CAMBIOS EN EL SINDICALISMO PUERTORRIQUEÑO ANTE LA SEGUNDA GUERRA MUNDIAL: El caso de la Confederación General de Trabajadores

Durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, o movimento operário portorriqueño sofre transições e grandes processos de mudanças. A política de Estados Unidos em relação a Porto Rico na conjuntura da guerra marcaram o clima político e econômico da Ilha, tendo significativas repercussões no âmbito social. Por um lado, está o conflicto na região do Caribe e pelo outro, dentro de essa esfera, a importância de Porto Rico nos planos de defesa regional. Nesse sentido, o movimento operário vai formar parte das políticas elaboradas para as circunstâncias bélicas. Pouco antes do começo do conflito nasce o Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), sob a liderança de Luis Muñoz Marín, partido que se desenvolveu e consolidou como força política na conjuntura da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Tendo em conta esses elementos, o objetivo do presente artigo visa abordar o impacto da Guerra no movimento operário e como as políticas e projetos do Governo afetaram à Confederação Geral de Trabalhadores.Palavras-chave: Movimento operário. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederação Geral de TrabalhadoresResumenDurante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el movimiento obrero puertorriqueño atraviesa por transiciones y grandes procesos de cambios. Las políticas de Estados Unidos hacia Puerto Rico en la coyuntura de la guerra marcarán el clima político y económico de la Isla, teniendo significativas repercusiones en el ámbito social. Por un lado, se encuentra el impacto que tiene el conflicto en la región del Caribe y por el otro, dentro de esa esfera, la importancia de Puerto Rico en los planes de defensa regional. En ese sentido, el movimiento obrero formará parte de las políticas elaboradas para las circunstancias bélicas. En la antesala del gran conflicto surge el Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), liderado por Luis Muñoz Marín, partido que se desarrolla y consolida como fuerza política en la coyuntura de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Tomando em cuenta dichos elementos, el objetivo del presente artículo consiste en abordar el impacto de la Guerra en el movimiento obrero y cómo las políticas y proyectos gubernamentales afectan a la Confederación General de trabajadores.Palabras claves: Movimiento obrero. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederación General de TrabajadoresAbstractDuring World War II the Puerto Rican labor movement was undergoing major transitions and change processes. US policy toward Puerto Rico during wartime marked the political and economic climate of the island, having a significant impact on the social sphere. The conflict impacted in the Caribbean and within this area, Puerto Rico was important in regional defense plans, therefore the labor movement was influenced by policies that created war circumstances. On the eve of the great conflict the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), led by Luis Muñoz Marín, developed and consolidated as a political force. Taking into account these elements, the objective of this article is to address the impact of conflict on the labor movement and how government policies and projects affected the Confederación General de Trabajadores.Keywords: Labor movement. World War II. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederación General de Trabajadore

CAMBIOS EN EL SINDICALISMO PUERTORRIQUEÑO ANTE LA SEGUNDA GUERRA MUNDIAL: El caso de la Confederación General de Trabajadores

Durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, o movimento operário portorriqueño sofre transições e grandes processos de mudanças. A política de Estados Unidos em relação a Porto Rico na conjuntura da guerra marcaram o clima político e econômico da Ilha, tendo significativas repercussões no âmbito social. Por um lado, está o conflicto na região do Caribe e pelo outro, dentro de essa esfera, a importância de Porto Rico nos planos de defesa regional. Nesse sentido, o movimento operário vai formar parte das políticas elaboradas para as circunstâncias bélicas. Pouco antes do começo do conflito nasce o Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), sob a liderança de Luis Muñoz Marín, partido que se desenvolveu e consolidou como força política na conjuntura da Segunda Guerra Mundial. Tendo em conta esses elementos, o objetivo do presente artigo visa abordar o impacto da Guerra no movimento operário e como as políticas e projetos do Governo afetaram à Confederação Geral de Trabalhadores. Palavras-chave: Movimento operário. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederação Geral de Trabalhadores Resumen Durante la Segunda Guerra Mundial, el movimiento obrero puertorriqueño atraviesa por transiciones y grandes procesos de cambios. Las políticas de Estados Unidos hacia Puerto Rico en la coyuntura de la guerra marcarán el clima político y económico de la Isla, teniendo significativas repercusiones en el ámbito social. Por un lado, se encuentra el impacto que tiene el conflicto en la región del Caribe y por el otro, dentro de esa esfera, la importancia de Puerto Rico en los planes de defensa regional. En ese sentido, el movimiento obrero formará parte de las políticas elaboradas para las circunstancias bélicas. En la antesala del gran conflicto surge el Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), liderado por Luis Muñoz Marín, partido que se desarrolla y consolida como fuerza política en la coyuntura de la Segunda Guerra Mundial. Tomando em cuenta dichos elementos, el objetivo del presente artículo consiste en abordar el impacto de la Guerra en el movimiento obrero y cómo las políticas y proyectos gubernamentales afectan a la Confederación General de trabajadores. Palabras claves: Movimiento obrero. Segunda Guerra Mundial. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederación General de Trabajadores Abstract During World War II the Puerto Rican labor movement was undergoing major transitions and change processes. US policy toward Puerto Rico during wartime marked the political and economic climate of the island, having a significant impact on the social sphere. The conflict impacted in the Caribbean and within this area, Puerto Rico was important in regional defense plans, therefore the labor movement was influenced by policies that created war circumstances. On the eve of the great conflict the Partido Popular Democrático (PPD), led by Luis Muñoz Marín, developed and consolidated as a political force. Taking into account these elements, the objective of this article is to address the impact of conflict on the labor movement and how government policies and projects affected the Confederación General de Trabajadores. Keywords: Labor movement. World War II. Partido Popular Democrático. Confederación General de Trabajadore

Sequentially aerated membrane biofilm reactors for autotrophic nitrogen removal: microbial community composition and dynamics

Membrane-aerated biofilm reactors performing autotrophic nitrogen removal can be successfully applied to treat concentrated nitrogen streams. However, their process performance is seriously hampered by the growth of nitrite oxidizing bacteria (NOB). In this work we document how sequential aeration can bring the rapid and long-term suppression of NOB and the onset of the activity of anaerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB). Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analyses confirmed that such shift in performance was mirrored by a change in population densities, with a very drastic reduction of the NOB Nitrospira and Nitrobacter and a 10-fold increase in AnAOB numbers. The study of biofilm sections with relevant 16S rRNA fluorescent probes revealed strongly stratified biofilm structures fostering aerobic ammonium oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in biofilm areas close to the membrane surface (rich in oxygen) and AnAOB in regions neighbouring the liquid phase. Both communities were separated by a transition region potentially populated by denitrifying heterotrophic bacteria. AOB and AnAOB bacterial groups were more abundant and diverse than NOB, and dominated by the r-strategists Nitrosomonas europaea and Ca. Brocadia anammoxidans, respectively. Taken together, the present work presents tools to better engineer, monitor and control the microbial communities that support robust, sustainable and efficient nitrogen remova

Does higher gadolinium concentration play a role in the morphologic assessment of brain tumors? Results of a multicenter intraindividual crossover comparison of gadobutrol versus gadobenate dimeglumine (the MERIT Study).

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Gadobenate dimeglumine has proved advantageous compared with other gadolinium-based contrast agents for contrast-enhanced brain MR imaging. Gadobutrol is a more highly concentrated agent (1.0 mol/L). This study intraindividually compared 0.1-mmol/kg doses of these agents for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of brain tumors. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Adult patients with suspected or known brain tumors underwent 2 identical MR imaging examinations at 1.5T, 1 with gadobenate dimeglumine and the other with gadobutrol, both at a dose of 0.1-mmol/kg body weight. The agents were injected in randomized order separated by 3–14 days. Imaging sequences and acquisition timing were identical for the 2 examinations. Three blinded readers evaluated images qualitatively for diagnostic information (lesion extent, delineation, morphology, enhancement, global preference) and quantitatively for CNR and LBR. RESULTS: One hundred fourteen of 123 enrolled patients successfully underwent both examinations. Final diagnoses were intra-axial tumors, metastases, extra-axial tumors, "other" tumors, and "nontumor" (49, 46, 8, 7, and 4 subjects, respectively). Readers 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated preference for gadobenate dimeglumine in 46 (40.7%), 54 (47.4%), and 49 (43.0%) patients, respectively, compared with 6, 7, and 7 patients for gadobutrol ( P < .0001, all readers). Highly significant ( P < .0001, all readers) preference for gadobenate dimeglumine was demonstrated for all other qualitative end points. Inter-reader agreement was good for all evaluations (κ = 0.414–0.629). Significantly superior CNR and LBR were determined for gadobenate dimeglumine ( P < .019, all readers). CONCLUSIONS: Significantly greater morphologic information and lesion enhancement are achieved on brain MR imaging with 0.1-mmol/kg gadobenate dimeglumine compared with gadobutrol at an equivalent dose. CNR : contrast-to-noise ratio GBCA : gadolinium-based contrast agent GRE : gradient-recalled echo LBR : lesion-to-background ratio NSF : nephrogenic systemic fibrosis SE : spin-echo SI : signal intensit

Restoration ecophysiology: an ecophysiological approach to improve restoration strategies and outcomes in severely disturbed landscapes

As human activities destroy and degrade the world's ecosystems at unprecedented scales, there is a growing need for evidence-based methods for ecological restoration if we are to preserve biodiversity and ecosystem services. Mining represents one of the most severe anthropogenic disturbances, often necessitating intensive intervention to restore the most basic attributes of native ecosystems. Despite examples of successful mine-site restoration, re-establishing native vegetation in these degraded landscapes remains a significant challenge. Plant ecophysiology-the study of the interactions between plants and the environment-can provide a useful framework for evaluating and guiding mine-site restoration. By understanding the physiological mechanisms that allow plants to establish and persist in these highly disturbed environments, practitioners may be able to improve restoration outcomes. Specifically, methods in plant ecophysiology can inform site preparation and the selection of plant material for restoration projects, aid in monitoring restoration progress by providing additional insight into plant performance, and ultimately improve our ability to predict restoration trajectories. Here, we review the challenges and benefits of integrating an ecophysiological perspective to mine-site restoration in Western Australia, a global hotspot of biodiversity and mining operations. Using case studies and examples from the region's diverse ecosystems, we illustrate how an ecophysiological approach can guide the restoration of some of the world's most severely disturbed landscapes. With careful selection of study species and traits and consideration of the specific environmental conditions and stressors within a site, the restoration ecophysiology framework outlined here has the potential to inform restoration strategies across ecosystems

Does Higher Gadolinium Concentration Play a Role in the Morphologic Assessment of Brain Tumors? Results of a Multicenter Intraindividual Crossover Comparison of Gadobutrol versus Gadobenate Dimeglumine (the MERIT Study)

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:Gadobenate dimeglumine has proved advantageous compared with other gadolinium-based contrast agents for contrast-enhanced brain MR imaging. Gadobutrol is a more highly concentrated agent (1.0 mol/L). This study intraindividually compared 0.1-mmol/kg doses of these agents for qualitative and quantitative evaluation of brain tumors.MATERIALS AND METHODS:Adult patients with suspected or known brain tumors underwent 2 identical MR imaging examinations at 1.5T, 1 with gadobenate dimeglumine and the other with gadobutrol, both at a dose of 0.1-mmol/kg body weight. The agents were injected in randomized order separated by 3-14 days. Imaging sequences and acquisition timing were identical for the 2 examinations. Three blinded readers evaluated images qualitatively for diagnostic information (lesion extent, delineation, morphology, enhancement, global preference) and quantitatively for CNR and LBR.RESULTS:One hundred fourteen of 123 enrolled patients successfully underwent both examinations. Final diagnoses were intra-axial tumors, metastases, extra-axial tumors, "other" tumors, and "nontumor" (49, 46, 8, 7, and 4 subjects, respectively). Readers 1, 2, and 3 demonstrated preference for gadobenate dimeglumine in 46 (40.7\%), 54 (47.4\%), and 49 (43.0\%) patients, respectively, compared with 6, 7, and 7 patients for gadobutrol (P < .0001, all readers). Highly significant (P < .0001, all readers) preference for gadobenate dimeglumine was demonstrated for all other qualitative end points. Inter-reader agreement was good for all evaluations (κ = 0.414-0.629). Significantly superior CNR and LBR were determined for gadobenate dimeglumine (P < .019, all readers).CONCLUSIONS:Significantly greater morphologic information and lesion enhancement are achieved on brain MR imaging with 0.1-mmol/kg gadobenate dimeglumine compared with gadobutrol at an equivalent dose