follow the requirement and cover letter to edit my paper in word doc, must follow the cover letter list to do it,
my TA and class partners give me some suggestions about how to fix, plz look at them and then fix the paper, cover letter is the most important
ScienceBite Article Template (1).doc
***This is a template for your Environmental ScienceBite article. You will fill in your information using the template directions below. Delete the original template information and instructions as you go and before you submit to Carmen***
| Author (Arial, Bold, 10 point) | |
| Author Photograph | |
| Author Interest | Air pollution is a huge environmental problem in China. Beijing is the most polluted city. I hope I can it in depth. |
| Author Affiliation (Arial, Bold, 10 point) University, Department, Building, City, State, Country)Author Major (Arial, Bold, 10 point) | The Ohio State University, Department of Economics, 375B Arps Hall, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (USA)Major: Economics |
| Article Title (Arial, Bold, 10 point) | The challenges of China’s Great Green Wall: an in-depth investigation on the structure, purpose, problems and recommendations concerning China’s artificial forests |
| Article Preview/“Teaser” (Arial, 10 point, the teaser is NOT the same as an Abstract) | |
| Can artificial forests save China from its air pollution crisis? Or is it actually making it worse? Find out what experts have to say about this unique solution of the Chinese government to its worsening air pollution crisis. | |
| Full Article Text (1000-1500 words, Use Arial and 10 pt. font size) | |
| The Challenges of China’s Great Green WallAccording to the Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau, in January 2018, Beijing has reached the levels of PM2.5 at below 34 micrograms, which was set by Beijing in 2012 (Huang, 2018). Although this has been praised by many as a huge breakthrough in Beijing’s battle against air pollution, the problem is far from over. Current and recent past information from primary and secondary materials on pollution concerning Beijing were gathered. They were gathered from the scientific journal Environmental Science & Technology, as well as from National Geographic and other reputable sites. The results showed that there is still a long way to go before Beijing can recover from pollution. Moreover, the long-term effects of air pollution cannot be reversed. The particulates that cause air pollution come from many sources such as residential emissions.Moreover, there is a great possibility that air pollution is causing a reduction in the life expectancy of 500 million residents of Northern China, which includes all the parts of China around Beijing. With 92% of the Chinese population experiencing more than 120 hours of unhealthy air in a year, it is clear that even if Beijing survives, there is still so much work for the Chinese government to do (Xu & Daly, 2018).In fact, there is also a lot of evidence that points out that some government measures to reduce pollution are actually contributing much to it. Beginning in 1978, the Three-North Shelter Forest Program in China has been initiated. It was planned to be completed in around 2050. The Three-North Shelter Forest Program was meant to build a Green Great Wall in China, or a group of trees that are meant to counter desertification (The Economist, 2014). However, when it comes to the benefit of this artificial forest to the air pollution situation in China, there is a claim that these trees from artificial forests are actually worsening the air pollution (Chen, 2018).The Status of Air Pollution in ChinaAccording to a report by Ronson (2017), one of the major causes of air pollution in China is the dust storms coming from Mongolia and Central Asia. Aside from that, there have been several factories that have been in operation since 2015. Thus before the beginning of the operations of these factories, the air was still relatively clean (see Figure 1).However, only two years has passed and the extent of pollution plus, more importantly, the quality of air in the area where the factories are has terribly degraded (see Figure 2). Experts say breathing air in China is like smoking 1,460 cigarettes at the same time (Ronson, 2017).In fact, an in-depth investigation of the daily air pollution levels of China resulted in the rate 147 or unhealthy air at 9:00 am on September 27, 2018 (see Figure 3).Also, an in-depth look at a one-week daily record of air pollution in Beijing, China showed that the pollution would continue from Sept. 27, 2018 to Oct. 2, 2018 with varying estimates of particles. Mostly too, the levels would be greater than the safe threshold of 101 (see Figure 4).The Structure of the Great Green WallIn order to combat air pollution, several measures have been taken by the Chinese government. However, this paper focuses on the Great Green Wall, which was mainly an anti-desertification measure in China. The Great Green Wall was also expected to contribute to the reduction of air pollution in China, especially in urban areas like Beijing.Beginning in 1978, the Three-North Shelter Forest Program in China has been initiated. It was planned to be completed in around 2050. The Three-North Shelter Forest Program was meant to build a Great Green Wall in China. The Great Green Wall is expected to be a 4,500-mile long distance of trees and covering 405 hectares. In fact, since 1978, 66 billion trees have already been planted (The Economist, 2014). The Great Green Wall is located in the northern deserts of China particularly facing the Gobi Desert of Mongolia. The exact location of the extent of the Great Green Wall is below (see Fig. 5).The Purpose of the Great Green WallThe Great Green Wall was initiated in order to counter the increasing desertification of northern China. According to Veste et al. (2006), desertification seriously affects China in the form of dust and sand storms, which serve as threats for drylands and megacities (p. 14-15). It was emphasized by Veste et al. (2006) that “dust is transported over vast distances” (p. 15). Thus, it shows that desertification does not only lead to erosion of the soil and the eventual degradation of land as well as the depletion of the water supply but also the air pollution in cities.Another purpose of the planting of artificial trees is the reduction of dust particles in the air. In fact, according to Zhang Yongli of the Forestry Affairs of China, the increase of forest vegetation will hopefully “reduce soil erosion and surface dust release” thus this will “decrease the content of dust particles in the atmosphere” (Chen, 2018). It is, therefore, clear that artificial forests like the Great Green Wall can greatly contribute to the reduction of air pollution in China’s cities.Positive Effects of the Great Green WallThe Great Green Wall has had several position effects on the amount of dust in the air in China. In fact, according to Tan and Li (2015), from the data of the amount of dust from 1981 to 1997, there has been a significant decrease in the dust storm frequency in the areas around the Great Green Wall (p. 42).Consistent with these results, there has been a greening trend that continued to increase in the area around the Great Green Wall as well as in the Asia-Pacific region (Zhang et al., 2016, p. 404). This must be proof that the Great Green Wall is indeed expanding fast.However, in 2017, there were questionable results based on the findings of the forestry administration of China when they tried to assess the status of desertification of the country. The findings showed that the deserts in China expanded from 1994 to 1999 but they unusually shrunk again from 1999 to 2014 (Petri, 2017). Such discrepancies in the results cannot be adequately explained by the data that the Great Green Wall has actually been useful in countering desertification in China.The Problems With the Great Green WallIn fact, there have been several problems that the Great Green Wall experienced or caused. Perhaps, there were even more problems than benefits. First, the Great Green Wall was found to be trapping pollution, and it was implicated as a factor that increased the air pollution levels in China in 2014 by 15% (Chen, 2018). In fact, according to the conclusions of the 2014 study, the man-made forest possibly “slowed down the winds” that were supposed to disperse the dust and the smog, thus turning the city as a huge trap for these air pollutants (Chen, 2018). Considering this finding, it is clear that the artificial forests may actually be causing air pollution more than reducing it.Moreover, there was also another scientific study which stated that the artificial forests may actually not be as effective as expected. In a 2010 study at the University of Oklahoma and the University of Fudan in Shanghai, the researchers found out that when natural forests were reforested, the result was that the artificial forests “did not actually help control carbon emissions” and that they would “lose 80% of its capacity to break down methane (Moxley, 2010). Methane is a gas that actually traps a greater amount of heat compared to carbon dioxide.A third problem with the Great Green Wall is that it could actually lead to other environmental problems even if it successfully reduces air pollution and desertification. For example, according to Cao et al. (2011), the artificial rainforest will most likely lead to the deterioration of the soil ecosystem and will thereby decrease the amount of vegetation in the long run. Moreover, Watts (2009) theorized that while everyone was focused on reducing the CO2 emissions, the artificial forest may not be able to adequately produce and protect existing biodiversity.Another problem with artificial rainforests is that China has been too aggressive to plant trees, and this act of controlling nature might actually lead to a lower mortality rate of the planted trees, according to experts from the University of Alabama (Lao, 2016). In short, the artificial forests may actually be a poor way to counter air pollution in China.Solutions/Future WorkBased on the above findings concerning the unsatisfactorily negative effects of the Great Green Wall in China, several solutions have been formulated by some experts. First, there must be adequate care and maintenance of the artificial forest. Thus, “strict forest protection” cannot be emphasized too heavily (Qin, 2014). Otherwise, the trees that have been planted will not grow as healthy as expected.A second suggestion would be to consider other alternatives aside from the afforestation option. Moreover, there is a need to consider recreating natural ecosystems that are better suited to the local environment in China (Cao et al., 2010). This is because the rule is that natural ecosystems tend to be many times more efficient in removing carbon from air compared to artificial ones.A third suggestion would be to let the farmers participate in the decision-making process. Where scientists and government officials are the ones making decisions regarding artificial forests, it is important to seek the help of people who actually till the soil in those areas. These people can be expected to provide better insight (Morrison, 2016).A fourth recommendation would be to plant more shrubs instead of trees. Shrubs are believed to grow faster and to provide more benefits compared to trees as they can even be used for bee-keeping and honey production (O’Connor & Ford, 2014, p. 7142). Furthermore, it is possible that shrubs will not try to retain as much smog or heat as trees do.A fifth suggestion is to increase precipitation in the area, even artificially. This is because local precipitation was found to sustain the artificial forest for the long term (Yan et al., 2011, p. 815). The same thing was concluded by another study as precipitation was found to enhance the growth of all types of vegetation in the northwestern part of China (Duan et al., 2011, p. 1011). |
| Search words (minimum of three, maximum of 6, use Arial and 10 pt. font size) |
| China air pollution, China Great Green Wall, China Three North Shelter Forest, China air pollution solution, China artificial forest |
| Figure Legends for accompanying illustrations, tables, graphs, and photographs (Use Arial and 10 pt. font size) |
| Figure 1This picture was made by Jacqueline Ronson. It shows China in 2015 using data from Berkeley Earth.Figure 2This picture was also made by Jacqueline Ronson. We can find out China in 2017 using data from Berkeley Earth.Figure 3From website: aqicn.org. Beijing’s Air Quality Index Forecast for Sept. 27, 2018. (Real Time)Figure 4The extent of the Great Green Wall by David Lao.Table 1Daily Air Pollution Levels in Beijing from Sept. 27, 2018 to Oct. 2, 2018, where Unhealthy Level begins at 101. I made Figure 4. I calculated data from the AQI indices record of Beijing from Sept. 27 up to Oct. 3, 2018 (as predicted by the website). |
| References (Use Arial and 10 pt. font size) |
| 1. Cao, S. et al. (2010). Damage Caused to the Environment by Reforestation Policies in Arid and Semi-Arid Areas of China. Ambio Journal of the Human Environment 39 (4): 279-283.2. Cao, S. et al. (2011). Excessive reliance on afforestation in China’s arid and semi-arid regions: Lessons in ecological restoration. Earth-Science Reviews 104 : 240-245.3. Chen, S. (2018 August 31). More trees, more smog? How Beijing’s huge planting campaign may be trapping pollution. South China Morning Post, 1. Retrieved from https://www.scmp.com/news/china/science/article/2162083/more-trees-more-smog-how-beijings-huge-planting-campaign-may-be4. Duan, H. et al. (2011). Assessing vegetation dynamics in the Three-North Shelter Forest region of China using AVHRR NDVI data. Environmental Earth Science 64 : 1011-1020.5. Huang, Y. (2018 Jan. 16). How Beijing Addresses Its Air Pollution Problem. Council on Foreign Relations, 1. Retrieved from https://www.cfr.org/blog/how-beijing-addresses-its-air-pollution-problem6. Lao, D. (2016, Feb. 19). China is building a Great Green Wall of trees to stop desertification. The Plaid Zebra. Retrieved from: http://theplaidzebra.com/china-is-building-a-great-green-wall-of-trees-to-stop-desertification/7. Morrison, J. (2016, Aug. 23). The ‘Great Green Wall’ Didn’t Stop Desertification, but it Evolved Into Something That Might. Smithsonian. Retrieved from: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/great-green-wall-stop-desertification-not-so-much-180960171/8. Moxley, M. (2010, Sept. 23). China’s great green wall grows in climate fight. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2010/sep/23/china-great-green-wall-climate9. O’Connor, D. & Ford, J. (2014). Increasing the Effectiveness of the ‘Great Green Wall’ as an Adaptation to the Effects of Climate Change and Desertification in the Sahel. Sustainability 6 : 7142-7154.10. People’s Daily Online. (2018, Mar. 28). China’s artificial forest coverage tops world. Retrieved from: http://en.people.cn/n3/2018/0328/c90000-9442896.html11. Petri, A. E. (2017, Apr. 14). China’s Great Green Wall Fights Expanding Desert. National Geographic. Retrieved from: https://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/04/china-great-green-wall-gobi-tengger-desertification/?user.testname=none12. Qin, L. (2014, Feb. 20). Is China’s Green Great Wall set to fail? China Dialogue. Retrieved from: https://www.chinadialogue.net/article/show/single/en/6732-Is-China-s-Green-Great-Wall-set-to-fall-13. Ronson, J. (2017, Jun. 2). A Day of Beijing Air Can Be Deadlier than 40 Cigarettes. Inverse. Retrieved from: https://www.inverse.com/article/32209-air-pollution-smog-beijing-china-cigarettes-unhealthy14. Tan, M. & Li, X. (2015). Does the Green Great Wall effectively decrease dust storm intensity in China? A study based on NOAA NDVI and weather station data. Land Use Policy 43 : 42-47.15.The Economist. (2014). Great Green Wall: Afforestation in China. Retrieved from: https://www.economist.com/international/2014/08/23/great-green-wall16. Veste, M. et al. (2006). The Green Great Wall – Combating Desertification in China. Georgraphische Rundschau International Edition 2 (3): 14-20.17. Watts, J. (2009, Mar. 9). China’s loggers down chainsaws in attempt to regrow forests. The Guardian. Retrieved from: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2009/mar/11/china-forests-deforestation18. Xu, M. and Daly, T. (2018 June 13). Beijing one of China’s worst offenders in air pollution in May. Reuters, 1. Retrieved from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-pollution/beijing-one-of-chinas-worst-offenders-in-air-pollution-in-may-idUSKBN1J91DC19. Yan, Q. L. et al. (2011). Environmental Impacts of the Shelter Forests in Horqin Sandy Land, Northeast China. Journal of Environmental Quality 40 : 815-824.20. Zhang, Y. et al. (2016). Multiple afforestation programs accelerate the greenness in the ‘Three North’ region of China from 1982 to 2013. Ecological Indicators 61 : 404-412. |
| Glossary (Use Arial and 10 pt. font size) |
| Afforestation – using artificial forests to plant vegetation in an arid areaAir quality index – the measure of air based on the amount of pollutant it containsArtificial Forest – a forest that is man-made and is produced by spreading seedsBerkeley Earth – a satellite.CO2 – carbon dioxide gas coming from factories and usually holds heat in itDesertification – spread of the desert to non-desert areasMethane – a gas that holds heat greater than CO2Smog – smoke and fog especially the one in cities like BeijingSoil Erosion – the breakdown of soil that causes the death of plantsThreshold – a limit or a safe limit |
| Figures (4-6 high quality figures) |
| Figure1Figure 2Figure 3Figure 4Table 1 |
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Requirement.pdf
Cover Letter（Example）.pdf
Confidential Page 1 10/21/17
November 1, 2017
Prof. Brian H. Lower Editor, ScienceBites The Ohio State University School of Environment & Natural Resources 210 Kottman Hall 2021 Coffey Road Columbus, Ohio 43210 (USA)
Re: Revised Manuscript Version 2
Dear Dr. Lower,
Please find my revised ScienceBite manuscript below. I received 2 peer reviews and a review from a teaching assistant. I have read their reviews and addressed all their concerns in my revised final manuscript. I am grateful for the insight provided by two anonymous peers, as well as the teaching assistants and editors. You will find a detailed description of how I addressed the concerns of my peer reviewers and teaching assistant below.
Respectfully,
Brutus B. Buckeye
Reviewer 1 Comments:
Reviewer 1 had very positive feedback, and had very little suggestions for editing. Reviewer 1 felt that my ScienceBite was intriguing and very informational. There was one comment from Reviewer 1 that I addressed below.
1. The article was somewhat didactic so if the whole function of the piece is to teach, then that would be fine. At the same time some readers could still get confused by the statistics. I would suggest simplifying as stated above.
I reviewed the statistical portion of my manuscript to further analyze if my statistics were too in depth or confusing for a reader. I did not feel that my statistical listings were too complex for an average reader. Therefore, I did not revise this section of my manuscript as I feel that simplifying this section would take away from the overall conclusions made in the experiments I discussed.
Reviewer 2 Comments:
1. The sentences feel kind of choppy and the writing doesn’t flow very well. The paragraphs can feel like a string of facts, and don’t feel extremely connected to each other. They don’t have introductory or conclusion sentences that help with transitions.
I re-read my manuscript a few times to analyze whether or not my writing felt choppy and unconnected. I feel that my manuscript flowed well and connected the topics
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throughout the paper efficiently. Reviewer 1 also commented that my manuscript flowed extremely well, and that it was very easy to see where I was going with each paragraph. In response to this comment, I did not revise my manuscript.
2. I think even though there is a glossary at the end of the article, some more explanation could be used in the article itself to make it a better teaching tool.
In reviewing my manuscript, I scrutinized the explanations included with the information that I provided throughout my writing. I feel that I included ample explanations for the experiments, theories, and general information that I provided regarding the Zika Virus. Reviewer 1 also stated that I provided a great deal of information and explanation about the disease. In addition to this, Reviewer 1 also stated that I was descriptive and informative when describing microcephaly and how it could be obtained. Based on these circumstances, I did not revise my manuscript to include more explanation.
3. Figure 2 references Zika as ZIKV, which could be somewhat confusing without an explanation, since the article only refers to it as Zika.
To address this concern, I included a set of parenthesis specifying that Zika Virus is also referred to as ZIKV. This revision can be found in my revised manuscript on page 1, line 1. This hopefully will clear up any possible confusion in regards to Figure 2 referring to Zika Virus as ZIKV. I thank the reviewer for their attention to detail, and noticing something that could have possibly confused future readers.
4. Modified the manuscript text based on comments made by the reviewer 5. Deleted instructions that were unnecessary 6. Bolded the words in the text that are in the glossary 7. Used superscript numbers for my in text citations 8. Moved images to the glossary
Teaching Assistant Comments:
1. The article would benefit from the inclusion of a map to the figures section, specifically as Figure 1. This would add more context to the geographic location that you are describing in Paragraph 1.
2. You should also include a couple sentences in the introduction about geographical distribution. Another reference regarding the instrument that was used will also be beneficial to the article.
To address this concern, I added a map of the potential spread of the Zika virus into various areas of the globe. This shows the specific locations that are mentioned in Paragraph 1.
To address this concern, I added more information about the global spread of the virus and the pathways that it may take. I also added another reference for my methods section to further develop this section of the article.
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Author Brutus B. Buckeye
Author Affiliation The Ohio State University, School of Earth Sciences, 275 Mendenhall Laboratory, 2021 Coffey Road, Columbus, Ohio 43210 (USA)
Article Title Zika Virus: an agent for Microcephaly in newborns
Article Preview/“Teaser”
The Zika Virus is an emerging global health emergency. How strong is the true relationship between Zika Virus and Microcephaly? Epidemiologic studies continue to broaden our knowledge regarding the virus that is sweeping across the globe.
Full Article Text Zika Virus (ZIKV) is causing unrest across the globe. As cases continue to emerge in varying
countries, the threat of Zika Virus becomes more and more serious. There are countless areas
around the globe that are at risk for Zika transmission (Figure 1). The virus is categorized as a
single-stranded RNA flavivirus.1,2,3,5 The virus originated in the forests of Uganda. It was isolated
from an infected rhesus monkey that inhabited the Zika Forest, hence the name of the virus being
the Zika Virus.4,10 Outbreaks of Zika Virus have been documented in a number of different
locations. Tropical Africa, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands are the most notable outbreak
locations.8 And outbreak of cases in the Americas have also recently been reported (Figure 2).
Scientist suspect that there are other outbreak locations as well considering there have probably
been cases that have failed to be reported properly.
Zika Virus is primarily transferred to humans through mosquitos. Typically, the bite of an infected
Aedes aegypti or an Aedes albopictus mosquito (Figure 3). transmits the virus into the host’s
bloodstream. The infected mosquitos are majorly females.5,10 This specific type of mosquito
species prefers to bite humans and therefore inhabits areas that are densely populated with
humans. The mosquitos contract Zika Virus through feeding on already infected hosts, and then
proceed to further spread the disease by biting new hosts.8
Transmission from mother to child a threatening possibility when it comes to Zika Virus. A pregnant
woman can contract Zika during pregnancy and pass it on to her fetus. A previously infected
woman may also pass the Zika Virus on to her child once she becomes pregnant. The virus can be
passed throughout the duration of the pregnancy or passed to the child around the time of birth.8
Other forms of Zika transmission come through sexual contact, blood transfusions, and lab
exposure. Zika can be passed from one partner to another through sex, regardless of if the infected
person is showing symptoms at the time of sexual contact. In addition, if an infected host is a blood
donor, it is completely plausible that the virus be transferred through blood transfusion. Although
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this form of transmission is rare, it has been reported. Despite the fact that the exact form of
transmission is unknown, there have been minimal cases of contraction of the virus through lab
exposure as well.1,4,8
As Zika Virus rapidly spreads across the globe, the threat of the virus to pregnant women and their
unborn babies becomes evident. The most crucial stage for cerebral development in fetuses is
during the first trimester of pregnancy. Thus making infection with Zika Virus during this stage
strongly associated with microcephaly. Women infected with the virus early on in pregnancy are
at a significantly higher risk of seeing birth defects offspring.1,4-6 Children born with microcephaly
commonly have a head circumference smaller than the average circumference for the age or
gestation. Children with significant microcephaly, meaning the head circumference is at least three
standard deviations below the mean measurement, are at risk for developmental delay, cognitive
impairment, and a number of other serious complications.1
Extensive studies have been conducted in varying areas of the globe to propose concrete links
between Zika Virus and microcephaly in children. Epidemiologic studies have been directed in
areas of recent outbreaks of the virus.6 In an area of French Polynesia, an extensive study took
place to suggest a relationship between the development of microcephaly and Zika Virus. French
Polynesia was home to the most immense Zika outbreak prior to the recent outbreak of the virus in
the Americas. Scientist analyzed a couple different sets of data. Both serological and surveillance
data was searched through exhaustively to begin to estimate the likeliness of contracting Zika
during each week of the epidemic. Medical records over the span of September, 2013 to July, 2015
were also searched to discover any cases of microcephaly reported.6,9 This data was then used to
make simple models to discover the risk periods of pregnancy when Zika is most likely to extend
the risk of microcephaly.9 In conclusion, during the months of October 2013, and April, 2014, eight
cases of microcephaly were reported.2-4 Seven of the eight reported cases occurred between
March 1 to July 10, 2014.3 Scientist concluded that the occurrence of these cases of microcephaly
was due to contraction of the virus during the first trimester of pregnancy, known as the period of
risk. The risk of contracting microcephaly through Zika Virus was concluded to be 2 cases per
10,000 fetuses.4,5 While the risk for contracting microcephaly through Zika was 95 cases per
10,000 fetuses in women who were infected during the first trimester (Table 1). The study resulted
in a quantitative estimate of the risk of contracting microcephaly in fetuses born to mothers with
Zika Virus.9
Small animal experiments have also become increasingly popular suggesting the relationship
between Zika Virus and microcephaly. Scientist subcutaneously infected five to six week old mice
with human Zika strains from French Polynesia along with the original Zika strain.7 All mice in the
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study began to lose weight by only the fifth day of the study.7 Before succumbing completely to the
virus, all mice developed signs of neurological disease including hind-limb weakening and
paralysis. All mice eventually reached lethality around 10 days after being infected with the virus
(Figure 4).7
Zika was also injected into the abdomen of pregnant mice to examine how Zika causes
abnormalities in fetuses. It became evident that brain cells in the ventricular zone (VZ), sub-
ventricular zone (SVZ), and intermediate zone (IZ) tended to not divide as much as normal.1-3
Infected fetal brains also showed reduced layer thickness in the VZ and SVZ zones. Neurological
progenitors were reduced in infected brains as well.3 Through examining the process course of
Zika in pregnant mice, it became evident that the virus crosses the fetal-placental barrier. It then
aims for the neuronal progenitors. This can be done by terminating or impairing the progenitors.
This suggests a causation of microcephaly and cerebral defects in animal models and humans
(Figure 5).3
The cure for Zika Virus is in the beginning stages of exploration. Through animal studies, it has
been discovered that numerous vaccine approaches are feasible. Virus crippling vaccines modeled
off of Yellow Fever and Dengue viruses are showing promise in future cures.1 DNA and
recombinant protein subunit vaccines are being further researched as well.1 Virtually, the most
effective way to prevent contracting Zika Virus is to avoid being bitten by any and all mosquitos.
Pregnant women are advised to cease travel to infected areas of the world.8 The Center for
Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is actively tracking the outbreak of Zika across the globe.2-4
Lab samples are being examined on a daily basis to gain more knowledge on the virus. Disease
detectives and public healthcare providers are being educated on the symptoms and risks of Zika
Virus to increase the identifying and reporting of the virus.8 Some of the world’s brightest minds are
working together to find a cure.
Search words Zika Virus, Microcephaly, Aedes mosquito, The Center for Disease Control and Prevention, pregnancy, flavivirus
Figure Legends for accompanying illustrations, tables, graphs, and photographs
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Figure 1 The paths taken by Zika Virus as it spreads across the globe through transmission of the Aedes mosquito. Retrieved from C. Chang, Journal of Autoimmunity, April 2016. Figure 2 Zika Virus is rapidly spreading around the world, putting millions of people at risk for contracting the virus. Figure modified from B. Phillipe, BMC Medicine Journal, 2016. Figure 3 An adult Aedes Mosquito. Retrieved from M. Cortez and L. Lochner, Washington Post, June 23, 2016. Figure 4 Graphical representation of an experiment that includes infecting mice with Zika Virus. This diagram shows the virus’ path of spreading and the inevitable outcomes the mice reached when infected with the virus. Retrieved from H. Lazear, Cell Host and Microbe Journal, May 11, 2016. Figure 5 Graphical depiction of a female mouse and her offspring being infected with the Zika Virus (blue dots). This depiction shows the exact part of the brain that is infected with the virus, eventually leading to decreased surface area of the cortex (Microcephaly) in fetuses. Retrieved from H. Nguyen, Cell Research Journal, July 2016. Table 1 Conclusions of a scientific observation in French Polynesia regarding the prevalence and risk of contracting microcephaly in consequence of being infected with Zika Virus during various periods of pregnancy. Retrieved from S. Cauchemez, The Lancet Journal, May 2016. References
1. Boeuf, Phillipe, et al. (2016) BMC Medicine, 14(1): 112, 10.1186/s12916-016-0660-0
2. Tang, B.L. (2016) Arch Microbiol, 198 (7): 595-601, 10.1007/s00203-016-1268-7
3. Nguyen, Ha Nam HN. (2016). Cell Research, 26 (7): 753-754, 10.1038/cr.2016.68
4. Olagnier, David, et al. (2016). DNA and CELL BIOLOGY, 35 (8): 367-372,
10.1089/dna.2016.3404
5. Zanluca, Camila, et al. (2016). Microbes and Infection,18 (5): 295-301,
6. Rasmussen, Sonja A SA. (2016). The New England Journal of Medicine, 374 (20):
1981-1987, 10.1056/NEJMsr1604338
7. Lazear, Helen M., et al (2016). Cell Host and Microbe, 19 (5): 566-567,
8. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention. (2016, October 3). Zika Virus. Retrieved
from http://www.cdc.gov/zika/index.html
9. Cauchemez, Simon, et al. (2016). The Lancet, 387 (10033): 2125-2132,
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10. Chang, Christopher, et al. (2016). Journal of Autoimmunity, 68: 1-13,
11. Cortez, M. and Lochner, L. (June 23, 2016) A new must for your medicine cabinet: Bug
spray. Washington Post. Retrieved from http://washingtonpost.com
Glossary
Zika Virus- a single stranded RNA flavivirus transmitted to humans largely through mosquito
bites.
Microcephaly- a disease causing children to be born with head circumferences three standard
deviations below the mean measurement.
Abdomen- the stomach or part of the body bearing all digestive organs.
Neurology (Neurologic)- having to do with nerves and the nervous system.
Neuronal Progenitors- self-renewing cells that are responsible for producing the main
phenotype of the nervous system.
Ventricular Zone- known as the germinal zone placed at the walls surrounding the ventricles,
where most neurons of the higher brain are created.
Sub Ventricular Zone- the secondary proliferative zone that is home to the neural progenitor
cells.
Intermediate Zone- region of the spinal cord gray matter located between the posterior and
anterior horns.
Fetus- an unborn human offspring eight weeks after conception. Lethal (Leathality)- harmful or destructive, able to cause death.
Flavivirus- RNA viruses of anthropoid vectors (insects, spiders, or crustaceans) that are well
known for causing detrimental human diseases.
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Figure 1
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Figure 2
Figure 3
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Figure 4
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Figure 5
Table 1