# Glossary

## A

### alignment

## B

## C

### csv

[Comma Separated Values (CSV)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comma-separated_values) is an ASCII plain-text file format
where columns of data are separated by commas.

## D

### DNA

[Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DNA) is a double-helix polymer of four molecules Cytosine,
Guanine, Adenine and Thymine. It is the genetic material of the vast majority of organisms (some viruses use
[Ribonucleic Acid (RNA)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RNA) as their genetic material).

## E

## F

### flattening

The process of removing [tilt](glossary.md#tilt) from an image.

## G

### Git

[Git](https://git-scm.com) is a free, open source version control system for managing software projects and development.

### GitHub

[GitHub](https://www.github.com) is a website for sharing and collaboratively working on software that is version
controlled using [Git](glossary.md#git).

### grains

The name given to DNA/RNA/protein structures observed in scans.

## H

## I

## J

## K

## L

## M

## N

## O

## P

### Python

[Python](https://www.python.org/) is the high-level interpreted programming language in which TopoStats is written.

## Q

## R

## S

### scars

Artefacts seen in some scans that can be removed during processing. Typically they appear as horizontal high
bands. These are removed and the missing values interpolated.

### skeleton

The single-pixel width outline of a molecule after a [grain](glossary.md#grain) has undergone [tracing](glossary.md#tracing).

## T

### tilt

### tracing

The processing step where by a [grain](glossary.md#grain) is reduced to a single pixel or skeleton. Typically a number of
statistics on the shape, length and curvature are calculated after molecules have been traced.

## U

## V

## W

## X

## Y

## Z