Unions are not only good for workers, theyre good for communities and for democracy

We know that unions promote economic equality and build worker power, helping workers to win increases in pay, better benefits, and safer working conditions.But that's not all unions do. Unions also have powerful effects on workers' lives outside of work.In this report, we document the correlation between higher levels of unionization in states and a range of economic, personal, and democratic well-being measures. In the same way unions give workers a voice at work, with a direct impact on wages and working conditions, the data suggest that unions also give workers a voice in shaping their communities. Where workers have this power, states have more equitable economic structures, social structures, and democracies

Cobalamin in inflammation III — glutathionylcobalamin and methylcobalamin/adenosylcobalamin coenzymes: the sword in the stone? How cobalamin may directly regulate the nitric oxide synthases

Several mysteries surround the structure and function of the nitric oxide synthases (NOS). The NOS oxygenase domain structure is unusually open with a large area of solvent that could accommodate an unidentified ligand. The exact mechanism of the two-step five-electron monoxygenation of arginine to NG-hydroxy-L-arginine, thence to citrulline and nitric oxide (NO), is not clear, particularly as arginine/NG-hydroxy-L-arginine is bound at a great distance to the supposed catalytic heme Fe [III], as the anti-stereoisomer. The Return of the Scarlet Pimpernel Paper proposed that cobalamin is a primary indirect regulator of the NOS. An additional direct regulatory effect of the ‘base-off’ dimethylbenzimidazole of glutathionylcobalamin (GSCbl), which may act as a sixth ligand to the heme iron, promote Co-oriented, BH4/BH3 radical catalysed oxidation of L-arginine to NO, and possibly regulate the rate of inducible NOS/NO production by the NOS dimers, is further advanced. The absence of homology between the NOS and methionine synthase/methylmalonyl CoA mutase may enable GSCbl to regulate both sets of enzymes simultaneously by completely separate mechanisms. Thus, cobalamin may exert central control over both pro-and anti-inflammatory systems

Encuesta nacional de trabajadores gig retrata malas condiciones laborales y bajos salarios

El documento hace un análisis sobre las implicaciones del trabajo gig, es decir el trabajo autónomo, por cuenta propia, de contratistas independientes -en particular, aquellos inscritos en plataformas digitales como Uber-, para la seguridad social, los salarios justos y la estabilidad laboral de los trabajadores. Se basa en una encuesta realizada por The Shift Project, y se contrasta con los resultados para los trabajadores con contratos y relaciones de trabajo con los empleadores tradicionales, los W-2. Al final se hacen propuestas de política pública para mejorar las condiciones laborales de los trabajadores gig