Red alert for women's heart: the urgent need for more research and knowledge on cardiovascular disease in women: proceedings of the workshop held in Brussels on gender differences in cardiovascular disease, 29 September 2010.

A recent report of the EuroHeart project has shown that women are still underrepresented in many cardiovascular clinical trials, while important gender differences are present within most areas of heart disease. As the burden of cardiovascular disease is increasing in middle-aged women relative to men, a more profound understanding is needed of the fundamental biological differences that exist between men and women. In the current review, we aim to address the need for more explanatory sex-specific cardiovascular research to be able to adapt existing guidelines for a better heart health in women.

Effects of acute exercise and long-term exercise on total Na+,K+ -ATPase content and Na+,K+ -ATPase isoform expression profile in equine muscle.

Objective: To investigate the effects of acute exercise and long-term training on Na(+),K(+)-ATPase content, mRNA isoforms, and protein concentration in equine muscle.

Animals: 6 Standardbreds.

Procedures: Horses performed a bout of exercise on a treadmill before and after 18 weeks of combined interval and endurance training.

Effect of show jumping training on the development of locomotory muscle in young horses.

Objective: To investigate whether training for show jumping that is commenced early after birth affects the characteristics of equine locomotory muscle.

Animals: 19 Dutch Warmblood horses.

Procedures: Horses were assigned to a trained or not trained (control) group.

Effect of exercise on development of capillary supply and oxidative capacity in skeletal muscle of horses.

Objective: To determine whether postnatal development of oxidative capacity and capillary supply of skeletal muscle is affected by various movement regimens in horses.

Animals: 35 foals.

Procedures: Dutch Warmblood foals were allocated into 3 groups (box stall rest, box stall rest with training, and free pasture exercise).

Myosin heavy chain fibre type composition in foals: analyses at the mRNA and protein level.

Reasons For Performing Study: An optimal developed musculoskeletal system is vital for the performance of the horse. Previously, we showed that in the m. gluteus medius from adult untrained horses, identical mRNA and protein expression patterns were found in the majority of fibres.