Arterial and retinal vascular changes in hypertensive and prehypertensive adolescents.

Introduction: Increasing evidence suggests that arterial hypertension (AHT) may begin in childhood and result in the premature development of cardiovascular disease. In view of this, we believed it would be important to investigate the early vascular changes related to early hypertension at the micro- and macrovascular levels both under normal circumstances and after cold-induced sympathetic stimulation.

Methods: In a cohort of 121 adolescent subjects, we measured peripheral and central blood pressure (pBP and cBP, respectively), pulse pressure (PP), and the augmentation index (AIx), as well as retinal vascular diameters, at baseline and during a cold pressor test (CPT).

Transcription of genes coding for metabolic key functions in Nitrosomonas europaea during aerobic and anaerobic growth.

Nitrosomonas europaea can grow under conditions of chemolithoautotrophic aerobic (oxygen as oxidant) as well as anaerobic [nitrogen dioxide (NO(2)) as oxidant] nitrification or chemoorganotrophic anaerobic pyruvate-dependent denitrification. In this study, the adaptation of the transcription (mRNA synthesis/concentration) of N. europaea to aerobic and anaerobic growth conditions was evaluated and the transcription of genes coding for metabolic key functions was analyzed: nitrogen and energy metabolism (amoA, hao, rh1, nirK, norB, nsc, aceE, ldhA, ppc, gltA, odhA, coxA), carbon dioxide fixation (cbbL), gluconeogenesis (ppsA), cell growth (ftsZ), and oxidative stress (sodB).