In the early days of graphical user interfaces, DTP software was in a class of its own when compared to the fairly spartan word processing applications of the time. Programs such as WordPerfect and WordStar were still mainly text-based and offered little in the way of page layout, other than perhaps margins and line spacing. On the other hand, word processing software was necessary for features like indexing and spell checking, features that are common in many applications today.
As computers and operating systems have become more powerful, vendors have sought to provide users with a single application platform that can meet all needs.
The key difference between electronic typesetting software and DTP software is that DTP software is generally interactive and WYSIWYG in design, while other electronic typesetting software requires the user to enter the processing program's markup language without immediate visualization of the finished product.
This kind of workflow is less user-friendly than WYSIWYG, but more suitable for conference proceedings and scholarly articles as well as corporate newsletters or other applications where consistent, automated layout is important.
One of the early and comprehensive reference books on the art of Desktop Publishing is Desktop Publishing For Everyone by K.S.V. Menon. This publication deals with virtually every facet of publishing and nearly all tools available as at the time of the publishing of this book in the year 2000. It is currently out of print.
There is some overlap between desktop publishing and what is known as Hypermedia publishing (i.e. Web design, Kiosk, CD-ROM). Many graphical HTML editors such as Microsoft FrontPage and Adobe Dreamweaver use a layout engine similar to a DTP program. However, some Web designers still prefer to write HTML without the assistance of a WYSIWYG editor, for greater control and because these editors often result in code bloat.
Many books specialise in the details of particular software. These three teach the basics of page layout design on desktop systems.
Gene silencing
Gene silencing is a general term describing epigenetic processes of gene regulation. It is used to describe the "switching off" of a gene by a mechanism other than genetic engineering. That is, a gene which would be expressed ("turned on") under normal circumstances is switched off by machinery in the cell. When a gene is silenced it means that its RNA is unable to make a protein.
Genes are regulated at either the transcriptional stage, or later, before translation.
Transcriptional gene silencing is done by histone modifications, which put heterochromatin around a gene. This means the transcriptional machinery (RNA polymerase, transcription factors, etc.) cannot get at the gene. Genes may be silenced by DNA methylation. This happens regularly during development, when genes are turned on and off at different stages.
Post-transcriptional gene silencing is done by blocking or destroying the mRNA of a particular gene. The destruction of the mRNA prevents translation to form an active gene product (in most cases, a protein). A common way mRNA gets silenced is by RNAi.
Both transcriptional and post-transcriptional gene silencing are used to regulate genes. Methods of gene silencing also protect the organism's genome from transposons and viruses. Gene silencing thus may be part of an ancient immune system protecting cells from such infectious DNA and RNA.
Neurospora
Neurospora is a genus of Ascomycete fungi. The best known species in this genus is Neurospora crassa, a common model organism in genetics and molecular biology.
The first published account of this fungus was from an infestation of French bakeries in 1843.
"N. crassa" is used as a model organism because it is easy to grow and has a haploid life cycle that makes genetic analysis simple since recessive traits will show up in the offspring. Analysis of genetic recombination is facilitated by the ordered arrangement of the products of meiosis in "Neurospora" ascospores. Its entire genome of seven chromosomes has been sequenced.
"Neurospora" was used by Edward Tatum and George Wells Beadle in their experiments for which they won the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1958. Beadle and Tatum exposed "N. crassa" to x-rays, causing mutations. They then observed failures in metabolic pathways caused by errors in specific enzymes. This led them to propose the "one gene, one enzyme" hypothesis that specific genes code for specific proteins. Their hypothesis was later elaborated to enzyme pathways by Norman Horowitz, also working on "Neurospora".
In the 24 April 2003 issue of "Nature", the genome of "N. crassa" was reported as completely sequenced. The genome is about 43 megabases long and includes approximately 10,000 genes. There is a project underway to produce strains containing knockout mutants of every "N. crassa" gene.
In its natural environment, "N. crassa" lives mainly in tropical and sub-tropical regions. It can be found growing on dead plant matter after fires. Neurospora is actively used in research around the world. It is important in the elucidation of molecular events involved in circadian rhythms, epigenetics and gene silencing, cell polarity, cell fusion, development, as well as many aspects of cell biology and biochemistry.
Strains and other materials for working with Neurospora are available from the
Fungal Genetics Stock Center
Rosemont, Illinois
Rosemont is a village in Illinois in the United States. It is near the O'Hare Airport, just northwest of Chicago. The Allstate Arena is in Rosemont.
Satellite television
Satellite television is a way of sending television signals. Television channels go to a ground station, which sends them by radio waves to a communications satellite in space. The satellite then transmits that signal back to earth. People with a satellite dish can receive the signals. Very often, satellite television is provided as a pay television service (especially to places where cable TV is not available). Here are some examples:
Granada television
Granada Television was a television production company. It owned an ITV television channel of the same name. It produced a number of shows for many television stations (like Channel 4 and Sky). The company is now known as ITV Studios, which is owned by ITV plc. Granada's best known programme is the long-running soap opera Coronation Street.
Heptachlor
Heptachlor is an insecticide. It was used against ants, termites, against mosquitos of the genus Anopheles, that can spread malaria and as a general pesticide. In humans, heptachlor damages the liver, and the central nervous system. It may cause cancer. It is sold as a powder. The Diels-Alder reaction is used to produce it. The compound is very stable and can stay in the environment for decades.
Hepltachlor is one of the substances listed in the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.
Magellan Telescopes
The Magellan Telescopes are two 6.5m diameter optical telescopes at the Las Campanas Observatory in Chile. The two were named after the Portuguese explorer, Ferdinand Magellan. Each telescope is also named; the Baade after astronomer Walter Baade, and the Clay after the philanthropist Landon T. Clay.
First light for the telescopes was on September 15, 2000 for the Baade, and September 7, 2002 for the Clay.
The Carnegie Institution for Science, University of Arizona, Harvard University, University of Michigan and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology worked together to build and operate the twin telescopes.
The Magellan Planet Search Program is looking for planets using a spectrograph mounted on the 6.5m Magellan II (Clay) telescope.
Las Campanas Observatory