Biomedical subjects

J Langa

Publications and source records attributed to J Langa.

4 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2026

Enterococcus faecalis GP1764 induces an early differential gene expression in the intestine on key pathways related to cellular immune response and gut barrier function in chickens.

The aim of the present study was to elucidate the mode of action of Enterococcus faecalis GP1764 in improving performance traits during the starter phase by analyzing genome-wide gene expression and its interaction with microbial populations in the intestine of chickens challenged with an NSP-rich diet. At day 7, microbiota populations from ileal and cecal contents and transcriptomics from jejunal and cecal mucosa were analyzed between Control (Ctrl) and Enterococcus faecalis GP1764 (EntF) groups. Results from microbiota analysis demonstrated that EntF shifted β-diversity indices in ileum (neutral (p= 0.006) and phylogenetic (p= 0.006)) and caecum (phylogenetic (p= 0.017)). Transcriptomics revealed 43 differentially expressed genes for EntF vs. Ctrl in the jejunal mucosa. Of these, MHCY-36 (MHC-I-Related), RAG2 and MUC19-like genes were upregulated in EntF vs. Ctrl, protein-coding genes with immunomodulatory capacities as supported by GSEA and Cytoscape-ClueGo pathway analyses. Results suggest an intestinal immunomodulation induced through presentation of B vitamins metabolites, synthetized by EntF, to an undescribed subset of innate-like unconventional T lymphocytes in chickens, similar to MAIT cells in mammals. These cells could contribute to antibacterial responses and repair of damaged barrier tissue after inflammatory processes. The upregulation of the MUC19-like gene expression observed in the jejunal mucosa can protect gut integrity via the promotion of mucus production by goblet cells. Finally, RAG2, involved in V(D)J coding segments recombination in B- and T-cells may provide a greater recognition of foreign invaders, allowing the animals to efficiently fight against pathogenic infections. Collectively, these results suggest an important role of EntF in promoting the capacity of animals to rapidly act against pathogenic challenges, herein, inducing resilience towards dietary ingredients with anti-nutritional activity that impart moderate inflammation in chickens.

Enterococcus faecalis↗

PubMed1999

Training medical assistants for surgery.

A successful programme is reported from Mozambique for training middle-level health workers to perform fairly advanced surgical procedures in remote areas where the services of consultants are virtually unobtainable. Manpower and financial constraints obliged Mozambique to train medical assistants to perform surgical work in rural areas, where three broad priorities were identified: pregnancy-related complications, trauma-related complications, and emergency inflammatory conditions. Since 1984, 20 health workers have emerged from three-year courses to become técnicos de cirurgía (assistant medical officers), and it is expected that there will be 46 by 1999. The training comprises two years of lectures and practical sessions in the Maputo Central Hospital, and a practical internship lasting a year at a provincial hospital. Three workshops organized since 1989 suggest that the upgraded personnel are performing well. More detailed evaluation and follow-up are in progress. Throughout 1995 a follow-up was conducted on 14 assistant medical officers. They performed 10,258 surgical operations, some 70% of which were emergency interventions. Low rates of complication occurred and postoperative mortality amounted to 0.4% and 0.1% in emergency and elective interventions respectively.

Adult↗

PubMed1996

Type III-B open tibial fractures in Mozambique. A prospective study of 50 cases.

We have studied prospectively 50 cases of open tibial fractures Type-III B. Treatment was based on the principles of debridement, wound irrigation, fracture stabilisation (generally by external fixation) and 'early bone coverage' without skin sutures. The cases were divided into two groups: Group 1: Eight fractures with segmental bone defects treated by bone transport using the Ilizarov technique or by intertibial-fibular bone grafting, and group 2: Forty-two fractures with defects of soft tissue coverage without segmental bone defects treated with simple closure or myoplasty. Union was achieved in Group 1 in an average of 16 months (range 6-21.5), and in an average of 5.6 months (range 3-10) in Group 2. The most frequent complication was malunion in angulation which occurred in 11 cases (22%). There was an equinus contracture of the ankle in 8 cases (16%) and chronic osteomyelitis occurred in 5 (10%). Adequate union was achieved in all but one case.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1991

Hip dislocations in chronic osteomyelitis.

We present two cases of spontaneous dislocation of the hip joint due to chronic osteomyelitis of the upper femur. Spontaneous hip dislocations occur in certain pathological conditions such as poliomyelitis (Ingram, 1980), cerebral palsy (Howard et al., 1985), osteomyelitis and neurofibromatosis.

Child↗