The international and legal framework for transregionalization of trade and economic cooperation of the BRICS countries

The emergence of a multipolar world is an integral part of the globalization processes. Strategic partnership at the regional, interregional and transregional levels is becoming a new institution and at the same time an instrument of modern international relations. The international and legal framework for the cooperation of BRICS as a transregional association is considered herein. The importance of converging the positions of the BRICS countries in the global political and economic system is emphasized. The research is aimed at the analysis of the international legal foundations of trade and economic cooperation of the BRICS countries within the system of transregional relations, factors, conditions and prospects for development. The measures to enhance and expand mutually beneficial trade and economic partnerships within the framework of BRICS will most effectively utilize their resource, technological, and trade and economic potential, creating the basis for the sustainable growth of the national economy and competitiveness in global development. The practical significance of the study lies in the analysis of the mechanisms of integration of BRICS. The results obtained may be useful in shaping the strategy of trade and economic cooperation within the framework of BRICS.peer-reviewe

КОМПОЗИЦИОННЫЙ МОДИФИКАТОР АСФАЛЬТОБЕТОНОВ, ПОЛУЧАЕМЫЙ МЕТОДОМ ВЫСОКОТЕМПЕРАТУРНОГО СДВИГОВОГО СОИЗМЕЛЬЧЕНИЯ ШИННОЙ РЕЗИНЫ И СБС-ТЕРМОЭЛАСТОПЛАСТА

The mandatory requirement for creating high-quality asphalt concrete is the modification of the bituminous binder. Either polymers, typically SBS, or crushed vulcanizates are usually used as modifiers. Using the polymer modifier has a number of disadvantages: the poor compatibility of polymers with bitumen, the stratification of the modified binder during transportation and storage, the coalescence of the dispersed phase particles at the coating laying temperatures. The use of crushed vulcanizate as a modifier is limited due to the complexity of obtaining a particle with a micro-size and complex surface organization. By now a binary mixed powder "Polyepor-RP" based on rubber crumb and butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer has been developed and obtained. It combines the advantages of both types of initial constituents and eliminates their shortcomings. The hybrid modifier is obtained by the method of high-temperature shear grinding. In addition, thanks to the use of modern rotary dispersants, the resulting hybrid modifier can be introduced into the asphalt mixture by uniformly loading it into the mixer at the closing stage of mixing, bypassing the long and energy-consuming stage of preparing the modified bituminous binder. The paper describes the comparative analysis of the rheological properties of four types of asphalt binders in accordance with the American testing system "SuperРave": unmodified bitumen of BND 60/90 grade; polymer-bitumen binder; bitumen modified with active rubber powder brand "Polyepor-A" and active binary powder brand "Polyepor-RP". It is established that the introduction of modifiers "Polyepor-A" and "Polyepor-RP" increases the resistance of asphalt pavement to the formation of ruts and increases the resistance to fatigue cracking. The introduction of the butadiene-styrene thermoplastic elastomer into bitumen has a positive effect only on the resistance to rutting. Using a hybrid modifier it is possible to obtain a rubberpolymer binder characterized by higher stability, resistant to delamination and phase separation, which will increase the durability of coatingsОбязательным условием создания высококачественного асфальтобетонного покрытия является модификация битумного вяжущего. В качестве модификаторов обычно используют либо полимеры, как правило, СБС, либо измельченные вулканизаты. При использовании полимерного модификатора есть ряд недостатков: плохая совместимость полимеров с битумом, расслоение модифицированного вяжущего при перевозке и хранении, коалесценция частиц дисперсной фазы при температурах укладки покрытия. Применение в качестве модификатора измельченных вулканизатов ограничено из-за сложностей, связанных с получением частиц с микроразмерами и высокой удельной поверхностью. В настоящее время удалось разработать и получить методом высокотемпературного сдвигового соизмельчения бинарный смесевой порошок «Полиэпор-РП» на основе резиновой крошки и бутадиен-стирольного термоэластопласта, в котором сочетаются преимущества обоих типов исходных составляющих и устраняются их недостатки. Кроме того, благодаря использованию современных роторных диспергаторов, полученный гибридный модификатор можно вводить в асфальтобетонную смесь путем его равномерного засыпания в смеситель на завершающей стадии смешения, минуя продолжительную и энегрозатратную стадию приготовления модифицированного битумного вяжущего. В работе проведен сопоставительный анализ реологических свойств четырех типов битумных вяжущих в соответствии с американской системой тестирования “SuperРave”: битума марки БНД 60/90; полимерно-битумного вяжущего; битумов, модифицированных активным резиновым порошком марки «Полиэпор-А» и активным бинарным порошком марки «Полиэпор-РП». Установлено, что введение модификаторов «Полиэпор-А» и «Полиэпор-РП» повышает стойкость асфальтобетонного покрытия к образованию колеи и увеличивает стойкость к усталостному растрескиванию, а введение в битум бутадиен-стирольного термоэластопласта положительно влияет только на стойкость к образованию колеи. Используя гибридный модификатор, можно получить резино-полимерное вяжущее, характеризующееся более высокой стабильностью, стойкое к расслаиванию и разделению фаз, что позволит повысить долговечность покрытий

ИСПОЛЬЗОВАНИЕ МНОГОТОННАЖНЫХ ТЕХНОГЕННЫХ ОТХОДОВ ДЛЯ СОЗДАНИЯ БИТУМНЫХ КОМПОЗИТОВ С УЛУЧШЕННЫМИ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЯМИ ДОЛГОВЕЧНОСТИ

With the goal of searching effective methods of industrial wastes recycling, filler systems for bituminous binders in road building have been proposed. For the first time in the world, the product of recycled tire rubbers, which is an active powder of discretely devulcanized type of rubber in addition to waste of sulfur produced in technological processes of oil refining, natural gas, etc., have been tested in order to improve the quality of bitumen binders. The rheological properties and fatigue life of the sulfur-bitumen binder have been investigated according to the linear amplitude sweep test (LAS) by using a Smart Pave dynamic shear rheometer (Physica MCR series, Anton Paar, Austria). A technique for preparing samples of sulfur-containing binders has been developed based on the results of photomicrographs analysis obtained by optical microscopy. It has been done to study their fatigue cracking resistance. The analysis of the influence of sulfur and elastic filler on fatigue life has showed that the rise of the quantity of cycles up to fatigue damage of binder samples by the factor of 3-5 (strain of 5% and 2.5%) is due to crumb rubber concentration. The addition of sulfur to ternary systems bitumen/sulfur/elastic filler enables saving energy resources as a result of the possibility of manufacturing sulfur-extended asphalt at lower temperatures.С целью поиска эффективных решений проблемы переработки техногенных отходов, предложены системы наполнителей для битумных вяжущих, применяемых в дорожном строительстве. Впервые, совместно с использованием отходов серы, получаемых в технологических процессах переработки нефти, природного газа и др., для улучшения качества битумных дорожных вяжущих, был опробован продукт вторичный переработки шинных резин - активный порошок дискретно девулканизованной резины. Исследованы реологические свойства и усталостная долговечность содержащих серу битумных вяжущих по методу линейной амплитудной развертки (LAS) на реометре динамического сдвига Smart Pave серии Physica MCR компании Anton Paar (Австрия). На основании результатов анализа микрофотографий, получаемых методом оптической микроскопии, была разработана методика пробоподготовки образцов серосодержащих вяжущих для исследования на стойкость к усталостному растрескиванию. Анализ влияния серы и эластичного наполнителя индивидуально и совместно на показатель усталостной долговечности показал, что увеличение числа циклов до разрушения образцов вяжущих в 3-5 раз при их деформации 5 и 2.5% определяется концентрацией резиновой крошки. Введение серы в тройных системах: битум/сера/эластичный наполнитель позволяет за счет возможности изготовления сероасфальтобетонных смесей при более низких температурах экономить энергоресурсы

A systems approach to identifying correlated gene targets for the loss of colour pigmentation in plants

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The numerous diverse metabolic pathways by which plant compounds can be produced make it difficult to predict how colour pigmentation is lost for different tissues and plants. This study employs mathematical and <it>in silico </it>methods to identify correlated gene targets for the loss of colour pigmentation in plants from a whole cell perspective based on the full metabolic network of <it>Arabidopsis</it>. This involves extracting a self-contained flavonoid subnetwork from the AraCyc database and calculating feasible metabolic routes or elementary modes (EMs) for it. Those EMs leading to anthocyanin compounds are taken to constitute the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway (ABP) and their interplay with the rest of the EMs is used to study the minimal cut sets (MCSs), which are different combinations of reactions to block for eliminating colour pigmentation. By relating the reactions to their corresponding genes, the MCSs are used to explore the phenotypic roles of the ABP genes, their relevance to the ABP and the impact their eliminations would have on other processes in the cell.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Simulation and prediction results of the effect of different MCSs for eliminating colour pigmentation correspond with existing experimental observations. Two examples are: i) two MCSs which require the simultaneous suppression of genes DFR and ANS to eliminate colour pigmentation, correspond to observational results of the same genes being co-regulated for eliminating floral pigmentation in <it>Aquilegia </it>and; ii) the impact of another MCS requiring CHS suppression, corresponds to findings where the suppression of the early gene CHS eliminated nearly all flavonoids but did not affect the production of volatile benzenoids responsible for floral scent.</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>From the various MCSs identified for eliminating colour pigmentation, several correlate to existing experimental observations, indicating that different MCSs are suitable for different plants, different cells, and different conditions and could also be related to regulatory genes. Being able to correlate the predictions with experimental results gives credence to the use of these mathematical and <it>in silico </it>analyses methods in the design of experiments. The methods could be used to prioritize target enzymes for different objectives to achieve desired outcomes, especially for less understood pathways.</p

Transcriptional Analysis of Arabidopsis thaliana Response to Lima Bean Volatiles

Exposure of plants to herbivore-induced plant volatiles (HIPVs) alters their resistance to herbivores. However, the whole-genome transcriptional responses of treated plants remain unknown, and the signal pathways that produce HIPVs are also unclear.Time course patterns of the gene expression of Arabidopsis thaliana exposed to Lima bean volatiles were examined using Affymetrix ATH1 genome arrays. Results showed that A. thaliana received and responded to leafminer-induced volatiles from Lima beans through up-regulation of genes related to the ethylene (ET) and jasmonic acid pathways. Time course analysis revealed strong and partly qualitative differences in the responses between exposure at 24 and that at 48 h. Further experiments using either A. thaliana ET mutant ein2-1 or A. thaliana jasmonic acid mutant coi1-2 indicated that both pathways are involved in the volatile response process but that the ET pathway is indispensable for detecting volatiles. Moreover, transcriptional comparisons showed that plant responses to larval feeding do not merely magnify the volatile response process. Finally, (Z)-3-hexen-ol, ocimene, (3E)-4,8-dimethyl-1,3,7-nonatriene, and (3E,7E)-4,8,12-trimethyl-1,3,7,11-tridecatetraene triggered responses in A. thaliana similar to those induced by the entire suite of Lima bean volatiles after 24 and 48 h.This study shows that the transcriptional responses of plants to HIPVs become stronger as treatment time increases and that ET signals are critical during this process

Pandemic Influenza Due to pH1N1/2009 Virus: Estimation of Infection Burden in Reunion Island through a Prospective Serosurvey, Austral Winter 2009

International audienceBACKGROUND: To date, there is little information that reflects the true extent of spread of the pH1N1/2009v influenza pandemic at the community level as infection often results in mild or no clinical symptoms. This study aimed at assessing through a prospective study, the attack rate of pH1N1/2009 virus in Reunion Island and risk factors of infection, during the 2009 season.METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: A serosurvey was conducted during the 2009 austral winter, in the frame of a prospective population study. Pairs of sera were collected from 1687 individuals belonging to 772 households, during and after passage of the pandemic wave. Antibodies to pH1N1/2009v were titered using the hemagglutination inhibition assay (HIA) with titers ≥ 1/40 being considered positive. Seroprevalence during the first two weeks of detection of pH1N1/2009v in Reunion Island was 29.8% in people under 20 years of age, 35.6% in adults (20-59 years) and 73.3% in the elderly (≥ 60 years) (P<0.0001). Baseline corrected cumulative incidence rates, were 42.9%, 13.9% and 0% in these age groups respectively (P<0.0001). A significant decline in antibody titers occurred soon after the passage of the epidemic wave. Seroconversion rates to pH1N1/2009 correlated negatively with age: 63.2%, 39.4% and 16.7%, in each age group respectively (P<0.0001). Seroconversion occurred in 65.2% of individuals who were seronegative at inclusion compared to 6.8% in those who were initially seropositive.CONCLUSIONS: Seroincidence of pH1N1/2009v infection was three times that estimated from clinical surveillance, indicating that almost two thirds of infections occurring at the community level have escaped medical detection. People under 20 years of age were the most affected group. Pre-epidemic titers ≥ 1/40 prevented seroconversion and are likely protective against infection. A concern was raised about the long term stability of the antibody responses

Phase Ia Clinical Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of the Plasmodium falciparum Blood-Stage Antigen AMA1 in ChAd63 and MVA Vaccine Vectors

Traditionally, vaccine development against the blood-stage of Plasmodium falciparum infection has focused on recombinant protein-adjuvant formulations in order to induce high-titer growth-inhibitory antibody responses. However, to date no such vaccine encoding a blood-stage antigen(s) alone has induced significant protective efficacy against erythrocytic-stage infection in a pre-specified primary endpoint of a Phase IIa/b clinical trial designed to assess vaccine efficacy. Cell-mediated responses, acting in conjunction with functional antibodies, may be necessary for immunity against blood-stage P. falciparum. The development of a vaccine that could induce both cell-mediated and humoral immune responses would enable important proof-of-concept efficacy studies to be undertaken to address this question

Exploiting members of the BAHD acyltransferase family to synthesize multiple hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates in yeast

BACKGROUND: BAHD acyltransferases, named after the first four biochemically characterized enzymes of the group, are plant-specific enzymes that catalyze the transfer of coenzyme A-activated donors onto various acceptor molecules. They are responsible for the synthesis in plants of a myriad of secondary metabolites, some of which are beneficial for humans either as therapeutics or as specialty chemicals such as flavors and fragrances. The production of pharmaceutical, nutraceutical and commodity chemicals using engineered microbes is an alternative, green route to energy-intensive chemical syntheses that consume petroleum-based precursors. However, identification of appropriate enzymes and validation of their functional expression in heterologous hosts is a prerequisite for the design and implementation of metabolic pathways in microbes for the synthesis of such target chemicals. RESULTS: For the synthesis of valuable metabolites in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we selected BAHD acyltransferases based on their preferred donor and acceptor substrates. In particular, BAHDs that use hydroxycinnamoyl-CoAs and/or benzoyl-CoA as donors were targeted because a large number of molecules beneficial to humans belong to this family of hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates. The selected BAHD coding sequences were synthesized and cloned individually on a vector containing the Arabidopsis gene At4CL5, which encodes a promiscuous 4-coumarate:CoA ligase active on hydroxycinnamates and benzoates. The various S. cerevisiae strains obtained for co-expression of At4CL5 with the different BAHDs effectively produced a wide array of valuable hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates upon addition of adequate combinations of donors and acceptor molecules. In particular, we report here for the first time the production in yeast of rosmarinic acid and its derivatives, quinate hydroxycinnamate esters such as chlorogenic acid, and glycerol hydroxycinnamate esters. Similarly, we achieved for the first time the microbial production of polyamine hydroxycinnamate amides; monolignol, malate and fatty alcohol hydroxycinnamate esters; tropane alkaloids; and benzoate/caffeate alcohol esters. In some instances, the additional expression of Flavobacterium johnsoniae tyrosine ammonia-lyase (FjTAL) allowed the synthesis of p-coumarate conjugates and eliminated the need to supplement the culture media with 4-hydroxycinnamate. CONCLUSION: We demonstrate in this study the effectiveness of expressing members of the plant BAHD acyltransferase family in yeast for the synthesis of numerous valuable hydroxycinnamate and benzoate conjugates