Genome of the Avirulent Human-Infective Trypanosome—Trypanosoma rangeli

Background: Trypanosoma rangeli is a hemoflagellate protozoan parasite infecting humans and other wild and domestic mammals across Central and South America. It does not cause human disease, but it can be mistaken for the etiologic agent of Chagas disease, Trypanosoma cruzi. We have sequenced the T. rangeli genome to provide new tools for elucidating the distinct and intriguing biology of this species and the key pathways related to interaction with its arthropod and mammalian hosts.  Methodology/Principal Findings: The T. rangeli haploid genome is ,24 Mb in length, and is the smallest and least repetitive trypanosomatid genome sequenced thus far. This parasite genome has shorter subtelomeric sequences compared to those of T. cruzi and T. brucei; displays intraspecific karyotype variability and lacks minichromosomes. Of the predicted 7,613 protein coding sequences, functional annotations could be determined for 2,415, while 5,043 are hypothetical proteins, some with evidence of protein expression. 7,101 genes (93%) are shared with other trypanosomatids that infect humans. An ortholog of the dcl2 gene involved in the T. brucei RNAi pathway was found in T. rangeli, but the RNAi machinery is non-functional since the other genes in this pathway are pseudogenized. T. rangeli is highly susceptible to oxidative stress, a phenotype that may be explained by a smaller number of anti-oxidant defense enzymes and heatshock proteins.  Conclusions/Significance: Phylogenetic comparison of nuclear and mitochondrial genes indicates that T. rangeli and T. cruzi are equidistant from T. brucei. In addition to revealing new aspects of trypanosome co-evolution within the vertebrate and invertebrate hosts, comparative genomic analysis with pathogenic trypanosomatids provides valuable new information that can be further explored with the aim of developing better diagnostic tools and/or therapeutic targets

The relationship between nutrient intake, dental status and family cohesion among older Brazilians

The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between inadequate nutrient intake, oral health and family cohesion. This was a cross-sectional study with a sample of 887 non-institutionalized elderly people from Vitória, Espírito Santo State, Brazil. Oral examination was performed by trained and calibrated examiners and three measurements were considered: number of posterior occluding pairs of natural teeth (POP), number of teeth and overall dental status. Nutrient intake was assessed by a 24-hour diet recall interview. The elderly person's perception of family cohesion was assessed using the family adaptability and cohesion scale. People with no POP were more likely than those with 5 or more POP to have inadequate intake of vitamin C (OR = 2.79; 95%CI: 1.16-6.71), calcium (OR = 3.74; 95%CI: 1.69-8.25), riboflavin (OR = 2.49; 95%CI: 1.10-5.64) and zinc (OR = 3.43; 95%CI: 1.07-10.94). There was no association between elderly people's perceptions of family cohesion and inadequate intakes. It was concluded that oral health is related to inadequate intake of important nutrients among non-institutionalized elderly people