems, has raised apprehensions over potential threats, as modified passports present significant risks to national security. In this paper, a new face morphing attack detection approach has been proposed using two different datasets (StyleGAN and AMSL) for testing and validation. A new model for face morphing attack detection based on a special Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) architecture has been …

Enhancing Cybersecurity In Smart Education With Deep Learning And Computer Vision: A Survey, Guma Ali, Aziku Samuel, Maad M. Mijwil, Kholoud Al-Mahzoum, Malik Sallam, Ioannis Adamopoulos, Ayodeji Olalekan Salau, Indu Bala, Klodian Dhoska, Engin Melekoglu

Mesopotamian Journal of Computer Science

The rapid digital transformation of education, driven by the widespread adoption of smart devices and online platforms, has ushered in the era of smart education. While this shift enhances learning experiences, it also introduces significant cybersecurity risks that threaten the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of educational resources, student data, and institutional systems. This survey examines how deep learning (DL) and computer vision (CV) techniques can enhance cybersecurity in smart education environments. By reviewing 202 peer-reviewed research papers published between January 2022 and June 2025 across leading publishers such as ACM Digital Library, Frontiers, Wiley Online Library, IGI Global, Nature, Springer, …

Enhanced Iot Cyber-Attack Detection Using Grey Wolf Optimized Feature Selection And Adaptive Smote, Sura Abed Sarab Hussien, Mustafa S. Ibrahim Alsumaidaie, Nada Hussein M. Ali

Mesopotamian Journal of Computer Science

The Internet of Things (IoT) has significantly transformed modern systems through extensive connectivity but has also concurrently introduced considerable cybersecurity risks. Traditional rule-based methods are becoming increasingly insufficient in the face of evolving cyber threats.  This study proposes an enhanced methodology utilizing a hybrid machine-learning framework for IoT cyber-attack detection. The framework integrates a Grey Wolf Optimizer (GWO) for optimal feature selection, a customized synthetic minority oversampling technique (SMOTE) for data balancing, and a systematic approach to hyperparameter tuning of ensemble algorithms: Random Forest (RF), XGBoost, and CatBoost. Evaluations on the RT-IoT2022 dataset demonstrate that GWO reduces features from 32 …

Agentic Ai-Enhanced Virtual Reality For Adaptive Immersive Learning Environments, Indra Kishor, Udit Mamodiya, Mohammed Almaayah, Amer Alqutaish, Rami Shehab, Theyazn H. H. Aldhyani

Mesopotamian Journal of Computer Science

Immersive learning using Virtual Reality (VR) has gained prominence for delivering experiential, engaging education. However, most VR learning environments lack real-time adaptability, personalization, and cognitive responsiveness. This study presents an Agentic AI-enabled VR framework that autonomously adjusts pedagogical content, interaction style, and challenge level based on learner behavior, emotions, and performance feedback. The proposed system integrates a reinforcement learning-based agent with a virtual reality module to form an intelligent tutor capable of independent decision-making. A neuro-symbolic model processes multi-modal feedback (gesture, speech, gaze, performance) to determine context-aware pedagogical strategies. The system employs a self-evolving curriculum logic that adapts in real …

Cardiac Timing Effects On Response Speed Are Modulated By Blood Pressure But Not Heart Rate Variability In Healthy Young Adults, Xiao Yang, Catalina Roldan, Michael Gazzanigo, Yasmine Nabulsi, Fang Fang

Research and Infrastructure Service Enterprise (RISE) Faculty Publications

Cardiac timing effects reflect the dynamic interplay between interoceptive and exteroceptive processes. Human information processing tends to be facilitated during cardiac diastole and inhibited during systole, reflecting autonomic regulation and the neuromodulation by baroreceptor afferents. Thus, blood pressure (BP) and vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) are potential modulators of those effects. Additionally, cognitive control appears to play a critical role in the processes. However, whether cardiac timing effects are influenced by those factors remains unclear. The present study aimed to clarify these relationships. Fifty-one healthy young adults completed three experimental sessions to assess BP, short-term HRV, and cardiac timing effects. …

Does Performance Change Budgets? Punctuated Equilibrium, Performance, And The Budget For Juvenile Justice In An American State, Elaine Yi Lu, Robert Hines, Katherine Willoughby

Publications and Research

How performance informs budgeting and budgets is contentious and unclear. Applying punctuated equilibrium theory, this research seeks to understand if performance information once placed on the media and macropolitical agendas can lead to long term budgetary shifts. This research highlights how the accumulation of performance information punctuated the funding scheme and created a new equilibrium over time.

This research uses mixed methods to study the impact of performance on Florida’s (USA) Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) over a 20-year period. First, we conduct a media review of 400 randomly sampled newspaper articles to characterize the media discourse around the DJJ …

Assessing The Predictive Validity Of The Network Inventory Of Risk, Victories, And Needs Assessment (Nirvana) For Youth Receiving Prevention Services., Michael T. Baglivio, Kevin T. Wolff, Katherine Jackowski

Publications and Research

The current study assesses the predictive validity of a newly-developed holistic risk/needs assessment for youth receiving prevention services. Employing a multiyear statewide sample of over 17,000 prevention youth, multivariate and Area Under Curve techniques are used to examine predictive validity in predicting future formal juvenile justice system involvement (new law violations) across sex, race/ethnicity, and multiple youth age ranges. Furthermore, predictive validity across the severity of the subsequent offense type (misdemeanor, non-violent felony, violent felony) was examined. Findings demonstrate large effect sizes for static risk only, dynamic risk only, and total risk plus protective scores on future offending. Sex and …

A Battle Of The Chatbots: An Exploratory Comparison Of Chatgpt, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity And Huggingchat, Karen Okamoto

Publications and Research

This exploratory study compares the output of the free versions of six generative artificial intelligence (AI) chatbots—ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, Claude, Perplexity and HuggingChat. Five questions were submitted to all of the chatbots and examined according to the length of the response, tone of the response, and any additional features provided by the chatbots such as citations, web links, and helpful follow-up questions. This comparison found that Perplexity excelled at responding to all of the questions though others provided strong outputs as well, pointing to the possible importance of using multiple chatbot for answers and for continually examining different chatbots given …

Understanding Violence In Juvenile Correctional Facilities: A National Study Of Victim-Offender Overlap In The United States, Tzu-Ying Lo, Yu-Hsuan Liu, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

The phenomenon of victim-offender overlap within juvenile correctional facilities is an underexplored area in criminological research. This study examines the prevalence and correlates of victim-offender overlap using data from two collections of the National Survey of Youth in Custody conducted in 2008–2009 and 2012. Our findings reveal that the victim-offender overlap group constitutes a significant proportion of incarcerated youth. Multinomial logistic regression analysis indicates that institutional factors, such as correctional officer legitimacy, in-facility gang membership, fear of inmate assault, experience of filing complaints against staff, and time served, significantly differentiate victim-offenders from the three other groups: victims-only, offenders-only, and those …

Victim-Offender Overlap Among Incarcerated Youth In The United States: A Bivariate Probit Analysis Using National Data, Tzu-Ying Lo, Yu-Hsuan Liu, Amy Adamczyk

Publications and Research

For many crimes, people who are the perpetrators may also be the victims. While several studies have investigated the victim-offender overlap, very few have examined the relationship for incarcerated youth where institutional conditions can exacerbate the overlap. Drawing on ideas from routine activities theory, this study explores the victim-offender overlap among incarcerated American youth using data from the 2008–2009 National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-1, N = 8,625) and the 2012 National Survey of Youth in Custody (NSYC-2, N = 8,125). Findings from a bivariate probit regression indicate that younger age, higher facility populations, negative perceptions of officer legitimacy, …

Osa-Diff: An Origin Sampling Based Adversarial Attack Using Diffusion Models, Shayan Jalalipour, Banafsheh Rekabdar

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Diffusion models are becoming an increasingly popular emerging technology, however their use in adversarial attacks remains a scarcely explored topic. We show that diffusion models can be used to create end-to-end hidden adversarial perturbations with high rate of success, and propose a novel diffusion based adversarial attack that allows for substantially faster training time (through improved convergence on high quality images) and with substantially less computational overhead than typical diffusion model training

Retrieval-Augmented Feature Generation For Domain-Specific Classification, Xinhao Zhang, Jinghan Zhang, Fengran Mo, Dakshak Keerthi Chandra, Yu-Zhong Chen, Fei Xie, Kunpeng Liu

Computer Science Faculty Publications and Presentations

Feature generation can significantly enhance learning outcomes, particularly for tasks with limited data. An effective way to improve feature generation is to expand the current feature space using existing features and enriching the informational content. However, generating new, interpretable features usually requires domain-specific knowledge on top of the existing features. In this paper, we introduce a Retrieval-Augmented Feature Generation method, RAFG, to generate useful and explainable features specific to domain classification tasks. To increase the interpretability of the generated features, we conduct knowledge retrieval among the existing features in the domain to identify potential feature associations. These associations are expected …

Not Forgotten: Mission To Women Amid Global Crisis, Sue Russell, Rochelle Scheuermann, Amanda L. Allen

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Why Teach Holiness?, James M. Taylor

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

The Judgment, James M. Taylor

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

On Muleback Through Central America, James M. Taylor

Heritage Material

No abstract provided.

Public Constitutional Ai, Gilad Abiri

Georgia Law Review

We are increasingly subjected to the power of AI authorities. Machine learning models now underpin algorithmic markets, determine whose speech is amplified or restricted, shape government decisions ranging from resource allocation to predictive policing, and influence our access to information on critical issues such as voting and public health. As AI decisions become inescapable, entering domains such as healthcare, education, and law, we must confront a vital question: How can we ensure that AI systems, which increasingly regulate our lives and make decisions that shape our societies, have the authority and legitimacy necessary for effective governance?

To secure AI legitimacy, …

The New Game Theory, Cortelyou C. Kenney

Georgia Law Review

Game theory and the legal system it models are deeply indebted to the idea of efficiency and efficient outcomes. A great many scholars use game theory to rationalize approaches based on efficiency not only to commercial transactions but also to the legal system writ large, including the tort law system and the criminal justice system.

Efficiency and efficient outcomes have a storied history dating back to Vilfredo Pareto, Ronald Coase, and even before that to Adam Smith. But the person who truly popularized the idea of efficiency was John Nash, who won the Nobel Prize for his work on noncooperative …

State Constitutional Development And The Criminal Procedure Revolution, Quinn Yeargain

Georgia Law Review

Questions about which rights, liberties, and guarantees are included in the U.S. Constitution’s protections, and how they are protected, have long produced animated debate among scholars, judges, and advocates. Yet, while today’s debates may seem familiar, they take place at a perilous time in our country’s trajectory. We are six decades removed from the Warren Court’s criminal procedure revolution, and just a few years into the Roberts Court’s full-throated embrace of originalist jurisprudence. Whether many of the protections we have come to know and recognize from the Warren Court—the exclusionary rule, Miranda warnings, and Gideon’s mandate—are subjected to re-evaluation …

Rescuing State Punishment Clauses From The Deferential Doctrine, William W. Berry Iii

Georgia Law Review

A number of state appellate courts read any sentencing decisions by lower courts that are “within the statutory sentencing limits” as constitutional or presumptively constitutional under both the Eighth Amendment and the punishment clause in their state constitutions. This “deferential doctrine” ignores both the individual rights of criminal defendants and the role of state courts in placing some constitutional limit on the sentencing schemes adopted by state legislatures.

In an age of mass incarceration and excessive spending on punishment, this blind deference state courts show state legislatures should end. This article demonstrates how and why state courts should use the …

A Governor's Duty To Ask, Jake Mazeitis

Georgia Law Review

As some federal constitutional protections contract, state constitutions are becoming an increasingly important source of individual rights. But state constitutional development involves either amendment or litigation, processes both slow and costly. Ten states offer a third path: They empower governors to request advisory opinions from their supreme courts. These governors, however, have rarely exercised this power.

This article argues that a governor’s refusal to seek such advice violates the constitutional duty to faithfully execute the law; specifically, the law respecting the separation of powers. Drawing on an empirical analysis, I first show that governors are generally shy to ask for …

Influence Of Subduction Interface Geometry On Surface Displacements And Slip Processes In Cascadia, H. M. Elston, John Loveless, J.R. Delph

Geosciences: Faculty Publications

The subduction interface geometry is particularly important for estimating interplate coupling and surface geodetic motion, which has significant implications for seismic hazard mapping.Several published Cascadia subduction interface geometries derived from different seismic data sets vary significantly from one another. However, results from deformation models that use the different interface geometries are rarely systematically compared. Here, we assess the impact of subduction interface geometry on surface motion predictions, slip inversion results, and interface coupling estimates from four published Cascadia subduction interface geometries. We isolate the effect of the interface geometry on the predicted surface motion by applying uniform unit slip or …

Efficacy Of Ultrasound To Detect Rotator Cuff Tears, Hunter Morrison

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Rotator cuff injury is the most common cause of shoulder pain in the world, and there are a few different imaging techniques that can be used to help with their diagnosis. The purpose of this review is to determine the efficacy of ultrasound, an available and cost-effective option, to detect rotator cuff tears.

Methods: PubMed was searched for studies and meta-analyses that compared ultrasound to other imaging modalities and their ability to detect rotator cuff tears.

Results: One meta-analysis and 4 clinical research studies revealed that ultrasound has variable diagnostic accuracy compared to MRI depending on the RCT tendon, …

Reduced Risk Of Necrotizing Enterocolitis With Breastfeeding, Jadyn Tavekelian

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Abstract

Introduction: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening disease in infants that causes direct damage to the intestines and requires emergent treatment. The purpose of this clinical review is to analyze the prevention of NEC in preterm neonates with breastfeeding.

Methods: PubMed was searched using a specific search strategy using the key terms “breast,” “feed,” “formula,” “necrotizing,” and “enterocolitis.” Operators and filters applied narrowed the results to 4 quality articles for review.

Results: One RCT, and two meta-analyses, reviewed had a reduction in the development of necrotizing enterocolitis among breastfed neonates. One randomized noninferiority trial totaling 123 neonates did not …

Efficacy Of Low-Level Laser Therapy For Osteoarthritis Of The Knee, Emily Drummond

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease associated with numerous effects on quality of life (QoL) and activities of daily living (ADLs). In recent years, low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been evaluated as a symptom management option for KOA due to its non-invasive mechanistic properties. The purpose of this paper is to assess the efficacy of LLLT as a modality of treatment to help reduce mild to moderate symptoms associated with KOA.

Methods: A search via PubMed database was made using the keywords “LLLT” AND “osteoarthritis” AND “knee” with additional specifiers resulting in 10 articles for review. Four articles were chosen …

Efficacy Of Collagenase Injection In Dupuytren’S Contracture, Janson Witcher

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Dupuytren's contracture is a debilitating hand condition characterized by progressive contracture of the palmar fascia. The use of collagenase clostridium histolyticum injections has emerged as a minimally invasive alternative to surgical interventions, with varying degrees of efficacy and safety compared to traditional methods like limited fasciectomy and percutaneous needle fasciotomy.

Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using PubMed to assess the efficacy and safety of collagenase injections for treating Dupuytren's contracture. The search focused on peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses published in the last five years. Five relevant studies were selected based on the robustness …

Apixaban Vs. Warfarin For Stroke Prevention In Patients With Atrial Fibrillation, Quinn Payne

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Atrial fibrillation is a cardiac arrythmia that increases risk of stroke. The prevention strategy for this is anticoagulation, historically with the medication warfarin, but more recently with the factor Xa inhibitor apixaban. The purpose of this paper is to compare the efficacy of apixaban and warfarin for stroke prevention.

Methods: PubMed was searched using the key terms “atrial fibrillation,” “stroke prevention,” “warfarin,” and “apixaban.” Only relevant articles comparing apixaban to warfarin were included among RCTs, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses from the last 5 years. Four were chosen for review based on content and data quality.

Results: Three articles were …

Efficacy Of Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy On Diabetic Foot Ulcer Healing, Steven Dang

The PA Department Journal of Medical Science

Introduction: Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are a serious complication of diabetes, associated with high morbidity, recurrence, and amputation, driving up healthcare costs. While standard care includes topical treatments and debridement, hyperbaric oxygen therapy (HBOT) has emerged as a promising adjunct. This study evaluates HBOT’s efficacy in enhancing DFU healing based on current clinical evidence.

Methods: A PubMed search using the terms ((Hyperbaric oxygenation*) AND (Diabetic foot*)) AND ("Wound Healing") returned 226 results. After filtering for recent articles (2019-2024), nine were reviewed, with five selected for analysis.

Results: The studies reviewed demonstrated significant improvements in wound healing outcomes with the use …