Transverse Single Spin Asymmetries and Charmonium Production

We estimate transverse spin single spin asymmetry(TSSA) in the process $e+p^\uparrow \to J/\psi +X$ using color evaporation model of charmonium production. We take into account transverse momentum dependent(TMD) evolution of Sivers function and parton distribution function and show that the there is a reduction in the asymmetry as compared to our earlier estimates wherein the $Q^2$ - evolution was implemented only through DGLAP evolution of unpolarized gluon densities.Comment: Proceedings of Light Cone 2012, New Delhi, Indi

Sweet sorghum bioethanol production: Research, demonstration, and operational issues

Sweet sorghum or Sorghum bicolor (L) moench is sugar rich, grows with minimal inputs, and is suitable for cultivation in dry regions making it a desirable energy crop for Oklahoma. In-field fermentation of sweet sorghum reduces storage and transportation hurdles of the biofuel supply chain. For the overall success of the on-farm approach, the ethanol dewatering step is crucial. The Alcohol Separation Unit (ASU) at Oklahoma State University is a research and demonstration prototype unit, the first of its kind to study bioethanol production from fermented sweet sorghum liquid feedstock. A two-column distillation set up for concentrating ethanol from 250 gal/h liquid fermented sweet sorghum feed, with associated heat exchangers, pumps, and storage units was designed and constructed for on-farm ethanol separation. The ASU was commissioned in Fall 2013. Product ethanol (190 proof) was produced in October 2013. Ethanol purities of 193.6 proof at 74oF with rectifier column conditions of 0.8 psig and 171oF were established during processing. Overall economics of the pilot plant indicate fixed capital costs at 403,000 USD. Major unit operation equipment (columns, heat exchangers, storage tanks) makes approximately 50% of the costs. Major energy usage at the pilot plant for ethanol production is steam, which accounts for 75% of total annual operating costs of 68,000 USD.Experiments to quantify sweet sorghum fermented juice fouling were undertaken to understand potential operational issues. Total solid loading of fermented juice was determined to be approximately 3 wt%, significantly lower compared to corn-based process streams. Heat transfer resistance (Rf) of fermented sweet sorghum was found to be approximately 9.25 x 10-5 m2 oC/W and fouling intensity is equivalent to that of tap water. Fermented sweet sorghum Rf values were found to be one tenth of corn and maize ethanol thin stillage fouling resistance. The induction period for fermented sweet sorghum fouling was more than 5 hours. With a significantly lower fouling resistance value and longer induction times for fermented sweet sorghum, fouling in equipment and the frequency of cleaning in processes is expected to be lower. Using sweet sorghum as a bioethanol crop is then advantageous over starch-based feedstocks

Farm Ethanol Dewatering: Detailed Design Of Distillation Unit

Sweet sorghum offers a range of advantages due to its low water input, high carbohydrate yield and drought tolerant characteristics. The team at the School of Bio-systems & Agricultural Engineering at Oklahoma State University has demonstrated the ability to harvest, express, and ferment sweet sorghum on-farm. The fermentation product is an aqueous 6 - 10 wt % ethanol product. The high concentration of water (90+ wt %) in the fermentation product provides a strong incentive to perform on-farm dewatering to replace high costs for transportation to a central processing facility. Furthermore, to ensure successful recovery of the ethanol obtained from fermenting sweet sorghum on farm, a small scale dewatering facility needs to be established. Rigorous, first-principles simulations have been created to provide the material and energy balances required for equipment design. Based on the findings from the simulations, the detailed design of a two-column dewatering system capable of producing a 190 proof ethanol product was completed. The design addresses contemporary issues of water requirements and waste disposal. The proposed design eliminates the need for well water make-up, required for cooling or steam generation, with air-cooling and reboiler substitutes. The system is designed to process approximately 250 gph of fermentation product in two 12-inch diameter columns, the smallest practical size that can be implemented on a farm. With a state-of-the-art demonstration unit future studies can be geared towards data generation and analysis required for economic and technical optimization of an on-farm ethanol production facility. Results from this work could have significant economic impact on agriculture. The role of the farmer will expand from feedstock supplier to that of fuel producer and increase the economic opportunities for local communities.School of Chemical Engineerin

Constitutive association of Mcm2-3-5 proteins with chromatin in Entamoeba histolytica

Eukaryotic cells duplicate their genome once and only once per cell cycle. Our earlier studies with the protozoan parasite, Entamoeba histolytica, have shown that genome reduplication may occur several times ?without ?nuclear ?or ?cellular ?division. ?The Mcm2-7 protein complex is required for licensing of DNA replication. In an effort to understand whether genome reduplication occurs due to absence or failure of the DNA replication licensing system, we analysed the function of Mcm2-3-5 proteins in E. histolytica. In this study, we have cloned E. histolytica (Eh) MCM2 and Eh MCM5 genes, while Eh MCM3 was cloned earlier. The sequence of Eh MCM2-3-5 genes is well conserved with other eukaryotic homologues. We have shown that Eh Mcm2,3 proteins are functional in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Our studies in E. histolytica showed that Eh Mcm2-3-5 proteins are associated with chromatin constitutively in cycling cells and during arrest of DNA synthesis induced by serum starvation. Alternation of genome duplication with mitosis is regulated by association-dissociation of Mcm2-7 proteins with chromatin in other eukaryotes. Our results suggest that constitutive association of Mcm proteins with chromatin could be one of the reasons why genome reduplication occurs in E. histolytica

Genome re-duplication and irregular segregation occur during the cell cycle of Entamoeba histolytica

Heterogeneity of genome content is commonly observed in axenic cultures of Entamoeba histolytica. Cells with multiple nuclei and nuclei with heterogenous genome contents suggest that regulatory mechanisms that ensure alternation of DNA synthesis and mitosis are absent in this organism. Therefore, several endo-reduplicative cycles may occur without mitosis. The data also shows that unlike other endo-reduplicating organisms, E.histolytica does not undergo a precise number of endo-reduplicative cycles. We propose that irregular endo-reduplication and genome partitioning lead to heterogeneity in the genome content of E.histolytica trophozoites in their proliferative phase. The goal of future studies should be aimed at understanding the mechanisms that are involved in (a) accumulation of multiple genome contents in a single nucleus; (b) genome segregation in nuclei that contain multiple genome contents and (c) maintenance of genome fidelity in E. histolytica

Transverse Single Spin Asymmetry in e+p↑→e+J/ψ+Xe+p^\uparrow \to e+J/\psi +X and Transverse Momentum Dependent Evolution of the Sivers Function

We extend our analysis of transverse single spin asymmetry (SSA) in electroproduction of $J/\psi$ to include the effect of the scale evolution of the transverse momentum dependent (TMD) parton distribution functions and gluon Sivers function. We estimate SSA for JLab, HERMES, COMPASS, and eRHIC energies using the color evaporation model of charmonium production, using an analytically obtained approximate solution of TMD evolution equations discussed in the literature. We find that there is a reduction in the asymmetry compared with our predictions for the earlier case considered by us, wherein the $Q^2$ dependence came only from DGLAP evolution of the unpolarized gluon densities and a different parametrization of the TMD Sivers function was used.Comment: 12 pages, 6 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1201.106

Comparative transcriptomic profile analysis of fed-batch cultures expressing different recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli

There is a need to elucidate the product specific features of the metabolic stress response of the host cell to the induction of recombinant protein synthesis. For this, the method of choice is transcriptomic profiling which provides a better insight into the changes taking place in complex global metabolic networks. The transcriptomic profiles of three fed-batch cultures expressing different proteins viz. recombinant human interferon-beta (rhIFN-β), Xylanase and Green Fluorescence Protein (GFP) were compared post induction. We observed a depression in the nutrient uptake and utilization pathways, which was common for all the three expressed proteins. Thus glycerol transporters and genes involved in ATP synthesis as well as aerobic respiration were severely down-regulated. On the other hand the amino acid uptake and biosynthesis genes were significantly repressed only when soluble proteins were expressed under different promoters, but not when the product was expressed as an inclusion body (IB). High level expression under the T7 promoter (rhIFN-β and xylanase) triggered the cellular degradation machinery like the osmoprotectants, proteases and mRNA degradation genes which were highly up-regulated, while this trend was not true with GFP expression under the comparatively weaker ara promoter. The design of a better host platform for recombinant protein production thus needs to take into account the specific nature of the cellular response to protein expression

Hydrochemical Evaluation of Water Quality and Trophic State Status of Saheb Bandh Lake, Purulia

Saheb bandh lake is an important wetland ecosystem of Purulia district and is well known for its biological diversity, aesthetic beauty, recreation and multipurpose features. In the present study an attempt is made to evaluate water quality as well as trophic state status of the lake. Lake water is mostly of Mg-HCO3 type. Relationship between different ionic ratios indicates that weathering of silicate minerals is generally considered to be the major source of alkalis in the lake water. Regarding drinking and irrigation water suitability criteria all the samples are moderately suitable. According to United States Salinity Laboratory (USSL) classifications lake water falls in medium salinity – low sodium category. Trophic State Index (TSI) indicates that the eutrophic nature exhibit in this lake.  The ratio of total nitrogen and total phosphorus reflects that the lake is phosphorus dominant in respect of nutrient.