Bridgewater Review

Volume 19 | Issue 1 Article 11

Jun-2000 Report From CART: "Neural Interactions Between the Small Intestine and the of Oddi" And "Sustainable Development for Economic, Social, and Environmental Health"

Recommended Citation (2000). Report From CART: "Neural Interactions Between the Small Intestine and the Sphincter of Oddi" And "Sustainable Development for Economic, Social, and Environmental Health". Bridgewater Review, 19(1), 25-26. Available at: http://vc.bridgew.edu/br_rev/vol19/iss1/11

This item is available as part of Virtual Commons, the open-access institutional repository of Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater, Massachusetts. duodenal neurons sending nerve fibers to the sphincter ofOddi. We deter­ CENTER FOR mined that these neurons synthesize excitatory neurotransmitters, which cause the sphincter muscle to contract. THE ADVANCEMENT We performed additional electro­ physiological studies to further exam­ OF RESEARCH ine this mechanism. These studies involved recording electrical activity from target neurons located within the AND TEACHING sphincter ofOddi while stimulating axons passing into the sphincter from CART grants enable faculty and results in over 600,000 cholecystec­ the . We demonstrated that librarians to pursue research projects. tomies (surgical removals ofthe the duodenal neurons sending projec­ "Neural Interactions Between the Small ) each year. tions to the sphincter ofOddi are capa­ Intestine and the Sphincter ofOddi" How does the sphincter ofOddi ble ofelectrically activating neurons and "Sustainable Development: The know when to open and when to close? located within the sphincter. Activation Search for Economic, Social, and Although we know that the nervous ofneurons in the sphincter ofOddi by Environmental Health" are among the system is involved, the exact mecha­ neurons in the duodenum is likely to projects which were recently awarded nisms ofits regulation are not entirely increase the contraction ofthis muscle, CART grants. clear. As part ofmy doctoral disserta­ thus closing the duct pathway lead­ tion research, completed in 1999 under ing into the duodenum. Ultimately, it is NEURAL INTERACTIONS BETWEEN Dr. Gary Mawe ofthe Department of likely to be demonstrated that the path­ THE SMAlL INTESTINE AND THE Anatomy and Neurobiology at the way we have identified is directly SPHINCTER OF ODDI Audra Kennedy, Assistant Professor of University ofVermont CoJJege of involved in the sphincter ofOddi's BioLogicaL Sciences Medicine, I examined the neural mech­ function. The reflex circuit is likely to anisms by which the sphincter ofOddi play several roles in digestion, including is regulated. Working with guinea pigs, (1) generating waves ofsphincter of Dr. Mawe and I identified a neural con­ Oddi contraction and relaxation that nection linking a section ofthe small aJJow bile to enter the duodenum, intestine called the duodenum Witll the (2) notifying the sphincter ofOddi that sphincter ofOddi. Using a fluorescent food has entered the duodenum and dye that is transported along nerve that bile should be delivered to aid in fibers (caJJed axons), we demonstrated digestion, and (3) limiting the entry of that neurons located in the duodenum digested food from the intestine into send axons to the sphincter ofOddi. the during periods ofgut peri­ Neurons work by releasing chemicals stalsis or vomiting. My research involves a body partyou called neurotransmitters from their The CART grant I have received may never have heard of, a sma11 but nerve endings. We expanded our will enable me to return to Dr. Mawe's inlportant part ofthe digestive system studies oftlle neurons going to the laboratory as a visiting researcher this called the sphincter ofOddi. The sphincter ofOddi by determining what summer to continue to explore the role sphincter ofOddi is a sma11 muscular neurotransmitters they synthesize. that the nervous system plays in the cuff named after the 19t1l century Neurons in the enteric nervous system functioning ofthe sphincter ofOddi. Italian scientist, , who (the nervous system which controls the Having established the working first studied it. Located at the junction gastrointestinal tract) can be divided hypotllesis that extensive communica­ ofthe and tlle intes­ into separate groups on the basis of tion between neurons in the duode­ tine, it regulates the flow ofbile from their chemical content. The technique num and neurons in the sphincter of the gallbladder into the intestine. Bile ofimmunohistochemistryexamines Oddi is important for efficient upper helps us to digest fats; inflammation of the neurons based on their coding pat­ gastrointestinal tract function, I hope the sphincter ofOddi can lead to terns for different chemicals. As a result, to further elucidate the roles these cir­ formation ofgallstones and prevent scientists can determine the function of cuits play in gastrointestinal physiology. proper digestion. Improper function­ a given population ofneurons based on Beginning in the faJJ, I also hope to ing ofthe sphincter ofOddi has been the presence or absence ofparticular establish a related research projectat shown to be a major contributor to chemicals within the cell. Using the College, providing research biliary disease, which affects approxi­ immunohistochemical technique, we opportunities for undergraduate mately 20 miJJion Americans and were able to determine the types of biology majors.

BRIDGEWATER REVIEW 25 SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT: THE What these measures fail to do, how­ Efforts to judge the sustainability of SEARCH fOR ECONOMIC, SOCLAl, ever, is factor in issues ofsocial justice, individual organizations have also AND ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH economic equity, or environmental blossomed in the past year. Europeans, Helene S. Fine, Associate Professor of sensitivity. Increased spending on pris­ alarmed at the degradation oftheir Management ons or on oil spill clean-ups contributes environment, are demanding"green" as much to the GDP as spending on products in tlle marketplace. Although education and healthcare, the develop­ a meaningfuJ "green label" has yet to ment ofwind-based energy technolo­ arrive, the ISO 14,000 series certifica­ gies, or food relief to the victims of tion might serve that need temporarily. famine. The GNP is indifferent to the ISO 14,000 is a set ofinternational nature ofgoods and services sold. standards for environmental sensitivity While productivity figures could tell and social accountability that goes us how much non-renewable energy is beyond the bottom line. Few in this consumed in the production ofgoods region know ofits existence or the and services, they generally don't. More inlpact that it will have on the market­ often than notthe figures we get are for place. Before long, many consumers labor productivity. As a result, they in Europe will refuse to buy products The subject ofmy research is sustain­ often signal the displacement ofwork­ from companies that do not have able development, recently defined by ers to lower levels ofemployment. this certification. the World Commission on Environ­ The quality ofemployment and the In order to further our ability both to ment and Development as develop­ equitable distribution ofwealth are not gauge the performances ofindividual ment that"meets the needs ofthe issues in standard economic measures. organizations and to compare them present without compromising the Serving burgers at McDonalds is as with one another, I have created a sus­ ability offuture generations to meet good as semi-skilled work in a metal tainability scale. Using the scale, an their own needs." In recent years, fabricating shop. One hundred thou­ organization would receive a score activists on behalfofenvironmental sand people earning $40,000 each is based on a number offactors, including preservation, economic justice, and the same as 100,000 people earning economic viability, environmental democratic control ofcorporations $30,000 each and one person earning soundness in products and processes have found common cause in the move $1 billion! and commitment to the employees' toward sustainability. A sustainable Realizing tllat growth alone does not education and training. Each factor society must be economically viable, guarantee a healthy society, activists in would be weighted to reflect its impor­ environmentally sound, socially just, communities tlle world over have tance. The same scale could be used to and locally controlled. begun to create alternative indicators. rate sustainability at the regional, The search for indicators ofsustain­ These are relevant either to tlle econ­ national and global levels. ability stems from the beliefthat exist­ omy as a whole, to specific regions, or I have been invited to present my ing measures do not capture the true to individual organizations. One such work at the World Congress on Human state ofsocial, economic, and environ­ alternative is the Genuine Progress Coexistence in a Responsible World at mental health. For example, the most Indicator (GPI). In tlle beliefthat the Dawn ofthe Third Millennium, to common ofthe measures currently household and volunteer work con­ be held in Montreal this July. used, the Gross Domestic Product tribute to the quality oflife, tlle GPI (GDP), is a measure ofall goods and assigns positive values to these but sub­ services sold within a country. Another tracts for factors that diminish that measure, productivity, compares goods quality. Some ofthe latter include and services sold to resources used to resource depletion and habitat degra­ produce them (i.e., outputslinputs). dation, loss ofleisure time, tlle costs of Other measures include median house­ crime, and any growing inequities in hold income and, finally, levels of the distribution ofwealtll. Regional employment. When each is increasing, Sustainability IJ1dicators factor in such we pronounce the economy robust negative values as water consumption and, therefore, the society healthy! and traffic congestion, while positive indicators are generated byvolunteer activity and voter turnout.

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