Ketogenic diets are high in fat and low in carbohydrates, and have long been used as an anticonvulsant therapy for drug-intractable and pediatric epilepsy. Additionally, ketogenic diets have been shown to provide neuroprotective effects against acute and chronic brain injury, including beneficial effects in various rodent models of neurodegeneration. Huntington’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by neurological, behavioral and metabolic dysfunction, and ketogenic diets have been shown to increase energy molecules and mitochondrial function. We tested the effects of a ketogenic diet in a transgenic mouse model of Huntington’s disease (R6/2 1J), with a focus on life-long behavioral and physiological effects. Matched male and female wild-type and transgenic mice were maintained on a control diet or were switched to a ketogenic diet fed ad libitum starting at six weeks of age. We found no negative effects of the ketogenic diet on any behavioral parameter tested (locomotor activity and coordination, working memory) and no significant change in lifespan. Progressive weight loss is a hallmark feature of Huntington’s disease, yet we found that the ketogenic diet - which generally causes weight loss in normal animals - delayed the reduction in body weight of the transgenic mice. These results suggest that metabolic therapies could offer important benefits for Huntington’s disease without negative behavioral or physiological consequences.

Transcribed SpO2 values overdocumented target range and underdocumented hyperoxemic and hypoxemic ranges compared with electronic oximeter data. These results support incorporating electronic oximeter data into medical records.

Purpose: To describe the development and content validation of measures to assess the psychoeducational needs of children, adolescents/young adults (AYAs), and their parents at the end of successful treatment for cancer. Method: Professional experts, which included pediatric oncology nurses and advanced practice registered nurses, conducted a systematic review of the literature to determine specific end of treatment (EOT) needs of children and AYAs with cancer and their parents and evaluate available tools to measure these needs. From this review, two EOT questionnaires were initially developed. Oncology Family Advisory Board (FAB) members served as experiential experts in refining and validating these questionnaires. FAB members participated in a content validation process, rating questionnaires online, and subsequently participating in a focus group to establish content validity ( n = 6). Results: Three EOT questionnaires were ultimately developed. The Child/AYA questionnaire was divided into two separate measures for developmental and literacy considerations. The Parent/Caregiver and the AYA questionnaires each contain 38 items with a content validity index score of 100%. The Child questionnaire contains 37 items with a content validity index score of 100%. Conclusion: Content validity was established for three EOT questionnaires, each of which has the potential to elicit information regarding needs and potential gaps in services perceived by childhood cancer survivors and their parents. Further psychometric testing is needed to determine stability (test–retest reliability) and construct validity of the questionnaires.

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