Digital Commons Network^™

Plasma Coal Ash Processing For Enhanced Recovery Of Rare Earth Elements & Precious Metals: Proven From R&D To Commercial Plants, George Paskalov, Victoria Campbell, Jason Honigberg

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Our Radio-frequency Plasma System is an ash pretreatment before the application of extractive metallurgy and addresses current elemental, methodological, and technological limitations of complex and refractory coal ash. Our system data shows from 10-20% improved recovery, to 9x-100x. RFP can access all metals contained in coal ash. Our focus is not on the alteration of established methodologies, such as cyanidation for non-refractory ore, which has a proven return and capacity to achieve target revenue at-scale. Using the RFP systems, no waste is created, overburden can be more easily dealt with, and no metal content will be left behind. We assert …

Providing Perspective On Arsenic Risks In The Human Health Risk Evaluation Of Coal Combustion Products (Ccps), Ari Lewis

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Arsenic has been a key risk factor in the evaluations for the 2015 Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule and the recent “Legacy Rule”, which addresses areas of historical CCP placement not covered by the 2015 rule. These risk assessments concluded that cancer risks from arsenic in various waste management scenarios exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (USEPA) target of 1 in 100,000 excess lifetime cancer cases, forming part of the basis for national CCP regulations. However, background exposure to naturally occurring arsenic in food, water, and soil also exceeds permissible levels, complicating risk conclusions. The USEPA's recent revision of arsenic …

Standardization Of Coal Ash Testing, Classification, And Harvesting, Benjamin Gallagher, Chris Frishcosy, Eric Hageman

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Standards such as product specifications, test methods, practices and guides play a crucial role in supporting both commerce and science. Standardization helps build consistency and reliability whether it pertains to the performance of an ingredient in a product or in the measurement of a material characteristic. Coal combustion products, such as coal ash and synthetic gypsum, exhibit unique characteristics and many standard have been developed to characterize these materials and support their beneficial use. ASTM is a voluntary, consensus-based organization, and publishes many standards related to coal combustion products. Currently, there are seven ASTM standards related to chemical analysis of …

Impacts Of Updating Background Groundwater Statistics For Ccr Compliance, May Raad, Molly Reeves

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

In 2017, many power utilities adopted statistical methods to comply with the EPA’s Coal Combustion Residuals (CCR) Rule under the Hazardous and Solid Waste Management System. By 2017–2018, most owners completed initial statistical evaluations for detection and assessment monitoring to meet CCR deadlines. Groundwater sampling and analysis requirements in Parts 257.95, 257.98, and 257.102 are critical for compliance, yet implementation is complex. Subsections 257.93(f) and (g) lack clarity on which statistical tests to apply or how to address distributions and outliers. Additionally, the Rule does not specify when or how to update background threshold values (BTVs), though EPA’s Unified Guidance …

Advancing Ccr Site Management With Rapidly Deployable Gccm Technology For Runoff And Drainage Control, Nathan Ivy

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

GCCM’s were first invented over 20 years ago. These products combine both a concrete – hard armor – top surface for protection and durability and a geomembrane bottom surface for lower permeability. Originally used for erosion control, smaller drainage channel and remediation projects, this presentation discusses the newest iteration in GCCM technology. This product incorporates a 12 mil LLDPE backing which allows for thermal bonding and significant reduction in seepage at the joints. It can be used in a wide variety of applications from drainage ditches and swales to water and wastewater conveyance along with slope protection and erosion control …

Risk Evaluation Of Small Coal Combustion Residual Management Unit (Ccrmu) Fills, Andrew Bittner, John Kondziolka, Qian Zhang, Masoud Arshadi

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

US EPA expanded the scope of CCR regulations in 2024 to areas of historical CCR placement not regulated under the 2015 CCR rule, including CCR used as fill. US EPA presented new risk analyses specific to CCRMU fills and defined different regulations for CCRMU fills from 1 to 1,000 tons, noting uncertainty as to whether there was a size of CCRMU fill below which acceptable risks could be expected. This research fills US EPA's stated data gap by modeling and analyzing impacts from small CCRMU fills. Modeling was conducted using the same methods, models, and most of the same inputs …

The Importance Of Evaluating Drinking Water Exposure Pathway For Assessing Risks From Ccr Sites, Ari Lewis, Ishita Shrivastava

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Potential release of constituents present in coal combustion residuals (CCR) from CCR sites can pose risks to downgradient receptors via multiple exposure pathways. For residential receptors, these pathways include ingestion of impacted groundwater (when used as drinking water), other household uses (e.g., cooking, gardening), dermal contact during activities such as showering with impacted water or swimming in affected waterbodies, and ingestion of fish from affected waterbodies. Among these, the ingestion of groundwater used as drinking water is often the primary pathway driving potential risks (as identified in the risk assessment conducted by the United States Environmental Protection Agency in 2014). …

Alternative Cover Permitting And The Ccr Rule, Evan Andrews, Victor Damasceno

World of Coal Ash Proceedings

Federal rules (40 CFR Parts 9, 257 and 261) that regulate coal combustion residuals (CCR) created a significant demand associated with closure of coal ash management and storage facilities using liner systems. Timelines associated with these facility closures combined with substantial project scale and potential for future mining /reuse has driven the need for closure systems that perform beyond the prescriptive soil / geomembrane caps outlined in the federal regulations. As outlined in section 257.102 (d)(3)(i) of the CCR Rule, the standard cover system must include an infiltration layer of at least 18 inches of earthen material and an erosion …

The Age-Dependent Resident Myonuclear Multi-Omic Response To An Acute Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophic Stimulus In Mice, Pieter J. Koopmans, Ronald G. Jones, Ana Regina Cabrera, Francielly Morena, Nicholas P. Greene, John J. Mccarthy, Ahmed Ismaeel, Yuan Wen, Kevin A. Murach

Physiology Faculty Publications

A detailed analysis of how muscle fiber nuclei (myonuclei) respond to a hypertrophic stimulus could provide a critical step toward understanding compromised skeletal muscle plasticity with age. We used recombination-independent doxycycline-inducible myonucleus-specific fluorescent labelling, tissue RNA-sequencing, myonuclear DNA methylation analysis, multi-omic integration, and single myonucleus RNA-sequencing (smnRNA-seq) to define the molecular characteristics of adult (6–8 month) and aged (24 month) murine skeletal muscle after acute mechanical overload (MOV). In adult and aged MOV muscles, we found that: 1) similarities in the transcriptional response to loading—specifically in metabolism genes – were partly explained by a post-transcriptional microRNA-mediated mechanism that we corroborated …

Utility-Scale Battery Energy Storage Systems - Field Pilot Unit Experience, Analysis, And Review Of Technological Advancements, Kwabena A. Kyeremeh, Shaun E. Lavin, Grant M. Fischer, Dan M. Ionel, Aron Patrick

Electrical and Computer Engineering Graduate Research

Utility-scale Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) are becoming increasingly important in modern power systems, providing services ranging from backup support to load balancing and peak shaving. The long-term operational performance and reliability of these systems with expanding deployment remain insufficiently documented. This paper provides an operational assessment of a 1MW/2MWh utility-scale BESS alongside a systematic review of technology developments across major subsystems. Operational metrics including round-trip efficiency (RTE), outage characteristics, and degradation patterns are examined to identify performance trends and the underlying causes of outages. In addition, testing and operational principles aligned with utility practice and standards are presented to …

Mosdef-3d, Natalie Lam, Alice E. Shapley, Ryan L. Sanders, Tuan Do, Tucker Jones, Alison Coil, Mariska Kriek, Bahram Mobasher, Naveen A. Reddy, Brian Siana, Leonardo Clarke

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We present spatially resolved rest-frame optical emission line maps of four galaxies at z ∼ 2 observed with the Keck/OH-Suppressing Infra-Red Imaging Spectrograph to study the physical conditions of the interstellar medium (ISM) at cosmic noon. Our analysis of strong emission line ratios in these galaxies reveals an offset from the local star-forming locus on the Baldwin–Phillips–Terlevich diagram but agrees with other star-forming galaxies at similar redshifts. Despite the offset toward higher [O iii] λ5008/Hβ and [N ii] λ6585/Hα, these strong line ratios remain consistent with or below the maximum starburst threshold even in the inner ∼1 kpc region of …

Building Resilience When Disaster Strikes, Anna G. Kalema, Felipe González-Seguel, Louisa A. Summers, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, Ashley A. Montgomery-Yates, Kirby P. Mayer

Physiology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Case Report: Gangrene After One Dose Of Investigational Stannic Pentetate Radiopharmaceutical, Zin W. Myint, Riham H. El Khouli, Bryan P. Lemieux, Charles A. Kunos

Radiology Faculty Publications

Introduction – Bone-seeking radiopharmaceuticals are the treatment of choice with clinical benefits for patients with extensive skeletal metastases, but they can also cause serious radiation-related adverse events (rrAEs). Management of rare and severe radiopharmaceutical rrAEs remains challenging because of incomplete knowledge of their natural history and pathogenetic mechanisms. We report a case of unlikely related gangrene following a protracted hospitalization after one dose of investigational [117mSn]tin-117m-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (Sn-117m-DTPA) for treatment of extensive skeletal metastases from castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). Case presentation – An 80-year-old man with innumerable painful skeletal metastases from mCRPC developed anorexia and bilateral ankle edema with serous-draining …

Hybrid Fabrication Of An Electrochemical Electrode Via Inkjet Printing On 3d-Printed Substrates, Md Tawabur Rahman, Jessica Bone, Thomas J. Roussel, Judith L. Jenkins, Aron J. Huckaba

Chemistry Faculty Publications

Combinations of additive manufacturing methods such as inkjet printing and various 3D printing techniques have led to advances in customizable electronic devices by reducing the need for the complex assembly of individually fabricated components. Such combinations are particularly attractive for the fabrication of electrochemical sensing platforms, where the sizes and spatial configurations of electrodes enable (or limit) the sensitivity of the sensors. However, to realize the potential of the combined fabrication methods, the parameters of each printing technique must be mutually compatible. For instance, electrochemical sensing assemblies consisting of inkjet-printed metals on 3D-printed plastics require post-processing steps that convert nanoparticular …

Student Perspectives On Grading In Higher Education Stem Courses, Christopher Sean Burns, Daniela D.S. Digiacomo, Jennifer Pusateri, Katherine Ritchie, Christine Wusylko

Information Science Faculty Publications

Purpose

Despite a growing awareness of instructional practices that support student learning and well-being, higher education classrooms tend to still be dominated by the use of rigid approaches to assessment and course design. This study aims to understand the experiences of students in courses that implement a universal design for learning (UDL) pedagogical approach and an ungrading assessment approach. Design/methodology/approach

Leveraging a qualitative methodological approach, authors interviewed 13 graduate students in two library and information science technology courses and 11 undergraduate students in a computer science course in discrete mathematics about their experiences with ungrading within the context of UDL-designed …

Sex Differences In Proteomic Response To Ischemic Stroke, Christopher J. Mclouth, Hunter S. Hazelwood, Jacqueline A. Frank, Jordan P. Harp, David Dornbos, Justin F. Fraser, Keith R. Pennypacker

Biostatistics Faculty Publications

Background: Women often experience greater disability after ischemic stroke than men, but the biological mechanisms underlying these differences remain unclear. Proteomic analysis may identify sex-specific molecular pathways that contribute to stroke rehabilitation and recovery. Methods: We analyzed plasma samples from 141 patients enrolled in the Blood and Clot Thrombectomy Registry and Collaboration (BACTRAC). Expression of 184 inflammatory and cardiometabolic proteins, measured proximal and distal to the clot, was quantified using Olink panels. Associations between protein expression and discharge outcomes – including the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and modified Rankin Scale (mRS), and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) – …

First Covid-19 Vaccination Rates Among Pregnant Tennessee Women By Month Of Conception And Urbanization Level: March 2021 – November 2021, Claudia Valenzuela, Anne K. Driscoll, Elizabeth Harvey, Heather Wingate

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Throughout the pandemic, COVID-19 vaccination coverage was lower for the general population living in rural counties than in urban counties. In Tennessee (TN), COVID-19 vaccinations became available to pregnant women in March 2021. Little is known about rates of COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy during the pandemic, or whether these rates changed or differed by urbanization level.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe COVID-19 vaccination rates among pregnant women in TN by month of conception and urbanization level.

Methods: COVID-19 vaccination data from the TN Immunization Information System and the TN Surveillance for Emerging Threats to Mothers …

Evaluating The Feasibility And Preliminary Effectiveness Of A Tailored Diabetes Education Program For Rural Residents, Brittany L. Smalls, Oluwatosin Leshi, Suraksha Khanal, Grejika E. Abram-Erby

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Diabetes is a top ten Rural Healthy People 2030 priority for health improvement among rural Americans. Socioeconomic, environmental, geographic and political barriers contribute to the type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence and its disparate impact in rural communities. However, promoting proper self-care behaviors via self-management education can help people with diabetes better manage their condition.

Purpose: To account for the social environmental factors that affect rural residents, a tailored diabetes education program was developed, and the program’s effectiveness in improving diabetes knowledge and T2D-related health outcomes was assessed.

Methods: Using data collected from Appalachian Kentucky residents enrolled in a six-week, …

Rural Community Perspectives On Hurricane Helene In Western North Carolina, Jennifer A. Horney, Lilly Moreau, Search Wnc

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: After making landfall on the Florida Gulf Coast in September 2024, Hurricane Helene impacted Western North Carolina (WNC) with historic flooding, landslides, and hurricane-force winds. More than 100 deaths in the region were attributed to the storm’s direct impacts.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess community perspectives of long-term recovery in Mitchell and Yancey Counties, two rural WNC counties severely impacted by Hurricane Helene.

Methods: A 14-question interview guide was developed based on prior disaster research and the community engagement work of Sustaining Essential and Rural Community Healthcare (SEARCH). Questions covered post-Helene experiences related to access …

Exploring Systemic Challenges In The Western North Carolina Dental Safety Net: A Qualitative Analysis, Blaire Mirmow, Bill Milner, Nadia Laniado

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Despite statewide growth, rural communities in Western North Carolina (WNC) face persistent barriers to oral health care driven by chronic dental workforce shortages and systemic geographic disparities. Within this Appalachian region, the dental safety net serves as a vital yet strained support system, struggling with limited financial resources and a lack of provider participation that leaves many underserved populations without essential oral health services.

Purpose: This study aims to explore the experiences of individuals working within the WNC dental safety net to identify barriers and strategies required to strengthen the delivery of oral health care in high-need rural settings. …

Infective Endocarditis Hospitalizations In Kentucky, 2008-2018: Spatial And Temporal Trends, Meera Marji, Steve Browning, W. Jay Christian, Richard Charnigo, Steve W. Leung, Anna Kucharska-Newton

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Infective endocarditis (IE) hospitalization rates have increased significantly in the last decade, primarily due to the opioid epidemic. In 2016, Kentucky (KY) ranked among the top ten states for opioid-related overdose deaths, but limited data exist on IE trends in KY.

Purpose: This study seeks to examine county-level spatial and temporal trends in IE hospitalization rates in KY.

Methods: Hospital inpatient discharge data from 2008–2018 for KY residents aged 18 and older were analyzed. IE admissions and drug use status were identified using ICD-9 & 10 diagnosis codes. U.S. Census data calculated yearly IE hospitalization rates per 100,000 residents. …

The Effects Of Hurricane Helene On Mental Health And Physical Activity, Hunter Smathers, Robyn York, Jarrett Walbolt

Journal of Appalachian Health

Introduction: Hurricane Helene brought widespread damage to Southern Appalachia, disrupting utilities, health care, and recreation. While natural disasters are linked to declines in mental and physical health, few studies have examined their effects on distinct types of physical activity (PA).

Purpose: This study evaluated the effects of Hurricane Helene on perceived stress, depressive symptoms, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomology, and intentional (exercise for health benefits) and incidental (physical labor or transportation) PA. Evacuation status influence was also explored.

Methods: Twenty participants completed assessments four weeks before (BASE), immediately after (0POST), and four weeks after landfall (4POST). Measures included the Perceived …

Starting With Story, Not Symptom: Narrative Collapse And Cultural Repair In Appalachia, Wayne Coombs Ph.D.

Journal of Appalachian Health

Appalachia’s opioid crisis reflects uneven burdens, especially in distressed coalfield counties, and it cannot be solved by symptom tracking alone. This commentary argues for a narrative shift, starting with story and cultural repair alongside clinical care. Narrative collapse is defined here as the loss of shared, dependable public meaning across groups, not the absence of storytelling in families, churches, and recovery circles. Trauma science suggests that chronic threat reshapes nervous systems across generations, making safety a prerequisite for renewed trust. Drawing on narrative identity research, the piece proposes peer story work as infrastructure that can reduce shame, support treatment engagement, …

Environmental Exposure And Respiratory Health In Industrial Gulf Coast Communities, Ayodeji Iyanda, Chiung Fang Chang, Jennifer Erdely, Genny Carrillo, Tianjun Lu, Christopher Jones, Hilton Kelley, Daikwon Han, Xiao Huang, Yongmei Lu

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Background: Industrialized communities along the U.S. Gulf Coast face persistent respiratory health inequities that are shaped by cumulative environmental exposures and social vulnerability. This study examined how residential proximity to multiple pollution sources interacts with sociodemographic and behavioral factors to influence respiratory outcomes in two industrial cities in Southeast Texas. Methods: A cross-sectional mixed methods design integrated survey data from 2,965 adult residents with 13 qualitative interviews. Multivariable logistic regression models estimated associations between self-reported residential proximity to pollution sources and physician-diagnosed asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung diseases, and included interaction terms to assess effect modification …

Constraining The Subgalactic Relationship Between Star Formation And The Hot Interstellar Medium In Ngc 4254, Erik B. Monson, Bret D. Lehmer, Amirnezam Amiri, Karina Barboza, Ashley T. Barnes, Antara R. Basu-Zych, Daniel A. Dale, Sanskriti Das, Simthembile Dlamini, Simon Glover, Kathryn Kreckel, Laura A. Lopez, Sebastian Lopez, Smita Mathur, Hsi An Pan, Jennifer A. Rodriguez, Karin Sandstrom, Sumit K. Sarbadhicary, Jiayi Sun, Thomas G. Williams

Physics and Astronomy Faculty Publications

We investigate the relationship between star formation and X-ray emission from the hot interstellar medium (ISM) on ∼kiloparsec scales in NGC 4254 (M99) by combining spatially resolved star formation histories (SFHs) and Bayesian X-ray spectral fitting. We measure subgalactic star formation rates (SFR) by modeling spectrophotometric UV-IR data with flexible SFHs, and we produce point-source-subtracted maps of the diffuse X-ray emission using Chandra data. We extract and fit the spectra of five regions selected by their SFR density Σ_SFR, deriving hot gas luminosities and plasma temperatures. We examine the subgalactic kT–Σ_SFR and L_X^gas − Σ …

Social Determinants Of Sleep Health Inequities Among Rural Appalachian Adults, Mairead E. Moloney, Emily Slade, Joon Chung, Maliha Mehnaz Mitu, Michael A. Grandner, Daniela C. Moga

Sociology Faculty Publications

No abstract provided.

Patients' Attitudes Towards Deprescribing And Associations With Patient-Related Factors Across Two Hospital Settings, Louise Westberg Strejby Christensen, Iman El Gamah, Amina Osman Ismail Barre, Daniela Claudia Moga, Anissa Aharaz, Olivia Bornæs, Rikke Lundsgaard Nielsen, Aino Leegaard Andersen, Esben Iversen, Kim Peder Dalhoff, Ove Andersen, Helle Gybel Juul-Larsen, Morten Baltzer Houlind

Epidemiology and Environmental Health Faculty Publications

Medication deprescribing is a targeted strategy to reduce inappropriate polypharmacy. Patients in primary care settings have reported high willingness to discontinue medications, but this phenomenon is less well studied in hospital settings. In this explorative post hoc analysis of two previously described clinical trials, we assessed patients' attitudes towards deprescribing in two hospital-based cohorts: acutely admitted older medical patients (≥ 65 years) in the emergency department at Copenhagen University Hospital Hvidovre (October 2018–April 2021) and multimorbid patients (≥ 18 years) referred to an outpatient clinic at Copenhagen University Hospital Amager (March 2019–December 2019). Among 104 and 72 patients in each …

Multi-Jurisdictional Hazard Mitigation Plan For Landslides For The Kentucky River Area Development District, Kentucky, Hudson J. Koch, Matt M. Crawford, Jason M. Dortch

Contract Reports--KGS

Landslides are a widespread and complex geologic hazard that affects people and infrastructure. The Kentucky River Area Development District, Kentucky, sustains relatively high landslide activity that impacts several municipalities in eastern Kentucky. This hazard mitigation planning project outlines landslide hazard and risk assessments for the Kentucky River Area Development District, with information needed for each community in the region to develop mitigation strategies that will support infrastructure and development needs, land-use planning, situational awareness, and response and recovery actions for the communities.

Muscle Atrophy After Acl Reconstruction Involves Molecular Mechanisms Beyond Unloading, Alexander R. Keeble, Gonzalez Velez Sara, Nicholas T. Thomas, Allison M. Owen, Austin V. Stone, Darren L. Johnson, Julián Candia, Luigi Ferrucci, Marco Narici, Esther E. Dupont-Versteegden, Brian Noehren, Martino V. Franchi, Christopher S. Fry

Physiology Faculty Publications

Anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) leads to profound muscle atrophy and weakness that remain resistant to rehabilitation. Although early recovery typically involves a brief period of limb unloading, the degree to which disuse alone accounts for muscle pathology after ACLR remains unclear. Here, we leveraged publicly available RNA-seq datasets of muscle biopsies from vastus lateralis obtained 7 days after ACLR or 10 days after unilateral lower limb suspension (ULLS), each with matched control limbs, to directly compare disuse-driven and ACLR-specific early transcriptional responses. Despite similar periods of reduced loading, substantial transcriptomic divergence was identified using both intersection and interaction bioinformatic …

The Association Between Apoe Ε4 Carrierships And The Detection Of Amyloid Positivity Using An Alzheimer's Disease Proteomic Blood Test In Asymptomatic Down Syndrome, Lubnaa Badriyyah Abdullah, Fan Zhang, Melissa Petersen, James Hall, Benjamin L. Handen, Mark Mapstone, Brad Christian, Elizabeth Head, Sigan Harley, Howard Andrews, Joseph H. Lee, Dana Tudorascu, Christy Hom, Shahid Zaman, Adam M. Brickman, Diana Rosas, Annie Cohen, Jordan P. Harp, Frederick Schmitt, Lauren Ptomey, Jeffrey M. Burns, Ira T. Lott, Florence Lai, Charles Laymon, Carlos Cruchaga, Sid O'Bryant, Beau M. Ances

Neurology Faculty Publications

INTRODUCTION: This study evaluates plasma-based proteomic profiles for predicting amyloid positivity in adults with Down syndrome (DS) and examines the impact of apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) on test performance. METHODS: Cross-sectional data from 290 adults with DS were analyzed using single molecule array (SIMOA) technology to measure plasma amyloid beta (Aβ)42, Aβ40, neurofilament light chain (NfL), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), tau phosphorylated at threonine 181, and total tau. Amyloid burden was quantified using Pittsburgh Compound B and (18)F-florbetapir Aβ positron emission tomography. Support vector machine analyses were conducted with biomarkers as predictors and age, sex, and APOE ε4 …