VCAM-1 targeted nanocarriers of shRNA-Smad3 mitigate endothelial-to-mesenchymal transition triggered by high glucose concentrations and osteogenic factors in valvular endothelial cells.

Endothelial to mesenchymal transition (EndMT) of valvular endothelial cells (VEC) is a key process in the development and progression of calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD). High expression of the Smad3 transcription factor is crucial in the transition process. We hypothesize that silencing Smad3 could hinder EndMT and provide a novel treatment for CAVD.

Land degradation: Addressing the vulnerability of local people through the lens of transformative change.

Land degradation (LD) is driven by many factors resulting from the intricate interplay between natural and socio-economic systems, which adds dynamism and complexity to this phenomenon. The study highlights LD as a source of social vulnerability in the Baragan Plain (Romania), often called the "granary of Europe" due to its century-long history of industrial crop production. We explore the community's perceptions of vulnerability due to LD and the community-based solutions to sustainable transformations through governance using a community-based causal-effect analysis (CBCEA).

Low-Protein Diets Could Be Effective and Safe in Elderly Patients with Advanced Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Low-protein diets (LPDs) seem to improve metabolic complications of advanced CKD, thus postponing kidney replacement therapy (KRT) initiation. However, the nutritional safety of LPDs remains debatable in patients with diabetic kidney disease (DKD), especially in the elderly. This is a sub-analysis of a prospective unicentric interventional study which assessed the effects of LPD in patients with advanced DKD, focusing on the feasibility and safety of LPD in elderly patients.

Low Protein Diet Reduces Proteinuria and Decline in Glomerular Filtration Rate in Advanced, Heavy Proteinuric Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Low protein diet (LPD) seems beneficial in ameliorating the complications of chronic kidney disease (CKD), in reducing proteinuria and the decline in kidney function, thus postponing the need for kidney replacement therapy (KRT). However, this type of intervention was less investigated in diabetic kidney disease (DKD). This is a single-center, prospective, interventional study that aims to assess the efficacy of reducing proteinuria and the rate of decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR).