Educational Preparation and Course Approach of Undergraduate Sports Nutrition instructors in Large U.S. Institutions.

College courses are often offered from various disciplines, and depending on which department offers the class, the course could be taught by faculty with different educational preparation or training. This could result in significant differences in the approach and content of the course (i.e., theoretical or applied) or a difference in the instructors' perceived importance and, therefore, the depth and time spent on various topics. We evaluated potential differences in the sports nutrition curriculum because it is a course that is usually taught by either nutritionists or exercise physiologists. A cross-sectional survey was sent to sports nutrition instructors at accredited large U.S. institutions. Descriptive statistics were analyzed via an ANOVA and Χ2 using Crosstabs in Qualtrics. Alpha was set at p < 0.001. Additionally, short interviews with some participants were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The findings of this study indicated that regardless of the instructor's educational preparation and discipline, the majority of sports nutrition topics received similar time and depth and were rated as similarly important (p > 0.001). Out of 10 current textbooks, the majority of instructors preferred only 1 of 4 of them. From the short interviews, instructors reported that their courses were more applied than theoretical or balanced between the two. Most instructors designed their courses with a focus on achieving applied outcomes.

Durable pharmacological responses from the peptide ShK-186, a specific Kv1.3 channel inhibitor that suppresses T cell mediators of autoimmune disease.

The Kv1.3 channel is a recognized target for pharmaceutical development to treat autoimmune diseases and organ rejection. ShK-186, a specific peptide inhibitor of Kv1.3, has shown promise in animal models of multiple sclerosis and rheumatoid arthritis. Here, we describe the pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic relationship for ShK-186 in rats and monkeys. The pharmacokinetic profile of ShK-186 was evaluated with a validated high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method to measure the peptide's concentration in plasma. These results were compared with single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography data collected with an ¹¹¹In-1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7,10-tetraacetic acid-conjugate of ShK-186 to assess whole-blood pharmacokinetic parameters as well as the peptide's absorption, distribution, and excretion. Analysis of these data support a model wherein ShK-186 is absorbed slowly from the injection site, resulting in blood concentrations above the Kv1.3 channel-blocking IC50 value for up to 7 days in monkeys. Pharmacodynamic studies on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells showed that brief exposure to ShK-186 resulted in sustained suppression of cytokine responses and may contribute to prolonged drug effects. In delayed-type hypersensitivity, chronic relapsing-remitting experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, and pristane-induced arthritis rat models, a single dose of ShK-186 every 2 to 5 days was as effective as daily administration. ShK-186's slow distribution from the injection site and its long residence time on the Kv1.3 channel contribute to the prolonged therapeutic effect of ShK-186 in animal models of autoimmune disease.