Zebrafish Provide A Model For Cancerous Melanoma In Humans
In a new study published in Disease Models & Mechanisms, scientists use the zebrafish to gain insight into the influence of known cancer genes on the development and progression of melanoma, an aggressive form of human skin cancer with limited treatment options.
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What Is Puberty? What Is Early Puberty? What Is Late Puberty?
and several other countries is occurring at an earlier age probably because a higher percentage of them are overweight/obese than before. US scientists have shown that even being overweight as a toddler increases the chance that a girl will reach puberty early. Scientists are not sure whether the timing of puberty is affected by bodyweight in boys. Diagnosing early or late puberty A child should only visit a GP regarding his/her puberty if it starts unusually early or late. No signs of breast development by the age of 14 would be an indication of late puberty for girls - or if her breasts have developed but she has had not had a menstrual period by the age of 16. A lack of testicular development by the age of 14 would indicate late puberty for boys - also, if the penis and testicles have not yet reached full adult development since the beginning of puberty. A GP will order a blood test to find out whether there are any problems with the child"s hormones. The doctor may also order an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or an ultrasound to check the glands to find out whether they are working properly. Treatment for early puberty The kind of treatment will depend on whether any underlying causes are present. If an underlying condition is detected, that will be treated initially. If no underlying causes are detected there are medications that can temporarily stop puberty from progressing - these medications block the effect of the hormones. Treatment is only recommended if the doctor believes the early puberty may cause problems later in life for the patient, such as weak bones or ending up as a very short adult. If the doctor does not believe there will be problems later on it should not be treated. A study revealed that early puberty is associated with abnormal eating behaviors and anxiety in young adults. Treatment for late puberty Late puberty may have some underlying causes and the doctor will need to find out whether any are present. These may include: *Eating disorders - such as anorexia nervosa. *Hormonal conditions - an underactive thyroid gland (Hypothyroidism) may cause puberty to arrive late. *Other conditions - these may include diabetes, kidney disease, or asthma. *Genetic conditions - these may include AIS (androgen insensitivity syndrome) - bodies of patients with androgen insensitivity syndrome do not make use of some hormones. The successful treatment of underlying causes of late puberty should result in the proper onset of puberty. Sometimes the child may have to take hormone medications. Hormonal changes early in pregnancy cause maternal postpartum anxiety and behavior changes that can lead to a delayed onset of puberty in both birth and adoptive daughters, according to researchers from the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand. Written by Christian Nordqvist Copyright: Medical News Today Not to be reproduced without permission of Medical News TodayPages: 1 [2]