Nonuniversality Aspects of Nonlinear k_\perp-factorization for Hard Dijets

The origin of the breaking of conventional linear k_\perp-factorization for hard processes in a nuclear environment is by now well established. The realization of the nonlinear nuclear k_\perp-factorization which emerges instead was found to change from one jet observable to another. Here we demonstrate how the pattern of nonlinear k_\perp-factorization, and especially the role of diffractive interactions, in the production of dijets off nuclei depends on the color properties of the underlying pQCD subprocess.Comment: 4 pages, 1 eps-fi

Single spin asymmetry for the Drell-Yan process

We calculated the single spin asymmetries for the reaction $P+P(\uparrow)\rightarrow l \overline{l}+X$ in the framework of twist-3 QCD for HERA energies. The necessary imaginary phase is produced by the on-shell contribution of the quark propagator, while the long distance part is analogous to that providing the direct photon asymmetry calculated by J. Qiu and G. Sterman. The asymmetry turns out to be generally of the order percent.Comment: 7 pages, 4 figures, LaTe

Production of two ccˉc \bar c pairs in gluon-gluon scattering in high energy proton-proton collisions

We calculate cross sections for $g g \to Q \bar Q Q \bar Q$ in the high-energy approximation in the mixed (longitudinal momentum fraction, impact parameter) and momentum space representations. Besides the total cross section as a function of subsystem energy also differential distributions (in quark rapidity, transverse momentum, $Q Q$, $Q \bar Q$ invariant mass) are presented. The elementary cross section is used to calculate production of $(c \bar c) (c \bar c)$ in single-parton scattering (SPS) in proton-proton collisions. We present integrated cross section as a function of proton-proton center of mass energy as well as differential distribution in $M_{(c \bar c)(c \bar c)}$. The results are compared with corresponding results for double-parton scattering (DPS) discussed recently in the literature. We find that the considered SPS contribution to $(c \bar c)(c \bar c)$ production is at high energy ($\sqrt{s} >$ 5 TeV) much smaller than that for DPS contribution.Comment: 17 pages, 11 figure

Diffractive Hard Dijets and Nuclear Parton Distributions

Diffraction plays an exceptional role in DIS off heavy nuclei. First, diffraction into hard dijets is an unique probe of the unintegrated glue in the target. Second, because diffraction makes 50 per cent of total DIS off a heavy target, understanding diffraction in a saturation regime is crucial for a definition of saturated nuclear parton densities. After brief comments on the Nikolaev-Zakharov (NZ) pomeron-splitting mechanism for diffractive hard dijet production, I review an extension of the Nikolaev-Schafer-Schwiete (NSS) analysis of diffractive dijet production off nuclei to the definition of nuclear partons in the saturation regime. I emphasize the importance of intranuclear final state interactions for the parton momentum distributions.Comment: 9 pages, 2 figures, to be published in Proceedings of the Workshop on Exclusive Processes at High Momentum Transfer, Jefferson Lab, May 15-18, 2002. Typos corrected, discussion of the results extende

High Density QCD, Saturation and Diffractive DIS

We review a consistent description of the fusion and saturation of partons in the Lorentz-contracted ultrarelativistic nuclei in terms of a nuclear attenuation of color dipole states of the photon and collective Weizs\"acker-Williams (WW) gluon structure function of a nucleus. Diffractive DIS provides a basis for the definition of the WW nuclear glue. The point that all observables for DIS off nuclei are uniquely calculable in terms of the nuclear WW glue amounts to a new form of factorization in the saturation regime.Comment: 13 pages, 4 figures, Invited talk at NATO Advanced Research Workshop On Diffraction 2002, 31 Aug - 6 Sep 2002, Alushta, Ukrain

CENP-C unwraps the human CENP-A nucleosome through the H2A C-terminal tail

Centromeres are defined epigenetically by nucleosomes containing the histone H3 variant CENP-A, upon which the constitutive centromere-associated network of proteins (CCAN) is built. CENP-C is considered to be a central organizer of the CCAN. We provide new molecular insights into the structure of human CENP-A nucleosomes, in isolation and in complex with the CENP-C central region (CENP-C-CR), the main CENP-A binding module of human CENP-C. We establish that the short alpha N helix of CENP-A promotes DNA flexibility at the nucleosome ends, independently of the sequence it wraps. Furthermore, we show that, in vitro, two regions of human CENP-C (CENP-C-CR and CENP-C-motif) both bind exclusively to the CENP-A nucleosome. We find CENP-C-CR to bind with high affinity due to an extended hydrophobic area made up of CENP-A(V)(532) and CENP-A(V)(533). Importantly, we identify two key conformational changes within the CENP-A nucleosome upon CENP-C binding. First, the loose DNA wrapping of CENP-A nucleosomes is further exacerbated, through destabilization of the H2A C-terminal tail. Second, CENP-C-CR rigidifies the N-terminal tail of H4 in the conformation favoring H4(K20) monomethylation, essential for a functional centromere