By: Zaib Momin

Synthroid is used by many children and also adults whose thyroid gland isn’t supplying enough hormones to keep overall metabolism in working order. The negative impacts of synthroid medication are bone loss, increase in heartbeat, and possibly heart failure. We know that calcium can improve bone strength and assist with other necessary functions. Can calcium help reduce/balance the negative effect of synthroid medication?

The research hypothesis states that if the high concentration of calcium solution was mixed with synthroid medication, then the heart cell and bone cell viability will be higher than the control or the group with just synthroid. If high concentration of synthroid medication was exposed to daphnia, then it would result in higher heart beats per minute. The null hypothesis states that combining synthroid medication and calcium will have no effect on cells or daphnia.

Pipette tips Pipettes Calcium Chloride PBS solution (Phosphate Buffered Saline) Ethanol 70% Typan blue Trypsin Well plates Depression slide Cell culturing media Microfuge tubes Synthroid medication Rat Heart Cells (ATCC# CRL-1446) Mouse Bone Cells (CRL-12424) Daphnia Magna Container with spring water for daphnia replacement Depression slide

Treatments were prepared to use on heart cells, bone cells, and daphnia. Day 1: For cell line Add 400mcL of growth media and 100mcL of cell solution to each cell plate Incubate for 24 hours Day 2: For cell line Add 55mcL of treatment to appropriate wells

Day 3: For cell line Remove old media Add trypsin and growth media Count via hemacytometer

 ANOVA analysis showed (f=2.10, df=7, p=0.084); therefore there was no significant difference among the mean, as p=0.084>0.01.  The presence of calcium at three concentrations showed about the some viability as the control cells.  Synthroid alone, with low calcium and medium calcium were slightly lower than the control.  Highest levels of calcium appeared to modify the negative effect.  Large standard deviation value indicate a large variation among data within several treatments.

 ANOVA analysis showed no significant differences among the mean. ( P = DF = 7. F value = 2.88)  High variation for several treatments could be a contributory factor.  Overall calcium levels increased cell viability when applied individually.  Synthroid medication caused slightly increased cell counts.  As calcium was added to synthroid treated cells there was a gradual increase in viability but none were higher than the synthroid only cell counts.

 ANOVA statistics showed that there was a significant difference among the mean counts for heart beats per minute for Daphnia.  F=6.25, DF=7, P=  All treatments, calcium/synthroid treatment combination showed an increase in cell counts (approximately 50% higher than the control).

 I would like to acknowledge Ms. Amanda Baskett and Samah Khan for helping me come up with the topic.  I would also like to acknowledge Ms. Mary Mansell for helping me conduct the experiment and helping me finish and improve my research paper.  I would also like to acknowledge my parents for supporting me throughout the project.  I'd like to thank the Rockdale Magnet Fund and the Magnet School for providing me with the proper instruments and money to conduct the experiment.

Synthroid Medication with Calcium on the Heart and Bone By: Zaib Momin

 I have helped first graders in Ms. Barron’s class in C.J.Hicks during 2 nd period.  I have learned how to be patient with students when teaching a new concept to them.

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