East Carolina University : Research and Creative Achievement Week 2012
neurons, proposing that both nociceptive (pain mediating) and non-nociceptive neurons might contribute to the pain state following SCI. Application of a GSK-3² activator (LY-294002) on DRG from QUIS injected animals resulted in a significant (p < 0.0001) decrease in the extent of sprouting in QUIS animals. Our results demonstrated that nonspecific sensory neuron sprouting correlated with pain behaviors following SCI. Additionally, our data shows that pharmaceutical activation of GSK-3² decreased neuronal sprouting to non-injured levels suggesting that GSK-3² may be a potential therapeutic target to alleviate SCI pain. Foodborne Illness Outbreaks and the Importance of Environmental Assessments, Victoria Sellers, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 My project was based on continuing research from a summer internship at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The purpose of my research was to investigate environmental causes of foodborne illness outbreaks. Due to the number of cases of foodborne illness, it was necessary to approach food safety and foodborne illness investigations from a broad, systems perspective taking the food that carried the pathogen and following it on the food continuum to the farm where it was grown.This project was focused on outbreaks related to Escherichia coli and leafy greens, due to obvious fecal contamination on the leafy greens. Since fecal contamination of leafy greens should not occur, it is necessary to investigate the systemic problems that contribute to the contamination. Multiple theories currently exist on how the leafy greens become contaminated, but it was my hypothesis that there were irrigation water quality problems in leafy green producing areas. Data gathered from the National Outbreak Reporting System (NORS) administered by the CDC was the basis of my research. The data is compiled from voluntarily-reported foodborne illness outbreaks submitted by local, state, and tribal health departments. This data was used to do statistical analysis and further research on foodborne illness outbreaks, such as collecting outbreak investigation reports and environmental assessments to determine any present environmental antecedents. Research showed that there are multiple systemic problems with the growing of leafy greens as well as inconsistencies in how foodborne illnesses are investigated.
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Liquid Fluoride Thorium Reactors, Gibson Gillespie, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC 27858 Nuclear power using solid fuels such as uranium and plutonium is inefficient and has long-term environmental consequences. However, the use of thorium in a liquid fluoride thorium reactor (LFTR) is highly efficient, safer, and more eco-friendly than most other power sources. The LFTR reactors do not have to operate under high pressures and have no danger of a meltdown. Thorium is also four times more abundant than uranium on the Earth. We get less than 1% of the energy from solid uranium oxide fuel before it must be removed from the reactor and sent to cool. On the other hand, one can hold a lifetime supply of thorium in the palms of his hands. The LFTR reactors use molten salts that must only be heated to 400 degrees Celsius to operate. In the event of an emergency, the reactor has an emergency release valve that allows overheated salts to drain into a cooling tank underground. Many of the opponents of LFTR technology claim that there is a problem with using a solid graphite core, but this problem can be worked around by using graphite pebbles instead of a solid core. I intend to find out why money is not going into LFTR research and development if it is such an efficient and costeffective technology.
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