Latest news with #UralFederalUniversity
Arab Times
11-08-2025
- Health
- Arab Times
Russian scientists develop promising compounds for treating type 2 diabetes complications
MOSCOW, Aug 11: A team of Russian scientists has unveiled a significant breakthrough that could lead to more effective treatments for severe complications associated with type 2 diabetes, including chronic non-healing wounds, kidney damage, and vision-impairing retinal disorders. According to a press statement released Monday, the research was conducted by scientists from the Ural Federal University, the Postovsky Institute of Organic Synthesis, and the Volgograd State Medical University. The team has successfully developed new chemical compounds that prevent sugar molecules from binding to proteins in the body — a key process in the development of diabetes-related complications. The novel compounds operate on two fronts: they not only lower blood glucose levels but also inhibit the formation of harmful glycated proteins, which are linked to long-term damage in diabetic patients. One of the most promising findings is the compounds' ability to block an enzyme responsible for converting carbohydrates into sugar. The researchers noted that the inhibition efficiency of their molecules is 35 times greater than that of acarbose, a commonly prescribed anti-diabetic drug. This remarkable potency makes them strong candidates for use in next-generation combination therapies. Laboratory experiments demonstrated that some of the newly developed molecules were able to reduce the formation of harmful proteins by more than 70 percent — double the effectiveness of current drugs used to treat diabetic kidney damage. The scientists explained that the compounds work by binding to a particular segment of the sugar molecule, preventing metals like iron and copper from accelerating the destructive process of protein glycation. This, in turn, reduces potential cellular damage. They further noted that persistently high blood sugar levels can lead to the binding of glucose to essential proteins such as hemoglobin and collagen, resulting in reduced skin elasticity, weakened blood vessels, nerve damage, and chronic inflammation. In extreme cases, these effects can even contribute to the development of malignant tumors. According to the Russian Science Foundation, these discoveries could open the door not only to improved diabetes treatments but also to potential therapies for neurodegenerative diseases and certain types of cancer. The findings offer new hope in the global battle against type 2 diabetes, which affects millions worldwide and is a leading cause of long-term health complications.
Saba Yemen
02-06-2025
- Science
- Saba Yemen
Russian Scientists Develop Coating to Protect Aircraft Engines
Moscow - (Saba): Scientists from the Ural Federal University and the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences have developed an innovative coating made of silicon, aluminum, carbon, and nitrogen that can protect aircraft engine components from oxidation at extreme temperatures. The development combines low synthesis temperatures of up to 400°C, a high deposition rate, and high hardness. All of this will reduce the cost of manufacturing parts and extend the life of civil aircraft and helicopter engines, according to the Scientific Russia portal. The study, supported by the Russian Science Foundation and published in the journal "Ceramics," features high oxidation resistance at high temperatures. This means that in an oxygen-containing environment, when heated, a barrier layer is formed due to the aluminum content, preventing oxygen from penetrating deep into the protected material. The difficulty of obtaining such multicomponent functional coatings is due to the need to create a dense structure with the required chemical elements, according to Andrey Menshakov, a senior researcher at the Laboratory of Photovoltaic Materials at the Ural Federal University and the Institute of Electrophysics of the Ural Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The coating was obtained using a hybrid technology combining aluminum evaporation and plasma activation of organosilicon. Experiments have shown that the new material has a hardness of up to 31 gigapascals (comparable to diamond-like coatings) and a dense, defect-free structure. By comparison, conventional methods for creating such protective films on the surface of turbine elements require temperatures above 1,000 degrees Celsius and often lead to the formation of various defects. Over two years, the scientists conducted more than ten series of tests, resulting in the creation of several hundred samples. According to the researchers, choosing the optimal conditions made it possible to achieve the formation of a dense nanostructured coating with the desired chemical composition, ensuring the new composite's high mechanical properties. Andrey Menshakov added, "We were able to vary the compounding conditions over a wide range, and the process itself is carried out at relatively low temperatures (100, 200, 400 degrees Celsius). This allows the application of protective coatings not only to steel and titanium products, but also to low-melting materials such as polycarbonate." We also face no obvious restrictions on scaling the facility for industrial production; in this case, everything depends directly on the task at hand. Plans include testing the coating on real components of gas turbines and jet engines, as well as adapting the technology for other industries. Whatsapp Telegram Email Print more of (International)
