Graphene Oxide Nanosheets Interact and Interfere with SARS‐CoV‐2 Surface Proteins and Cell Receptors to Inhibit Infectivity

From Wiley via Jisc Publications RouterHistory: received 2021-03-13, pub-electronic 2021-05-14Article version: VoRPublication status: PublishedFunder: University of PaduaFunder: UKRI EPSRC; Grant(s): EP/P00119X/1Funder: Turkish Academy of Sciences (TUBA)Funder: Scientific and Technology Council of Turkey; Grant(s): 18AG020Funder: Türkiye Bilimler Akademisi; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004412; Grant(s): GEBIP 2018Funder: Türkiye Bilimsel ve Teknolojik Araştirma Kurumu; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100004410; Grant(s): 18AG020Funder: Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council; Id: http://dx.doi.org/10.13039/501100000266; Grant(s): EP/P00119X/1Abstract: Nanotechnology can offer a number of options against coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) acting both extracellularly and intracellularly to the host cells. Here, the aim is to explore graphene oxide (GO), the most studied 2D nanomaterial in biomedical applications, as a nanoscale platform for interaction with SARS‐CoV‐2. Molecular docking analyses of GO sheets on interaction with three different structures: SARS‐CoV‐2 viral spike (open state – 6VYB or closed state – 6VXX), ACE2 (1R42), and the ACE2‐bound spike complex (6M0J) are performed. GO shows high affinity for the surface of all three structures (6M0J, 6VYB and 6VXX). When binding affinities and involved bonding types are compared, GO interacts more strongly with the spike or ACE2, compared to 6M0J. Infection experiments using infectious viral particles from four different clades as classified by Global Initiative on Sharing all Influenza Data (GISAID), are performed for validation purposes. Thin, biological‐grade GO nanoscale (few hundred nanometers in lateral dimension) sheets are able to significantly reduce copies for three different viral clades. This data has demonstrated that GO sheets have the capacity to interact with SARS‐CoV‐2 surface components and disrupt infectivity even in the presence of any mutations on the viral spike. GO nanosheets are proposed to be further explored as a nanoscale platform for development of antiviral strategies against COVID‐19

A preliminary geoengineering assessment of Bazda antique underground quarries in, Sanliurfa, Turkey

ISRM International Symposium (EUROCK) -- SEP 23-26, 2013 -- Wroclaw, POLANDWOS: 000337166500008Geoengineering evaluation of man-made antique underground structures improves and provides important information on such structures. Harran City in, Sanliurfa Province of Turkey was constructed probably during Sumerian period BC 3000 (5000 years BP). The building stones consisting of limestones of Harran City were extracted from open-pit and underground quarries known as Bazda quarries. Bazda antique underground quarry pillars suffer some structural stability problems in terms of splitting of high pillars, roof falls, plane or wedge sliding and large sinkholes. The authors have initiated a collaborative integrated research program to map the antique underground quarries having working levels up to four floor, in-situ rock characterization, identification of stability problems, some geomechanical properties of surrounding rock. This paper describes the first preliminary studies on Bazda antique underground quarries and discusses its implications in modern geomechanics and geoengineering.Int Soc Rock Mech, Polish Soc Rock Mech, Wroclaw Univ Technol, Inst Geotechn & Hydrotech