Course: Bio 242, Spring 2021 Project: COVID-19 Points: 50 total Description: This is a modular project meaning that you need to finish each phase by the due date to get credit for. There is going to be a 1-pt deduction per day for the late turn ins. You also don’t get full credit if you don’t follow the instructions for each module (phase). Each module should be at least two-page, single space, typed with font size 12. Each person submits their own project in a PDF file as an attachment to email. Module 1 is due by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 4/22/21 for 10 pts. Module 1: Again, to get full credit, you must discuss: the structure of the virus including the type (RNA or DNA), size of its genome, enveloped or nonenveloped, the different names the virus is known for, the origin of COVID-19 virus (if zoonotic what animal), modes of the viral transmission, the detail on how the virus enter human host cell (the name of the receptor on human cell, the role of the viral spikes and role of PMRSS2 for viral attachment and entry to human cell). How does the virus multiply when it is inside the host cell? Which cell types are the host: epithelial, muscle, nervous, or connective tissues). Discuss specifically the roles of viral-specific enzymes such as the main protease (MPro) and RNA-dependent RNA Polymerase (RdRp) for the viral multiplication. Discuss what human host cells factors (host machinery) such as ribosomes are used by the virus for its multiplication. You are welcome to cut and paste figures but you need to give credit to the sources in your reference section for each module. This module is aimed at understanding the history and biology of the virus entry, multiplication, assembly, and exiting human host cells. It is important that you use peer-reviewed scientific journals and not just a web link as your references. Pubmed is the best place to search for scientific references. Please watch below short video prepared by one of our BC librarians on how to perform efficient Pubmed search. The video helps you save a tremendous amount of time in your Pubmed search. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vhCrIZjxWXk&feature=youtu.be Module 2 is due by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 5/06/21 for 10 pts. Module 2: In this module, you will discuss signs & symptoms of mild, moderate, and critical covid-19 patients. Use of a Table format is encouraged, followed by a discussion on each sign and symptom (at least 6-8 signs and symptoms such as cytokine storm). For example, many patients complain that they lose their olfactory sense or blood coagulation can lead to stroke in some patients or critical Covid patients exhibit what is known as ground-glass opacities in their lungs (you might want to show side by side CT-scan or Xrays images of normal lungs and covid19-infected glass lungs). This module is aimed at understanding the signs and symptoms of the disease in human. You may want to discuss a mysterious phenomenon observed in a small portion of recovered COVID patients known as Long COVID. Module 3 is due by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 5/20/21 for 10 pts. Module 3: Discuss medications used including oxygen therapy and anti-inflammatory steroid such as dexamethasone to treat critical Covid patients. Also discuss the following medications and what are their mechanisms of action to block multiplication of the virus: boceprevir, zotatifin, remdesivir, favipiravir, molnupiravir. Again, use of a Table format is encouraged. This module is aimed at understanding the treatment of the infected patients. Also remember the rule of minimum two-page and use of scientific references. Module 4 is due by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 6/03/21 for 10 pts. Module 4: Discuss how COVID-19 has impacted different populations include age, sex, race/ethnicity, and economic status? Mortality & morbidity in different populations? You may want to use graphs to discuss the problem. This module is about the access to healthcare and the lack of. How the diverse populations are impacted? What is done by the government(s) to provide healthcare for every zip codes in terms of testing people for COVID, having enough ICUs for the critically ill patients, vaccination). This module is aimed at understanding equity issue access to care. Module 5 is due by 11:59 pm Pacific Time on 6/17/21 for 10 pts. Module 5: discuss different vaccines available against COVID-19. You can name a list of vaccines in a Table format but you need to specifically discuss the pros and cons, modes of action, of the following vaccines: 1) SinoVac and SinoPharm, 2) Sputnik V from Gamaleya, 3) Pfizer & BioNTech, 4) AstraZeneca-Oxford, 5) Moderna, 6) Johnson & Johnson Also, include one para on the anxiety about the potential ineffectiveness of vaccines against the future variants of the virus that has popped up in UK, South Africa, and Brazil. The goal of this module is to understand the different ways vaccines are made against the coronavirus, their effectiveness in creating herd immunity.
Purchase answer to see full attachment