Medicine and Health Sciences Commons^™

Perinatal Nicotine Exposure And Programming Of Hie Sensitive Phenotype In Neonatal Rat Brains, Yong Li

Loma Linda University Electronic Theses, Dissertations & Projects

Large epidemiological and animal studies have revealed a clear association of adverse intrauterine environment with the increased risk of metabolic, cardiovascular and neurological diseases. Maternal smoking is the single most widespread perinatal insult in the world and has been associated with adverse pregnancy outcomes for mother, fetus and the newborn. Our study aims to test the hypothesis that perinatal nicotine exposure induces reprogramming of susceptibility to hypoxic ischemic brain injury in the immature brain, focusing on the roles of AT1R and/or AT2R and trying to reveal the underlying epigenetic mechanisms. Therefore, we established two rat models: perinatal nicotine exposure model …

Offspring And Maternal Health Benefits Of Exercise During Pregnancy, Lindsay G. Carter

Theses and Dissertations--Nutritional Sciences

Maternal lifestyle and nutrient intake during pregnancy can have long-lasting effects on the health of offspring as well as the mother. This dissertation focuses on the impact of maternal exercise during pregnancy on offspring insulin sensitivity and glucose uptake and the maternal effects of exercise during pregnancy.

The first aim of this dissertation was to investigate if exercise prior to and during pregnancy and nursing would improve glucose uptake and insulin sensitivity in mice and rats. In both mice and rats, it was concluded that maternal exercise could enhance whole-body insulin sensitivity and increase glucose uptake into skeletal muscle and …