KAATSU training is a novel training, which is performed under conditions of restricted blood flow. It can induce a variety of beneficial effects such as increased muscle strength, and it has been adopted by a number of facilities in recent times. The purpose of the present study is to know the present state of KAATSU training in Japan and examine the incidence of adverse events in the field. The data were obtained from KAATSU leaders or instructors in a total of 105 out of 195 facilities where KAATSU training has been adopted. Based on survey results, 12,642 persons have received KAATSU training (male 45.4%, female 54.6%). KAATSU training has been applied to all generations of people including the young (<20 years old) and the elderly (>80 years old). The most popular purpose of KAATSU training is to strengthen muscle in athletes and to promote the health of subjects, including the elderly. It has been also applied to various kinds of physical conditions, cerebrovascular diseases, orthopedic diseases, obesity, cardiac diseases, neuromuscular diseases, diabetes, hypertension and respiratory diseases. In KAATSU training, various types of exercise modalities (physical exercise, walking, cycling, and weight training) are used. Most facilities have used 5-30 min KAATSU training each time, and performed it 1-3 times a week. Approximately 80% of the facilities are satisfied with the results of KAATSU training with only small numbers of complications reported. The incidence of side effects was as follows; venous thrombus (0.055%), pulmonary embolism (0.008%) and rhabdomyolysis (0.008%). These results indicate that the KAATSU training is a safe and promising method for training athletes and healthy persons, and can also be applied to persons with various physical conditions.

1 The eects of oestrogens on action potential and membrane currents were examined in single guinea-pig atrial myocytes. 2 17b-estradiol (3 ± 10 mM) shortened the action potential duration without signi®cant changes in the resting membrane potential. E-4031 (1 mM) markedly prolonged the action potential duration and induced early afterdepolarization, and 17b-estradiol (10 mM) abolished it. 3 When cells were perfused in isoproterenol-containing solution, action potentials due to abnormal automaticity caused by membrane depolarization developed, and were also inhibited by 17b-estradiol. 4 Under voltage clamp conditions, the voltage-dependent Ca 2+ currents consisted of both T-(I Ca.T ) and L-type (I Ca.L ). 17b-estradiol reduced I Ca.L concentration-dependently, while it (10 mM) suppressed I Ca.T only by approximately 10%. 17b-estradiol did not aect time courses of I Ca.L inactivation, but it shifted the steady-state inactivation curve to more negative potentials. 5 17b-estradiol (10 mM) did not aect the time-dependent K + current (I K ), referred to as I Kr and I Ks , and inwardly rectifying K + current. However, 17b-estradiol (30 mM) or diethylstilbestrol (10 mM) inhibited K + currents. 6 DES and ethinylestradiol (EES) also suppressed I Ca.L , but testosterone and progesterone failed to inhibit I Ca.L . The potency of the inhibitory eect on I Ca.L was DES4EES417b-estradiol. 7 17b-estradiol and DES also inhibited the cyclic AMP-enhanced I Ca.L , but cyclic GMP in the pipette or pretreatment of L-NAME could not block the eects of oestrogen on I Ca.L . 8 These results suggest that oestrogen speci®cally has antiarrhythmic eects, possibly by acting the L-type Ca 2+ channels. The antiarrhythmic eects of oestrogens may contribute to the cardioprotective actions of oestrogens.

Background and purpose:The voltage-gated Na + channels (Nav) and their corresponding current (INa) are involved in several cellular processes, crucial to metastasis of cancer cells. We investigated the effects of eicosapentaenoic (EPA), an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, on INa and metastatic functions (cell proliferation, endocytosis and invasion) in human and rat prostate cancer cell lines (PC-3 and Mat-LyLu cells). Experimental approach: The whole-cell voltage clamp technique and conventional/quantitative real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis were used. The presence of Nav proteins was shown by immunohistochemical methods. Alterations in the fatty acid composition of phospholipids after treatment with EPA and metastatic functions were also examined. Key results: A transient inward Na + current (INa), highly sensitive to tetrodotoxin, and NaV proteins were found in these cells. Expression of NaV1.6 and NaV1.7 transcripts (SCN8A and SCN9A) was predominant in PC-3 cells, while NaV1.7 transcript (SCN9A) was the major component in Mat-LyLu cells. Tetrodotoxin or synthetic small interfering RNA targeted for SCN8A and SCN9A inhibited metastatic functions (endocytosis and invasion), but failed to inhibit proliferation in PC-3 cells. Exposure to EPA produced a rapid and concentration-dependent suppression of INa. In cells chronically treated (up to 72h) with EPA, the EPA content of cell lipids increased time-dependently, while arachidonic acid content decreased. Treatment of PC-3 cells with EPA decreased levels of mRNA for SCN9A and SCN8A, cell proliferation, invasion and endocytosis. Conclusion and implications: Treatment with EPA inhibited INa directly and also indirectly, by down-regulation of Nav mRNA expression in prostate cancer cells, thus inhibiting their metastatic potential.

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Background-It has been suggested that intracellular Ca 2ϩ overload in cardiac myocytes leads to the development of diabetic cardiomyopathy. Troglitazone, an insulin-sensitizing agent, is a promising therapeutic agent for diabetes and has been shown to prevent diabetes-induced myocardial changes. To elucidate the underlying mechanism of troglitazone action on cardiac myocytes, the effects of troglitazone on voltage-dependent Ca 2ϩ currents were examined and compared with classic Ca 2ϩ antagonists (verapamil and nifedipine).