Deletions of ttrA and pduA genes in Salmonella enterica affect survival within chicken-derived HD-11 macrophages.

In mammals, enteric salmonellas can use tetrathionate (ttr), formed as a by-product from the inflammatory process in the intestine, as electron acceptor in anaerobic respiration, and it can fuel its energy metabolism by degrading the microbial fermentation product 1,2-propanediol. However, recent studies have shown that this mechanism is not important for Salmonella infection in the intestine of poultry, while it prolongs the persistence of Salmonella at systemic sites in this species. In the current study, we show that ΔttrApduA strains of Salmonella enterica have lower net survival within chicken-derived HD-11 macrophages, as CFU was only 2.3% (S. Enteritidis ΔttrApduA), 2.3% (S. Heidelberg ΔttrApduA), and 3.0% (S. Typhimurium ΔttrApduA) compared to wild-type strains after 24 h inside HD-11 macrophage cells. The difference was not related to increased lysis of macrophages, and deletion of ttrA and pduA did not impair the ability of the strains to grow anaerobically. Further studies are indicated to determine the reason why Salmonella ΔttrApduA strains survive less well inside macrophage cell lines.

In vitro conjugation of IncB/O-plasmid: Minimum inhibitory concentration of ß-lactams increases 16-fold in Salmonella enterica compared with Escherichia coli.

The use of antimicrobials in poultry leaves residues in the litter, favoring the emergence of antimicrobial-resistant pathogens and making it a source of contamination. An in vitro 4 × 4 factorial trial was performed to investigate the influence of four treatments, consisting of antimicrobial sub-concentrations, on the transference of IncB/O-plasmid through conjugation in four groups. Each group was composed of one plasmid donor bacterium (Escherichia coli H2332) and a recipient bacterium (Escherichia coli J62 or Salmonella enterica serovars, Enteritidis, Typhimurium, or Heidelberg). Our results showed a little decrease in the conjugation frequency in almost all treatments between the two bacterial species, which varied according to each strain. The MIC test revealed an increase of up to 4096-fold in resistance to beta-lactams in Salmonella serovars after plasmid acquisition. This finding suggests that some genetic apparatus may be involved in increased antimicrobial resistance in Salmonella serovars after the acquisition of primary resistance determinants.

Efficacy of mesenchymal stem cell-based therapy on the bone repair of hypertensive rats.

OBJECTIVE: Hypertension disrupts the bone integrity and its repair ability. This study explores the efficiency of a therapy based on the application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) to repair bone defects of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). METHODS: First, we evaluated SHR in terms of bone morphometry and differentiation of MSCs into osteoblasts. Then, the effects of the interactions between MSCs from normotensive rats (NTR-MSCs) cocultured with SHR (SHR-MSCs) on the osteoblast differentiation of both cell populations were evaluated. Also, bone formation into calvarial defects of SHR treated with NTR-MSCs was analyzed. RESULTS: Hypertension induced bone loss evidenced by reduced bone morphometric parameters of femurs of SHR compared with NTR as well as decreased osteoblast differentiation of SHR-MSCs compared with NTR-MSCs. NTR-MSCs partially restored the capacity of SHR-MSCs to differentiate into osteoblasts, while SHR-MSCs exhibited a slight negative effect on NTR-MSCs. An enhanced bone repair was observed in defects treated with NTR-MSCs compared with control, stressing this cell therapy efficacy even in bones damaged by hypertension. CONCLUSION: The use of MSCs derived from a heathy environment can be in the near future a smart approach to treat bone loss in the context of regenerative dentistry for oral rehabilitation of hypertensive patients.

Competitive exclusion products as an antimicrobial alternative to control Salmonella Heidelberg in broilers.

Intestinal infections caused by non-typhoidal Salmonella spp., along with antimicrobial resistance spread are a major food safety concern worldwide. Here, we evaluate the potential of competitive exclusion products developed by anaerobic or aerobic conditions to control systemic infection, cecal colonization, fecal excretion, and improve the intestinal health in broilers challenged by Salmonella Heidelberg (SH). A total of 105 day-old chickens were randomly distributed into three experimental groups: A (untreated control), B (treated with anaerobic culture), and C (treated with aerobic culture). During 21 days, morphometric parameters of the small intestine were analyzed using microscopy, fecal excretions by cloacal swabs, systemic infection, and cecal colonization by colony-forming unit counts (CFU/g). The results indicated the lowest number of positive swabs (45.33%) recovered from Group C, followed by Group B (71.8%) and Group A (85.33%). The bacterial enumeration revealed the lowest amounts in Group C at the necropsy realized in 5-, 7-, and 14-days post-infection (DPI) (P = 0.0010, P = 0.0048, and P = 0.0094, respectively). Statistical differences between intestinal morphometrics were observed in the Group C at 21 DPI. Our results suggest that the product developed under aerobic conditions can improve intestinal health, protecting birds against SH.

Effect of the secretome of mesenchymal stem cells overexpressing BMP-9 on osteoblast differentiation and bone repair.

The secretome present in the conditioned medium (CM) of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) is a promising tool to be used in therapies to promote bone regeneration. Considering the high osteogenic potential of the bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP-9), we hypothesized that the secretome of MSCs overexpressing BMP-9 (MSCsBMP-9 ) enhances the osteoblast differentiation of MSCs and the bone formation in calvarial defects. CM of either MSCsBMP-9 (CM-MSCsBMP-9 ) or MSCs without BMP-9 overexpression (CM-MSCsVPR ) were obtained at different periods. As the CM-MSCsBMP-9 generated after 1 h presented the highest BMP-9 concentration, CM-MSCsBMP-9 and CM-MSCsVPR were collected at this time point and used to culture MSCs and to be injected into mouse calvarial defects. The CM-MSCsBMP-9 enhanced the osteoblast differentiation of MSC by upregulating RUNX2, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and osteopontin protein expression, and ALP activity, compared with CM-MSCsVPR . The CM-MSCsBMP-9 also enhanced the bone repair of mouse calvarial defects, increasing bone volume, bone volume/total volume, bone surface, and trabecular number compared with untreated defects and defects treated with CM-MSCsVPR or even with MSCsBMP-9 themselves. In conclusion, the potential of the MSCBMP-9 -secretome to induce osteoblast differentiation and bone formation shed lights on novel cell-free-based therapies to promote bone regeneration of challenging defects.

Salmonella Heidelberg side-step gene loss of respiratory requirements in chicken infection model.

Among the important recent observations involving anaerobic respiration was that an electron acceptor produced as a result of an inflammatory response to Salmonella Typhimurium generates a growth advantage over the competing microbiota in the lumen. In this regard, anaerobically, salmonellae can oxidize thiosulphate (S2O32-) converting it into tetrathionate (S4O62-), the process by which it is encoded by ttr gene cluster (ttrSRttrBCA). Another important pathway under aerobic or anaerobic conditions is the 1,2-propanediol-utilization mediated by the pdu gene cluster that promotes Salmonella expansion during colitis. Therefore, we sought to compare in this study, whether Salmonella Heidelberg strains lacking the ttrA, ttrApduA, and ttrACBSR genes experience a disadvantage during cecal colonization in broiler chicks. In contrast to expectations, we found that the gene loss in S. Heidelberg potentially confers an increase in fitness in the chicken infection model. These data argue that S. Heidelberg may trigger an alternative pathway involving the use of an alternative electron acceptor, conferring a growth advantage for S. Heidelberg in chicks.

Metabolomic Profiling of Phloem Sap from Different Pine Species and Implications on Black Capuchin.

In most commercial pine farms in southern Brazil, black capuchin causes damage to wood and financial losses when it removes bark from some pine species to feed upon underlying vascular tissues. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the variability of the primary metabolites of phloem saps from 10 different species of pine by NMR spectroscopy, as well as the aroma compounds using SPME-GC-MS. Each technique provided a different set of metabolites that we can correlate to monkey predilection. The PCA showed monosaccharide (detected by NMR) and α-pinene (pine-like and resinous flavor descriptors) as attractive compounds for monkeys. On the other hand, the low content of monosaccharide and the high content of ß-phellandrene (citrus odor descriptor) was observed in less attacked pine species (P. patula). The data fusion on primary metabolites and aroma compounds corroborated the individual analyses, complementing the comprehension of the monkey predilection. Thus, P. elliottii was an avoided tree even with high content of sugars possibly due to its high content of ß-phellandrene (citrus odor). The results are useful for further behavioral studies to determine the role that each highlighted metabolite plays in chemically mediated animal-plant interactions.

A social-ecological analysis of the global agrifood system.

Eradicating world hunger-the aim of Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2)-requires a social-ecological approach to agrifood systems. However, previous work has mostly focused on one or the other. Here, we apply such a holistic approach to depicting the global food panorama through a quantitative multivariate assessment of 43 indicators of food sovereignty and 28 indicators of sociodemographics, social being, and environmental sustainability in 150 countries. The results identify 5 world regions and indicate the existence of an agrifood debt (i.e., disequilibria between regions in the natural resources consumed, the environmental impacts produced, and the social wellbeing attained by populations that play different roles within the globalized agrifood system). Three spotlights underpin this debt: 1) a severe contrast in diets and food security between regions, 2) a concern about the role that international agrifood trade is playing in regional food security, and 3) a mismatch between regional biocapacity and food security. Our results contribute to broadening the debate beyond food security from a social-ecological perspective, incorporating environmental and social dimensions.

Heat stress impairs egg production in commercial laying hens infected by fowl typhoid.

Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) is an avian-restricted pathogen that causes fowl typhoid in poultry. Although it has been reported frequently over many decades in poultry flocks worldwide, the microorganism is more commonly associated with poultry in developing countries, particularly those with high ambient temperatures, where the acute form of the disease results in considerable economic losses. A more detailed investigation of environmental factors that affect the course of disease may assist in identifying effective prevention and control measures. Heat stress is known to impair the immunological response to a variety of pathogens and clearly may be an important contributory factor in the prevalence of disease in countries with warm or hot climates. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the effects of heat stress on chickens infected with SG. For this, light and semi-heavy commercial laying hens were distributed randomly within four groups as follows: infected and non-infected groups in rooms held at ambient temperature, and infected and non-infected groups under heat stress. Clinical signs, egg production, and mortality were recorded daily. Bacteriological counts in liver and spleen samples were estimated at 2, 5, 7, and 14 days post-infection. The results showed that both SG infection and heat stress had similar effects on egg production and a synergistic effect of the two stressors was observed. The data show an interaction between disease and heat stress which could point towards environmental and biosecurity approaches to resolving the possible 30% fall in production observed in such countries.

Quality of life in patients with stable coronary artery disease submitted to percutaneous, surgical, and medical therapies: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Clinical, surgical, and percutaneous strategies similarly prevent major cardiovascular events in patients with stable coronary artery disease (CAD). The possibility that these strategies have differential effects on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) has been debated, particularly in patients treated outside clinical trials. METHODS: We assigned 454 patients diagnosed with CAD during an elective diagnostic coronary angiography to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), or optimal medical treatment (OMT), and followed them for an average of 5.2 ± 1.5 years. HRQoL was assessed using a validated Brazilian version of the 12-Item Short-Form Health Survey questionnaire. The association between therapeutic strategies and quality of life scores was tested using variance analysis and adjusted for confounders in a general linear model. RESULTS: There were no differences in the mental component summary scores in the follow-up evaluation by therapeutic strategies: 51.4, 53.7, and 52.3 for OMT, PCI, and CABG, respectively. Physical component summary scores were higher in the PCI group than the CABG and OMT groups (46.4 vs. 42.9 and 43.8, respectively); however, these differences were no longer different after adjustment for confounding variables. CONCLUSION: In a long-term follow-up of patients with stable CAD, HRQoL did not differ in patients treated by medical, percutaneous, or surgical treatments.

Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Foods: Biological Effects, Legislation, Occurrence, Analytical Methods, and Strategies to Reduce Their Formation.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are chemical compounds comprised of carbon and hydrogen molecules in a cyclic arrangement. PAHs are associated with risks to human health, especially carcinogenesis. One form of exposure to these compounds is through ingestion of contaminated food, which can occur during preparation and processing involving high temperatures (e.g., grilling, smoking, toasting, roasting, and frying) as well as through PAHs present in the soil, air, and water (i.e., environmental pollution). Differently from changes caused by microbiological characteristics and lipid oxidation, consumers cannot sensorially perceive PAH contamination in food products, thereby hindering their ability to reject these foods. Herein, the occurrence and biological effects of PAHs were comprehensively explored, as well as analytical methods to monitor their levels, legislations, and strategies to reduce their generation in food products. This review updates the current knowledge and addresses recent regulation changes concerning the widespread PAHs contamination in several types of food, often surpassing the concentration limits deemed acceptable by current legislations. Therefore, effective measures involving different food processing strategies are needed to prevent and reduce PAHs contamination, thereby decreasing human exposure and detrimental health effects. Furthermore, gaps in literature have been addressed to provide a basis for future studies.

Role of embryonic origin on osteogenic potential and bone repair capacity of rat calvarial osteoblasts.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vitro osteogenic potential of osteoblasts from neural crest-derived frontal bone (OB-NC) and mesoderm-derived parietal bone (OB-MS) and the bone formation induced by them when injected into calvarial defects. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Calvarial bones were collected from newborn Wistar rats (3-day old) and characterized as frontal and parietal prior to OB-NC and OB-MS harvesting. The cells were cultured, and several parameters of osteoblast differentiation were evaluated. These cells, or PBS without cells (control), were locally injected into 5-mm rat calvarial defects (5 × 106 cells/defect) and after 4 weeks bone formation was evaluated by morphometric and histological analyses. RESULTS: The characterization of frontal and parietal bones assured the different embryonic origin of both cell populations, OB-NC and OB-MS. The OB-NC presented higher proliferation while the OB-MS presented higher alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, extracellular matrix mineralization and gene expression of runt-related transcription factor 2, Alp, bone sialoprotein and osteocalcin revealing their high osteogenic potential. µCT analysis indicated that there was higher amount of bone formation in defects injected with both OB-NC and OB-MS compared to the control. Moreover, the bone tissue formed by both cells displayed the same histological characteristics. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the distinct in vitro osteogenic potential, OB-NC and OB-MS induced similar bone repair in a rat calvarial defect model. Thus, osteoblasts, irrespective of their in vitro osteogenic potential linked to embryonic origins, seem to be suitable for cell-based therapies aiming to repair bone defects.

Potential of Osteoblastic Cells Derived from Bone Marrow and Adipose Tissue Associated with a Polymer/Ceramic Composite to Repair Bone Tissue.

One of the tissue engineering strategies to promote bone regeneration is the association of cells and biomaterials. In this context, the aim of this study was to evaluate if cell source, either from bone marrow or adipose tissue, affects bone repair induced by osteoblastic cells associated with a membrane of poly(vinylidene-trifluoroethylene)/barium titanate (PVDF-TrFE/BT). Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were isolated from rat bone marrow and adipose tissue and characterized by detection of several surface markers. Also, both cell populations were cultured under osteogenic conditions and it was observed that MSC from bone marrow were more osteogenic than MSC from adipose tissue. The bone repair was evaluated in rat calvarial defects implanted with PVDF-TrFE/BT membrane and locally injected with (1) osteoblastic cells differentiated from MSC from bone marrow, (2) osteoblastic cells differentiated from MSC from adipose tissue or (3) phosphate-buffered saline. Luciferase-expressing osteoblastic cells derived from bone marrow and adipose tissue were detected in bone defects after cell injection during 25 days without difference in luciferin signal between cells from both sources. Corroborating the in vitro findings, osteoblastic cells from bone marrow combined with the PVDF-TrFE/BT membrane increased the bone formation, whereas osteoblastic cells from adipose tissue did not enhance the bone repair induced by the membrane itself. Based on these findings, it is possible to conclude that, by combining a membrane with cells in this rat model, cell source matters and that bone marrow could be a more suitable source of cells for therapies to engineer bone.

Development of a multiplex qPCR in real time for quantification and differential diagnosis of Salmonella Gallinarum and Salmonella Pullorum.

Currently there are 2659 Salmonella serovars. The host-specific biovars Salmonella Pullorum and Salmonella Gallinarum cause systemic infections in food-producing and wild birds. Fast diagnosis is crucial to control the dissemination in avian environments. The present work describes the development of a multiplex qPCR in real time using a low-cost DNA dye (SYBr Green) to identify and quantify these biovars. Primers were chosen based on genomic regions of difference (RoD) and optimized to control dimers. Primers pSGP detect both host-specific biovars but not other serovars and pSG and pSP differentiate biovars. Three amplicons showed different melting temperatures (Tm), allowing differentiation. The pSGP amplicon (97 bp) showed Tm of 78°C for both biovars. The pSG amplicon (273 bp) showed a Tm of 86.2°C for S. Gallinarum and pSP amplicon (260 bp) dissociated at 84.8°C for S. Pullorum identification. The multiplex qPCR in real time showed high sensitivity and was capable of quantifying 108-101 CFU of these biovars.

Further investigations on the epidemiology of fowl typhoid in Brazil.

Salmonella Gallinarum (SG) causes fowl typhoid (FT), a disease responsible for economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. FT has been considered to be under control in Brazil; nevertheless, since 2012 it has frequently been identified in poultry farming of several Brazilian states. The present study was aimed at assessing (i) the pathogenicity of a SG strain recently isolated from an FT outbreak affecting chickens of both white and brown layers; (ii) the transmission of SG through eggs and hatching; (iii) the effects of antibiotic therapy on SG persistence in poultry tissues and on its vertical transmission and (iv) the genetic profiles of strains isolated over 27 years by Pulsed Field Gel Electrophoresis. Clinical signs, mortality and gross pathologies were very marked amongst brown-egg layers. In contrast, clinical manifestation of FT and mortality were barely present amongst the white-egg layers, although bacteria could be re-isolated from their tissues up to 35 days after infection. No bacteria were re-isolated from the laid eggs, so vertical transmission was not achieved, although newly hatched uninfected chicks became infected spontaneously after hatching. Antibiotic therapy was shown to be effective at reducing mortality, but was not able to clear infection or to favour SG transmission via eggs. Our pulsed field gel electrophoresis results revealed an endemic SG clone that may have been circulating in the Brazilian poultry flocks in the south and southeast regions for more than 20 years. The results suggest that the industrial incubation of SG-contaminated eggs could be one of the factors responsible for the spread of FT in Brazil.

The effect of a flapless alveolar ridge preservation procedure with or without a xenograft on buccal bone crest remodeling compared by histomorphometric and microcomputed tomographic analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated buccal bone crest remodeling, socket composition after healing, and dimensional ridge preservation after flapless tooth extraction procedures with or without a xenograft comparing histomorphometric and microcomputed tomographic (micro-CT) data. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The mandibular premolars of eight dogs were extracted without flaps. One socket on each side received a grafting material (test group), and the other remained only with a blood clot (control group). Twelve weeks after treatment, buccal bone crest, alveolar ridge dimensions, and composition were analyzed by histomorphometry and micro-CT. RESULTS: Two- and three-dimensional evaluations showed better results for the grafted group when compared to the non-grafted group. CONCLUSION: The flapless alveolar ridge preservation procedure with deproteinized bovine bone material enhanced buccal bone crest, alveolar ridge dimensions and bone formation when compared to sockets with the blood clot only, as observed by histomorphometric and micro-CT analysis.

Sexual transmission of American trypanosomiasis in humans: a new potential pandemic route for Chagas parasites.

BACKGROUND: The Trypanosoma cruzi infection endemic in Latin America has now spread to several countries across four continents; this endemic involves triatomine vector-free protists. We hypothesised that the sexual transmission of T. cruzi contributes to the ongoing spread of Chagas disease. OBJECTIVES: A short-term longitudinal study was conducted to evaluate this hypothesis. METHODS: The study population comprised 109 subjects from four families, among whom 21 had been diagnosed with acute Chagas disease by direct parasitological analysis. Blood mononuclear cells and serum samples were obtained from each study subject once per year for three consecutive years. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect immunofluorescence serological examinations were used to detect specific T. cruzi antibodies. Polymerase chain reaction of T. cruzi DNA revealed 188-nucleotide bands, which hybridised to a specific radiolabelled probe and were confirmed by cloning and sequencing. RESULTS: Three independent assessments at different time points revealed T. cruzi nuclear DNA footprints in 76% (83/109) of the study population with active infection. In contrast, the ELISA and indirect immunofluorescence assays detected the T. cruzi antibody in 28.4% (31/109) of the study samples. Moreover, the semen from 82.6% (19/23) of subjects people revealed harboured the 188- bp base pair T. cruzi footprint. Interestingly, the ejaculates of nuclear DNA-positive Chagas patient transmitted the T. cruzi upon peritoneal injection or infusion in the vagina of mice, and amastigotes were detected in the skeletal muscle, myocardium, vas deferens, and uterine tube. MAIN CONCLUSIONS: T. cruzi infections can be transmitted from females or males to naïve mates through intercourse, and progeny showed discrepancies between the ratios of nuclear DNA footprints and specific antibody that can be explained by the tolerance attained during early embryo growth. Additional studies are needed to develop drugs to eradicate the infections. Additionally, the importance of a vigorous education, information, and communication program to prevent sexually transmitted Chagas disease in humans cannot be underemphasised.

A possible relationship between gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism in rabbits during myocardial ischemia.

Ischemia is responsible for many metabolic abnormalities in the heart, causing changes in organ function. One of modifications occurring in the ischemic cell is changing from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism. This change causes the predominance of the use of carbohydrates as an energy substrate instead of lipids. In this case, the glycogen is essential to the maintenance of heart energy intake, being an important reserve to resist the stress caused by hypoxia, using glycolysis and lactic acid fermentation. In order to study the glucose anaerobic pathways utilization and understand the metabolic adaptations, New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to ischemia caused by Inflow occlusion technique. The animals were monitored during surgery by pH and lactate levels. Transcription analysis of the pyruvate kinase, lactate dehydrogenase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase enzymes were performed by qRT-PCR, and glycogen quantification was determined enzymatically. Pyruvate kinase transcription increased during ischemia, followed by glycogen consumption content. The gluconeogenesis increased in control and ischemia moments, suggesting a relationship between gluconeogenesis and glycogen metabolism. This result shows the significant contribution of these substrates in the organ energy supply and demonstrates the capacity of the heart to adapt the metabolism after this injury, sustaining the homeostasis during short-term myocardial ischemia.

Novel point mutations in the ERG11 gene in clinical isolates of azole resistant Candida species.

The azoles are the class of medications most commonly used to fight infections caused by Candida sp. Typically, resistance can be attributed to mutations in ERG11 gene (CYP51) which encodes the cytochrome P450 14α-demethylase, the primary target for the activity of azoles. The objective of this study was to identify mutations in the coding region of theERG11 gene in clinical isolates of Candida species known to be resistant to azoles. We identified three new synonymous mutations in the ERG11 gene in the isolates of Candida glabrata (C108G, C423T and A1581G) and two new nonsynonymous mutations in the isolates of Candida krusei--A497C (Y166S) and G1570A (G524R). The functional consequence of these nonsynonymous mutations was predicted using evolutionary conservation scores. The G524R mutation did not have effect on 14α-demethylase functionality, while the Y166S mutation was found to affect the enzyme. This observation suggests a possible link between the mutation and dose-dependent sensitivity to voriconazole in the clinical isolate of C. krusei. Although the presence of the Y166S in phenotype of reduced azole sensitivity observed in isolate C. krusei demands investigation, it might contribute to the search of new therapeutic agents against resistant Candida isolates.

Poly(Vinylidene Fluoride-Trifluorethylene)/barium titanate membrane promotes de novo bone formation and may modulate gene expression in osteoporotic rat model.

Osteoporosis is a chronic disease that impairs proper bone remodeling. Guided bone regeneration is a surgical technique that improves bone defect in a particular region through new bone formation, using barrier materials (e.g. membranes) to protect the space adjacent to the bone defect. The polytetrafluorethylene membrane is widely used in guided bone regeneration, however, new membranes are being investigated. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of P(VDFTrFE)/BT [poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene)/barium titanate] membrane on in vivo bone formation. Twenty-three Wistar rats were submitted to bilateral ovariectomy. Five animals were subjected to sham surgery. After 150 days, bone defects were created and filled with P(VDF-TrFE)/BT membrane or PTFE membrane (except for the sham and OVX groups). After 4 weeks, the animals were euthanized and calvaria samples were subjected to histomorphometric and computed microtomography analysis (microCT), besides real time polymerase chain reaction (real time PCR) to evaluate gene expression. The histomorphometric analysis showed that the animals that received the P(VDF-TrFE)/BT membrane presented morphometric parameters similar or even better compared to the animals that received the PTFE membrane. The comparison between groups showed that gene expression of RUNX2, BSP, OPN, OSX and RANKL were lower on P(VDF-TrFE)/BT membrane; the gene expression of ALP, OC, RANK and CTSK were similar and the gene expression of OPG, CALCR and MMP9 were higher when compared to PTFE. The results showed that the P(VDF-TrFE)/BT membrane favors bone formation, and therefore, may be considered a promising biomaterial to support bone repair in a situation of osteoporosis.