Presentation Abstracts Poster Presentations: Clinical Sciences The effect of umbilical cord essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D on childhood development. Authors: Abigail Samson, Mackenzie Bergeron, Monica Valentovic, Jesse Cottrell Department & Institution: Obstetrics and Gynecology, Joan C. Edwards School of Medicine, Pharmacology, Physiology, and Toxicology, Biomedical Sciences Toxicology Research Cluster, Huntington, WV. Background: The in-utero environment has been shown to have dramatic effects on childhood development. Little is known regarding the potential for adverse cognitive function and metabolic dysregulation for infants and children exposed to essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D during the prenatal period. Study Hypothesis: We hypothesized that umbilical cord essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D effect childhood development. Methods: From April 3, 2013 to January 30, 2014 umbilical cord was collected and analyzed at the time of delivery for 20 different essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D. A retrospective review was performed of well-child examinations from birth to 7 years old. Blood pressure, weight, and developmental milestones were extracted from the medical record and compared in infants and children whose cord blood was analyzed at the time of delivery. Results: Data was available for 60 patients. There were associations with calcium and 9 month BMI (p=<.01), barium and 6 year old height (p=<.01), magnesium and 15 month gross motor skills (p=.01), mercury and 9 month weight (p=<.01), platinum with 12 month language development (p=<.01), and zinc with 4 year old fine motor skills (p=<.01) and 2 year old fine movement milestones (p=<.01). Elevated Vitamin D was associated with increased delay of 2 year old fine motor development (p=<.01). Thyroid function tests for free T3 were associated with multiple cognitive and physical milestones at less than 1 year old. T3 Uptake was associated with 7 year old weight (p=<.01) and systolic 44 | MARSHALL UNIVERSITY blood pressure (p=<.01). Total T4 was associated with 4 month old cognitive development (p=<.01) as well as 2 and 3 year old height (p=<.01). Conclusion: There are multiple associations between umbilical cord essential and toxic elements, thyroid levels, and Vitamin D on childhood development. Low dose Actinomycin D Predominantly Activates p53-p21 Pathway in Aerodigestive Tract Cancers: Implications for Cyclotherapy Authors: Adeoluwa Adeluola, Timothy Long, A.R.M. Ruhul Amin Department & Institution: Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Marshall University School of Pharmacy, Huntington, WV Background: Cyclotherapy is a recent concept to protect normal cells from chemotherapy-induced toxicities. p53-p21dependent cell cycle arrest of normal cells before adding chemotherapy drug is the backbone of cyclotherapy. Drugs capable of preferentially activating p53-p21 signaling are ideal candidates for cyclotherapy. Actinomycin D (ActD) is one of the earliest antitumor antibiotics discovered but its clinical application is severely compromised by toxicity at the recommended dose and its application in aerodigestive tract tumors is rare. Study Hypothesis: Low-dose ActD predominantly activates the p53-p21 pathway in aerodigestive tract cancers. Methods: SRB assay and annexin V-PE staining were used to measure cell growth and apoptosis, respectively. CalcuSyn and FlowJo software were used to calculate IC50 and analyze flow data, respectively. Protein expressions were measured by western blotting and mRNA by qPCR. Results: The IC50 values of ActD spanned between 0.0212.96nM and induced efficient apoptosis. Mechanistic studies revealed that ActD time- and dose-dependently increased the expression of total and phosphorylated p53 (ser15), and downstream targets p21 and Puma without significant effects on p27. Ablation of p53 expression

33rd Annual Health Science Research Day: Program & Abstracts