GRADE GROUPING: 10-12
TEAM SIZE: 1 PERSON.
SUBJECT AREA: BIOLOGY, HEALTH.
PROJECT TYPE: EXPERIMENTAL.
PROJECT LEVEL: ADVANCED.
PROJECT FORMAT: TRADITIONAL.
PROJECT SUMMARY:Turner Syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that effects approximately 1 in every 2,500 female births. Dr. Henry Turner discovered Turner Syndrome in 1938 after studying a pattern of short stature and other characteristics in what otherwise appeared to be healthy females. A syndrome is a set of features in relation to each other which stem from a root cause. Although Dr. Turner identified the syndrome, the root cause was not discovered until 1959 by Dr. C. E. Ford. There are three types of Turner Syndrome which all have to do with the total or partial loss of an X chromosome in some or all of the cells in a female’s body. This “loss” of an X chromosome occurs during cell division. Since males cannot survive without all of their x and y chromosomes present this syndrome affects only females. There are many characteristics of this syndrome which lead to a diagnosis, one of the most prominent being short stature. If Turner Syndrome were suspected in a patient, the diagnosis would be made with a test called a karyotype where a scientist would separate the chromosomes in the white blood cells.
Turner Syndrome is a condition that I have personally dealt with since I was diagnosed at 7 years of age. It is a condition a female lives with all her life. My diagnosis followed many trips to the hospital and visits with doctors. As a result of this diagnosis and the many medical tests that followed, I am now very familiar with the numerous medical conditions that could potentially exist with Turner Syndrome.
In this project I will focus on the slow growth and short stature of girls with Turner Syndrome. The average adult height of a female with Turner Syndrome is 1.43m (4 feet,8 inches). This is currently treated with injections of Human Growth Hormone (HGH). However, many families are unsure of this treatment and are weary of the potential side effects. The possible side effects include: increased weight and muscle mass, diabetes, intercranial hypertension (increase of fluid surrounding the brain), slipped femoral emphasis (increased risked of dislocating hips) and scoliosis. Parents are apprehensive to put their daughter through injections 6 nights a week for a prolonged period of time that could last 8 or 9 years. Also, the medication is very expensive and often not covered by insurance. The benefit of using HGH is that the average adult height of a patient, based on ongoing studies in several countries, will increase from 5 to 17cm (2-7 inches). Many families wish there could be an easier and more natural way to help increase the height of a female with Turner Syndrome. This is what I have experimented on in this project.
SOFTWARE TOOLS USED: MICROSOFT WORD, GRAPHICAL ANALYSIS FOR WINDOWS.
HARDWARE TOOLS USED: DIGITAL CAMERA, MICROSCOPE.
SOURCE OF IDEA: STUDENT INTEREST.
SPECIAL SKILLS USED TO BUILD PROJECT: HTML CODE.
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