Bio: Jonathan Silver is a scientist at AstraZeneca in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He received a BS in Biology from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2005 and a PhD in Immunology at the University of Pennsylvania in 2011 where he did his doctoral work on understanding the early immune response in parasitic infections. Dr. Silver then completed his post-doctoral fellowship at the biotech company Medimmune where he continued studying infectious diseases - this time focusing on the immune responses to Influenza and cigarette smoke. He’s been at AstraZeneca now for 3 years, leading early stage drug development programs in respiratory infections in people with COPD and Asthma. Dr. Silver has published over 40 peer-reviewed research articles and reviews and presented his research at dozens of conferences and universities. He is an avid chef, tennis player and college basketball fan---GO TAR HEELS!

Abstract/Overview:

Wearable Technology is a large field of technology that interfaces directly with the user's body for multiple benefits. The most common form of wearable technology is the smartwatch. The smartwatch has increased in functionality and popularity over the past decade. However, functionality and performance have been affected by pricing and compatibility. In order to provide the average consumer with an affordable device offering maximum performance, a modular smartwatch was developed and tested for operation. In order to construct the watch, a Bluetooth and Wi-Fi ESP32 processor, voltage regulators, rechargeable batteries, and a touch screen display were incorporated with a proprietary printed circuit board. To incorporate the technology components, a modular housing system was designed from a 3D filament to provide durability and customization options. When testing the smartwatch circuit, it was observed that the current iteration of the smartwatch did not see success in this operation. The lack of success in the operation was viewed to be a result of the printed circuit board. After analysis and error checking, it was concluded that the smartwatch still has further iterations and advancements to go through to provide innovation within the industry such as wireless charging and possibly new technology. This will be determined through future research.

Abstract/Overview:

The sustainability of food, herbal medicine, and plants are all problems of today’s society; a problem that vegetative propagation and growth hormones could fix. This investigation evaluated which plant growth hormones and/or plant hormone combinations were the most effective in promoting growth in propagated basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) stem cuttings. In order to evaluate the growth and morphological development of the basil cuttings, the heights, root lengths, and number of newly formed leaves of each stem cutting were measured after a 50-day growth period. The specific types of growth hormones that were utilized were indole-3-acetic acid, kinetin, and gibberellic acid. 24 parent basil plants were grown and maintained for 40 days, and after the 40 day period, the parent stems were propagated. Aside from regular watering with distilled water, groups of three propagated stems were watered with their respective hormone water solutions on days 1 and 30 of growth. After 50 days, it was observed that the propagated basil stems that were treated with IAA and kinetin had the highest average plant height (18.3 cm) and average number of newly formed leaves (36), and plants treated with all three growth hormones had the highest average root length (21 cm). After an analysis of the data through ANOVA testing, data indicate that a combination of indole-3-acetic acid, kinetin, and gibberellic acid was the most effective in promoting growth and morphological development among propagated basil stems, however, more testing would have to be conducted to verify this conclusion.

Abstract/Overview:

As the brain undergoes repetitive head impacts, it will attempt to protect itself by adapting. A specific type of adaptation the brain undergoes is the formation of the silent synapse. The purpose of this study was to quantify the levels of activity regulated cytoskeleton associated (Arc) protein as a potentiation mechanism for α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4- isoxazolepropionic acid receptor (AMPAR) reduction after High-Frequency Head Impacts (HF-HI). It was hypothesized that HF-HI caused the formation of silent synapses by reducing synaptic AMPARs through an Arc-mediated mechanism. The genetically identical C57Bl/6 mice in this experiment were in groups of 6. During the two trials conducted, mice were exposed to HF-HI, and their brains were extracted by the Burns Lab. Messenger RNA (mRNA) was extracted from the dissected brain sections and reverse transcribed into complementary DNA (cDNA) samples. A Real Time Quantitative Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to study the levels of Arc mRNA in the prepared cDNA. Control (Sham) mice were given the same brain extraction and qPCR procedures, but they did not undergo the HF-HI model. The data was analyzed using unpaired, two-tailed t-tests. The data found shows the worsening memory performance as well as the upregulation of Arc mRNA expression in the HF-HI mice in comparison to the Sham mice. The results from this research can be used to help design pharmaceuticals and therapeutic strategies to help reverse the effects of silent synapses and strengthen synaptic connections in victims of head trauma.