PAHs in franciscana dolphins from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean: Concentration and maternal transfer assessments.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are organic compounds ubiquitous in the environment and known for their toxic, mutagenic, and carcinogenic effects. These compounds can bioaccumulate in the biota and be transferred through trophic webs. The franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei), as top predators, can be an environmental sentinels. Thus, this study aimed to provide data about PAHs concentration in their hepatic tissue collected on the coast of Espírito Santo (Franciscana Management Area, FMA Ia), Rio de Janeiro (FMA IIa), and São Paulo states (FMA IIb), in Southeastern Brazil. PAHs were detected in 86 % of franciscana dolphins (n = 50). The highest ∑PAHsTotal median concentration was reported in FMA Ia followed by FMA IIb and FMA IIa (1055.6; 523.9, and 72.1 ng.g-1 lipid weight, respectively). Phenanthrene was detected in one fetus and two neonates, showing maternal transfer of PAHs in these dolphins. Evaluating PAHs with potential toxic effects is of utmost importance for the conservation of a threatened species.

Effects of sunflower oil infusions of Asparagopsis taxiformis on in vitro ruminal methane production and biohydrogenation of polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Asparagopsis taxiformis inhibits ruminal methane (CH4) production due to its bromoform (CHBr3) content. The immersion of A. taxiformis in edible vegetable oils allows the extraction and stabilization of the highly volatile CHBr3 in the oil phase. The objectives of this study were to explore the effects of adding sunflower oils with increasing concentrations of CHBr3 on in vitro ruminal methanogenesis and biohydrogenation. Five batches of 48-h in vitro incubations were performed in 14 fermentation bottles, using rumen inocula collected shortly after the slaughter of young crossbred bulls and 1 g of dry matter (DM) from a total diet of mixed feed without added oil (control) or with 60 µL of sunflower oil per gram of DM as the substrate. The treatments were the CHBr3 content in the oil added: 0 µg (B0), 25 µg (B25), 50 µg (B50), 75 µg (B75), 100 µg (B100), and 150 µg (B150) of CHBr3 per gram of substrate DM. Organic matter (OM) degradability, total gas, CH4, volatile fatty acids (VFA), long-chain fatty acids, and dimethyl acetals (DMA) were analyzed at the end of each incubation. Data were analyzed with a model considering the treatments as the fixed effect and the run as a random block and using orthogonal contrasts. Degradability of OM was higher in the control group and was unaffected by CHBr3 concentration. Total gas production per gram of degraded OM was unaffected by treatments and averaged 205 ± 29.8 mL/g. Methane (mL) production decreased linearly with increasing CHBr3 concentrations, with 33%, 47%, and 87% reductions for B75, B100, and B150, respectively. Total VFA concentration was unaffected by oil inclusion but was reduced by 20% in CHBr3-containing treatments, although without any dose-response pattern. The molar percentage of acetate decreased linearly, whereas propionate and butyrate increased linearly with the increasing CHBr3 dosage. Including oil in the diet decreased the branched-chain fatty acids and DMA content. Increasing CHBr3 concentrations did not affect branched-chain fatty acids, but linearly increased most of the identified DMA. Adding oil to the control diet increased the 18:2n-6, whereas increasing the concentration of CHBr3 had no effect on 18:2n-6 but decreased linearly the 18:0 and increased the trans-18:1 isomers. The results obtained provide evidence that oil immersions of A. taxiformis can successfully inhibit ruminal production of CH4 in vitro at doses of 100 and 150 µg/g DM, and simultaneously modulate biohydrogenation.

In vitro activity of cefiderocol and other newly approved antimicrobials against multi-drug resistant Gram-negative pathogens recovered in intensive care units in Spain and Portugal.

OBJECTIVE: The antimicrobial resistance is a significant public health threat, particularly for healthcare-associated infections caused by carbapenem-resistant Gram-negative pathogens which are increasingly reported worldwide. The aim of this study was to provide data on the in vitro antimicrobial activity of cefiderocol and that of commercially available comparator antibiotics against a defined collection of recent clinical multi-drug resistant (MDR) microorganisms, including carbapenem resistant Gram-negative bacteria collected from different regions in Spain and Portugal. METHODS: A total of 477 clinical isolates of Enterobacterales, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii and Stenotrophomonas maltophilia were prospectively (n=265) and retrospectively (n=212) included (2016-2019). Susceptibility testing was performed using standard broad microdilution and results were interpreted using CLSI-2021 and EUCAST-2021 criteria. RESULTS: Overall, cefiderocol showed a good activity against Enterobacterales isolates, being 99.5% susceptible by CLSI and 94.5% by EUCAST criteria. It also demonstrated excellent activity against P. aeruginosa and S. maltophilia isolates, all being susceptible to this compound considering CLSI breakpoints. Regarding A. baumannii (n=64), only one isolate was resistant to cefiderocol. CONCLUSIONS: Our results are in agreement with other studies performed outside Spain and Portugal highlighting its excellent activity against MDR gram-negative bacteria. Cefiderocol is a therapeutic alternative to those available for the treatment of infections caused by these MDR bacteria.

Statistical properties of the entropy from ordinal patterns.

The ultimate purpose of the statistical analysis of ordinal patterns is to characterize the distribution of the features they induce. In particular, knowing the joint distribution of the pair entropy-statistical complexity for a large class of time series models would allow statistical tests that are unavailable to date. Working in this direction, we characterize the asymptotic distribution of the empirical Shannon's entropy for any model under which the true normalized entropy is neither zero nor one. We obtain the asymptotic distribution from the central limit theorem (assuming large time series), the multivariate delta method, and a third-order correction of its mean value. We discuss the applicability of other results (exact, first-, and second-order corrections) regarding their accuracy and numerical stability. Within a general framework for building test statistics about Shannon's entropy, we present a bilateral test that verifies if there is enough evidence to reject the hypothesis that two signals produce ordinal patterns with the same Shannon's entropy. We applied this bilateral test to the daily maximum temperature time series from three cities (Dublin, Edinburgh, and Miami) and obtained sensible results.

El farmacéutico entre las soluciones a la brecha digital en el entorno sociosanitario / Pharmacists among the solutions to the digital divide in the social and healthcare environment

JUSTIFICACIÓN: la brecha digital hace referencia a la desigualdad que existe entre personas o zonas geográficas en cuanto al acceso a las Tecnologías de la Información y la Comunicación (TIC). Sin este acceso, una parte de la población carece de las llamadas “habilidades digitales”. Para conseguir reducir dicha brecha digital es fundamental analizar la situación actual de desequilibrio, conocer las causas y llevar a cabo medidas para paliarlas.OBJETIVOS:1. Investigar la brecha digital relacionada con la edad y su impacto en la gestión de la salud.2. Dar a conocer el papel de los farmacéuticos comunitarios en la ayuda tecnológica a los pacientes.3. Evidenciar el papel de los farmacéuticos comunitarios en las explicaciones de los tratamientos prescritos a los pacientes.METODOLOGÍA: se desarrollaron encuestas anónimas para los usuarios de las farmacias comunitarias para conocer sus habilidades tecnológicas. El presente estudio fue aprobado por el comité ético con el código CEEI21/260. Los datos fueron analizados estadísticamente.RESULTADOS/DISCUSIÓN: se obtuvieron resultados de 680 encuestas, de las cuales el 36 % fueron mayores de 65 años. El 88 % de los menores de 65 años utilizan internet y el 58 % busca información sobre sus tratamientos. Estos porcentajes disminuyen al 44 % si el motivo de uso es para solicitar una cita médica. El 66 % solicita información sobre su medicación en la farmacia. Entre los mayores de 65 años, el 51 % son usuarios de Internet, pero sólo el 19 % busca información sobre su medicación y el 17 % lo utiliza para solicitar una cita médica. El 99 % acude a la farmacia para solicitar información sobre sus tratamientos. Con estos datos podemos observar el mayor impacto de las tecnologías entre los menores de 65 años, mientras que en la población mayor, su uso es menor, optando por solicitar ayuda de su farmacéutico. (AU)

Prevenir la demencia y promover el envejecimiento saludable. una acción bidireccional médico-farmacéutico / Preventing dementia and promoting healthy ageing. a bidirectional medical-pharmaceutical action

JUSTIFICACIÓN: la farmacia comunitaria atiende regularmente a pacientes de edad avanzada, lo que le permite detectar cambios anómalos en la conducta. Ofrecer resultados de escalas cognitivas a atención primaria, con tiempo limitado por paciente, podría facilitar la detección de casos de deterioro cognitivo (DC) y disminuir el tiempo de diagnóstico.OBJETIVOS: elaborar un protocolo que facilite la colaboración médico-farmacéutico efectiva, capaz de detectar de manera precoz el DC y de disminuir el tiempo de diagnóstico.MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: se establecen dos grupos: un grupo de colaboración interprofesional (IPC), n=26 farmacias y otro sin colaboración interprofesional (No-IPC), n=9 farmacias. Se facilita a las farmacias IPC material y formación para detectar pacientes con posible DC mediante la plataforma de un Colegio Oficial de Farmacéuticos. Simultáneamente, se contacta con los centros de salud y hospitales pertenecientes a dichas áreas y se les explica el protocolo, valorando la derivación de pacientes de fuera de su área de salud en caso necesario. Se designa a un coordinador que facilita la comunicación entre los centros y seguimiento de los pacientes, elaborándose una campaña de comunicación del proyecto. En el grupo No-IPC, no se facilitan los recursos ni la coordinación mencionada previamente. Las diferencias entre los grupos respecto a la detección eficaz de pacientes con alta probabilidad de presentar DC han sido analizadas estadísticamente mediante el test chi-cuadrado mediante el programa R Commander. Este trabajo ha sido aprobado por dos Comités Éticos, bajo los registros, CEI18/027 y MOR-ROY-2018- 013. Todos los pacientes firmaron el consentimiento informado.RESULTADOS/DISCUSIÓN: se han cribado 349 pacientes en las farmacias IPC y 138 pacientes en las farmacias No-IPC. (AU)

Temporal trends of trace elements bioaccumulation by a vulnerable cetacean (Pontoporia blainvillei) before and after one of the largest mining disasters worldwide.

One of the largest environmental disasters worldwide occurred on November 5th, 2015, when the Fundão dam collapsed in Mariana (Minas Gerais State, Southeast Brazil). The tailing mud flooded the Doce River basin and reached the sea in the coast of Espírito Santo State (ES), Southeast Brazil. This coastal region is the habitat of the most isolated population of franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei), with the lowest populational census and lowest genetic diversity in Franciscana Management Area Ia (FMA Ia) - 18° 25'S and 21° 17'S. This study aimed to assess the bioaccumulation of trace-elements (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Hg, Mn, and Zn) in muscle, liver and kidney of franciscana dolphins collected near the Doce River's mouth before (n = 32) and after (n = 19) the tailing mud reached the sea. The Generalized Additive Model (GAM) showed increasing temporal trends of Hg and Zn in muscle and liver after the dam failure, probably related to higher concentrations and bioavailability in the water column and sediments from the Doce River. Declining trends were found for As and Cu muscular and hepatic concentrations and Fe concentrations in kidney due to their lower bioavailability after the disaster, caused by association with tailings mud trapped in the riverbanks and suspended particulate material. Additionally, higher As and Hg concentrations found in the first period of sampling may be due to historical contamination by mining activities. The full extent of the impacts caused by the Fundão dam failure is still unknown. However, due to their rapid increase and remobilization process, toxic effects can be induced in the biota by these elements. Elements' bioaccumulation in this study contributes to the knowledge of franciscana dolphins from FMA Ia. Considering the conservation concern regarding this franciscana population and its scarce knowledge, the impact of this disaster can be alarming for species conservation.

Spontaneous pneumomediastinum / Neumomediastino espontáneo

No disponible

Insectivorous bats as biomonitor of metal exposure in the megalopolis of Mexico and rural environments in Central Mexico.

The Megalopolis of Mexico is one of the largest cities in the world and presents substantial problems of metal pollution. Insectivorous bats that inhabit this city are potentially exposed to metals and could therefore serve as a good biomonitor. We collected 70 adult male individuals of Tadarida brasiliensis (Chiroptera: Molossidae) from two areas inside the Megalopolis (Cuautitlán and Xochimilco) and two rural environments in Central Mexico (Tequixquiac and Tlalcozotitlán). We analyzed livers to determine the total concentrations of ten metals by the ICP-MS technique, compared concentrations among study sites to provide evidence of metal exposure, and explored the associations between metals and their accumulation patterns in bats. The hepatic metal concentrations we recorded were generally consistent with those of similar studies in insectivorous bats. Higher concentrations of Cu and Zn in Cuautitlán and Xochimilco bats were associated with vehicular traffic. Higher concentrations of V, Cr, and Co in Tequixquiac bats and Cd in Tlalcozotitlán bats were linked with industrial, agricultural, or sewage sources. Variations in Fe and Mn concentrations were related to geogenic sources or local conditions. Similar Ni and Pb concentrations were linked with strong homeostatic controls or historical pollution. Accumulation patterns showed that all urban bats belonged to a single population with similar degrees of metal exposure, while rural bats belonged to two different populations exposed to different metals. Our results highlight the need to monitor the emissions generated by particular sources in each study site.

Small for gestational age very preterm infants present a higher risk of developing bronchopulmonary dysplasia.

INTRODUCTION: Several studies assessed the influence of a low birth weight on bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), but not all could find a significant association. Our aim was to assess the association between low birth weight and BPD in preterm infants, prospectively recruited at 11 level III Portuguese neonatal centers. METHODS: Obstetrical and neonatal data on mothers and preterm infants with gestational ages between 24 and 30 weeks, born during 2015 and 2016 after a surveilled pregnancy, were analyzed. Neonates were considered small for gestational age (SGA) when their birthweight was below the 10th centile of Fenton's growth chats and BPD was defined as the dependency for oxygen therapy until 36 weeks of corrected age. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS® statistics 23 and a p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: Out of 614, a total of 494 preterm infants delivered from 410 women were enrolled in the study; 40 (8.0%) infants with SGA criteria. SGA were more often associated with a single pregnancy, had greater use of antenatal corticosteroids, increased prevalence of gestational hypertensive disorders, C-section, rupture of membranes below 18 hours, rate of intubation in the delivery room, use of surfactant treatment, oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilation need, BPD, cystic periventricular leukomalacia, nosocomial sepsis and pneumonia; had lower prevalence of chorioamnionitis, and lower Apgar scores. The multivariate analysis by logistic regression, adjusted for BPD risk factors revealed a significant association between SGA and BPD: OR = 5.2 [CI: 1.46-18.58]; p = 0.01. CONCLUSION: The results of this study increase the scientific evidence that SGA is an independent risk factor for BPD.

Hemangioma cavernoso de huesos propios de la nariz: a propósito de un caso / Cavernous hemangioma of the nasal bones: a case report

Los hemangiomas cavernosos representan menos del 1% de todos los tumores óseos, siendo las vértebras y el cráneo las localizaciones más habituales. Estos tumores son extremadamente raros en los huesos de la nariz, con muy pocos casos publicados en la literatura médica, descritos en cornetes, vómer, huesos propios o lamina erpendicular del etmoides. Suelen presentarse como una lesión tumoral que crece con el tiempo, implicando al hueso e incluso a tejidos blandos, pudiendo causar complicaciones como obstrucción nasal, sangrado, ulceraciones e infección, entre otras. Presentamos el caso de un paciente de 37 años con un hemangioma cavernoso localizado en los huesos propios de la nariz, revisándose los aspectos más destacados de este raro tumor

Cavernous hemangiomas represent less than 1% of all bone tumours, with the vertebrae and the skull being the most common locations. These tumours are extremely rare in the bones of the nose, with very few cases published in the medical literature, where they have been reported in turbinates, vomer, nasal bones or perpendicular lamina of the ethmoid. They usually present as a tumour lesion that grows over time, involving the bone and even the soft tissues, which can cause complications such as nasal obstruction, bleeding, ulcerations and infection. We present the case of a 37 year old patient with a cavernous hemangioma located in the bones of the nose, reviewing the most notable aspects of this rare tumour

[Cavernous hemangioma of the nasal bones: a case report]. / Hemangioma cavernoso de huesos propios de la nariz: a propósito de un caso.

Cavernous hemangiomas represent less than 1% of all bone tumours, with the vertebrae and the skull being the most common locations. These tumours are extremely rare in the bones of the nose, with very few cases published in the medical literature, where they have been reported in turbinates, vomer, nasal bones or perpendicular lamina of the ethmoid. They usually present as a tumour lesion that grows over time, involving the bone and even the soft tissues, which can cause complications such as nasal obstruction, bleeding, ulcerations and infection. We present the case of a 37 year-old patient with a cavernous hemangioma located in the bones of the nose, reviewing the most notable aspects of this rare tumour. Keywords. Cavernous Hemangioma. Bone hemangioma. Nasal tumor. Nasal bones. Surgical treatment.

Structural analysis of two different stent configurations.

Two different stent configurations (i.e. the well known Palmaz-Schatz (PS) and a new stent configuration) are mechanically investigated. A finite element model was used to study the two geometries under combining loads and a computational fluid dynamic model based on fluid structure interaction was developed investigating the plaque and the artery wall reactions in a stented arterial segment. These models determine the stress and displacement fields of the two stents under internal pressure conditions. Results suggested that stent designs cause alterations in vascular anatomy that adversely affect arterial stress distributions within the wall, which have impact in the vessel responses such as the restenosis. The hemodynamic analysis shows the use of new stent geometry suggests better biofluid mechanical response such as the deformation and the progressive amount of plaque growth.

Elucidating constraints for differentiation of major human Klebsiella pneumoniae clones using MALDI-TOF MS.

The establishment of matrix-assisted laser desorption time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) in routine microbial identification boosted many developments towards high-throughput applications, including bacterial typing. However, results are still controversial for different bacterial species. We aim to evaluate the suitability of MALDI-TOF MS for typing clinically relevant multidrug resistant (MDR) Klebsiella pneumoniae subsp. pneumoniae clones using routine conditions and a previously validated chemometric analysis workflow. Mass spectra of 83 K. pneumoniae clinical isolates representing major human MDR clones [11 sequence types (STs), 22 PFGE-types] recovered in Portugal and Spain during outbreaks and non-outbreak situations (2003-2012) were obtained from cell extracts (CE) and intact cells (IC), and analysed with different chemometric tools. We observed a highly consistent peak pattern among isolates from different clones either with CE or IC, suggesting a high degree of conservation of biomolecules analysed (a large part corresponding to ribosomal proteins). Moreover, the low degree of agreement between MALDI-TOF MS and other methods (from 34.9 % to 43.4 % of correct assignments for CE and from 40.8 % to 70.1 % for IC) corroborates the low discriminatory potential of the technique at infraspecies level. Our results suggest a low discriminatory power of MALDI-TOF MS for clinically relevant MDR K. pneumoniae clones and highlight the need of developing tools for high-resolution typing in this species.

Behaviour of two typical stents towards a new stent evolution.

This study explores the analysis of a new stent geometry from two typical stents used to treat the coronary artery disease. Two different finite element methods are applied with different boundary conditions to investigate the stenosis region. Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) models including fluid-structure interaction are used to assess the haemodynamic impact of two types of coronary stents implantation: (1) type 1-based on a strut-link stent geometry and (2) type 2-a continuous helical stent. Using data from a recent clinical stenosis, flow disturbances and consequent shear stress alterations introduced by the stent treatment are investigated. A relationship between stenosis and the induced flow fields for the two types of stent designs is analysed as well as the correlation between haemodynamics and vessel wall biomechanical factors during the initiation and development of stenosis formation in the coronary artery. Both stents exhibit a good performance in reducing the obstruction artery. However, stent type 1 presents higher radial deformation than the type 2. This deformation can be seen as a limitation with a long-term clinical impact.

Inference of genetic diversity in popcorn S3 progenies.

Molecular markers are a useful tool for identification of complementary heterotic groups in breeding programs aimed at the production of superior hybrids, particularly for crops such as popcorn in which heterotic groups are not well-defined. The objective of the present study was to analyze the genetic diversity of 47 genotypes of tropical popcorn to identify possible heterotic groups for the development of superior hybrids. Four genotypes of high genetic value were studied: hybrid IAC 125, strain P2, and varieties UENF 14 and BRS Angela. In addition, 43 endogamous S3 progenies obtained from variety UENF 14 were used. Twenty-five polymorphic SSR-EST markers were analyzed. A genetic distance matrix was obtained and the following molecular diversity parameters were estimated: number of alleles, number of effective alleles, polymorphism information content (PIC), observed and expected heterozygosities, Shannon diversity index, and coefficient of inbreeding. We found a moderate PIC and high diversity index, indicating that the studied population presents both good discriminatory ability and high informativeness for the utilized markers. The dendrogram built based on the dissimilarity matrix indicated six distinct groups. Our findings demonstrate the genetic diversity among the evaluated genotypes and provide evidence for heterotic groups in popcorn. Furthermore, the functional genetic diversity indicates that there are informative genetic markers for popcorn.

Effects of Combining Feed Grade Urea and a Slow-release Urea Product on Performance, Dietary Energetics and Carcass Characteristics of Feedlot Lambs Fed Finishing Diets with Different Starch to Acid Detergent Fiber Ratios.

Recent findings have shown that microbial nitrogen flow and digestible energy of diets are increased when urea is combined with a slow-release urea (SRU) in diets with a starch to acid detergent fibre ratio (S:F) 4:1. This affect is attributable to enhanced synchrony between ruminal N availability for microbial growth and carbohydrate degradation. To verify the magnitude of this effects on lamb performance, an experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of combining urea and a SRU in diets containing S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1, or 5:1 on performance, dietary energetics and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. For that, 40 Pelibuey×Katahdin lambs (36.65±3 kg) were assigned to one of five weight groupings in 20 pens (5 repetition/treatments). The S:F ratio in the diet was manipulated by partially replacing the corn grain and dried distiller's grain with solubles by forage (wheat straw) and soybean meal to reach S:F ratios of 3:1, 4:1 or 5:1. An additional treatment of 4:1 S:F ratio with 0.8% urea as the sole source of non-protein nitrogen was used as a reference for comparing the effect of urea combination vs. conventional urea at the same S:F ratio. There were no treatment effects on dry matter intake (DMI). Compared the urea combination vs urea at the same S:F ratio, urea combination increased (p<0.01) average daily gain (ADG, 18.3%), gain for feed (G:F, 9.5%), and apparent energy retention per unit DMI (8.2%). Irrespective of the S:F ratio, the urea combination improved the observed-to-expected dietary ratio and apparent retention per unit DMI was maximal (quadratic effect, p≤0.03) at an S:F ratio of 4:1, while the conventional urea treatment did not modify the observed-to-expected net energy ratio nor the apparent retention per unit DMI at 4:1 S:F ratio. Urea combination group tended (3.8%, p = 0.08) to have heavier carcasses with no effects on the rest of carcass characteristics. As S:F ratio increased, ADG, G:F, dietary net energy, carcass weight, dressing percentage and longissimus thoracis (LM) area increased linearly (p≤0.02). Combining urea and a slow-release urea product results in positive effects on growth performance and dietary energetics, but the best responses are apparently observed when there is a certain proportion (S:F ratio = 4:1) of starch to acid detergent fibre in the diet.

Extending the biosynthetic repertoires of cyanobacteria and chloroplasts.

Chloroplasts in plants and algae and photosynthetic microorganisms such as cyanobacteria are emerging hosts for sustainable production of valuable biochemicals, using only inorganic nutrients, water, CO2 and light as inputs. In the past decade, many bioengineering efforts have focused on metabolic engineering and synthetic biology in the chloroplast or in cyanobacteria for the production of fuels, chemicals and complex, high-value bioactive molecules. Biosynthesis of all these compounds can be performed in photosynthetic organelles/organisms by heterologous expression of the appropriate pathways, but this requires optimization of carbon flux and reducing power, and a thorough understanding of regulatory pathways. Secretion or storage of the compounds produced can be exploited for the isolation or confinement of the desired compounds. In this review, we explore the use of chloroplasts and cyanobacteria as biosynthetic compartments and hosts, and we estimate the levels of production to be expected from photosynthetic hosts in light of the fraction of electrons and carbon that can potentially be diverted from photosynthesis. The supply of reducing power, in the form of electrons derived from the photosynthetic light reactions, appears to be non-limiting, but redirection of the fixed carbon via precursor molecules presents a challenge. We also discuss the available synthetic biology tools and the need to expand the molecular toolbox to facilitate cellular reprogramming for increased production yields in both cyanobacteria and chloroplasts.