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DOI:10.1097/HJH.0000000000001503 M ost of the articles published in the current issue of the Journal of Hypertension can be grouped under the headings of epidemiology, pathophysiology and therapeutics. A first epidemiological study concerns the role of uric acid production, and the consequent accumulation of reactive oxygen species, in the association between uric acid and high blood pressure (BP). In a cross-sectional analysis of data from the Maastricht study, Scheepers et al. (pp. 000– 000) report that higher serum concentrations and 24-h urinary excretions of uric acid (the latter as a proxy for uric acid production) are, independent of each other, associated with BP and hypertension. Secondhand smoke exposure in nonsmokers has previously been associated with premature cardiovascular mortality and ischemic heart disease. However, in a large cohort of 7376 healthy individuals who had never smoked, from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2008–2011, Kim et al. (pp. 000–000) were unable to find any consistent relationship between secondhand smoke exposure and BP, lipid or fasting glucose levels. The possible reasons for discrepancy of Kim et al.’s results with previous studies are discussed in an accompanying editorial commentary by Banegas (pp. 000–000), who concludes that whether or not secondhand smoke exposure is related to cardiovascular risk factors, it is an important clinical and policy problem, causing a large burden of disease and deaths. Exercise is a well established lifestyle procedure to reduce cardiovascular risk. Morales-Palomo et al. (pp. 000–000) have investigated if repeated exercise training programs consolidate the transient BP improvements of one exercise program, and report that at least 2 consecutive years of 4-month aerobic interval training are required to chronically improve metabolic syndrome; on the other hand, 3-year sedentarism in metabolic syndrome patients increases their predicted atherosclerosis diseases risk. In a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies of the associations of rotational shiftwork and nightshift status, Manohar et al. (pp. 000–000) find that shift-work status plays an important role in hypertension, whereas there is no significant association between nightshift status and risk of hypertension. A final epidemiological study is focused on relationships between depression and anxiety and BP in young adults. By using data from the Western Australian Cohort Study, Bhat et al. (pp. 000–000) report that SBP in young adults (20-year-old) is inversely associated with depression and anxiety score, independent of a range of lifestyle confounders. The authors acknowledge their