CARTA Glossary

The common type of cells of stroma, they synthesize the extracellular matrix and collagen, and are also involved in wound healing.

The variation in structure of an organism’s chromosomes. It consists of many kinds of variation in the genome of one species, and usually includes microscopic and submicroscopic types, such as deletions, duplications, copy-number variants, insertions, inversions and translocations that are greater than or equal to 50 base pairs in length.

“Cutting below.” An incision along the bottom of the shaft of the penis, from the urethral meatus and downward toward the scrotum, of varying depth and length.

“Cutting above.” An incision to the male foreskin above the glans. Synonymous with dorsal slit.

A close and long-term biological interaction between two different biological organisms, be it mutualistic, commensalistic, or parasitic.

A type of play involving fantasy, imagination, and pretend to us available objects as stand ins for other objects.

The ability of synapses to change in relation to activity and inactivity, with these changes as central to communication between neurons and memory.

The arrangement of words and phrases to create well-formed sentences in a language.

The deliberate insertion of pigment into the skin to create visible marks.

One of the four major lobes of the cerebral cortex in the brain of mammals. The temporal lobe is located beneath the lateral fissure on both cerebral hemispheres of the mammalian brain.

A concept in social psychology that proposes the existence of a basic psychological conflict that results from having a desire to live but realizing death is inevitable.

The ability to attribute mental beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives, etc., to oneself and to others, and to understand that others have beliefs, desires, intentions, and perspectives that are similar or different from one’s own. Related/Overlapping Terms: “Intentionality,” Attribution of Mental States,” “Inter-subjectivity,” “Mind- Reading,” “Perspective taking,” “Other-regarding Impulses,” etc.

Nikolaas Tinbergen’s 1962 paper “On aims and methods of Ethology,” defined complementary categories for analyzing and explaining animal behavior as proximate (developmental: both ontogenic and mechanistic) and ultimate (evolutionary: both phylogenetic and adaptive).

• Proximate/Ontogeny: How does the trait develop in individuals?
• Proximate/Mechanism: How does the trait work?
• Ultimate/Phylogeny: What is the trait’s evolutionary history?
• Ultimate/Adaptation: Why does the trait perform better than evolvable alternatives?

A population of central Mexico during the 16th century CE and who were military opponents of the neighboring Mexica.

The term “tool-assisted piercing” is only needed when contrasting and comparing to “free-hand piercing” methods. While the syntagm explicitly includes the use of any tools during a piercing procedure, the implied emphasis is actually more concerning the distinction of using forceps.

Receptors expressed on a cell surface that bind ligands on a different cell surface or between a cell surface and an extra-cellular molecule.

The idea that following repeated stimulus-induced activation, genes become poised or primed to respond to that stimulus.

A type of cell membrane protein that spans the width of the membrane and functions as a gateway for specific substances to enter or leave the cell or as a signaling molecule.

DNA sequence that can change its position within a genome, sometimes creating or reversing mutations and altering the cell’s genetic identity and genome size. They can also be referred to as “jumping genes”. They were discovered by Barbara McClintock and she earned the Nobel Prize in 1983 for that discovery. These sequences can be considered a type of “molecular parasite” within the genome.

The name of a city in oral histories from Mexico, also applied to specific archaeological sites. In oral histories, a source of authority for rulers of multiple sites.

A type of transmembrane protein oriented with the amino-terminal facing outside the cell.

Any typically herbivorous and hoofed mammal belonging to a diverse group that includes both perissodactyls (odd-toed ungulates including horses and rhinos) and artiodactyls (even-toed ungulates including cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, hippos). Recent discoveries indicate cetaceans evolved from early artiodactyls.

An untrue story erroneously taken to report truth.

The outermost protein domain of Siglec proteins and contains the sialic acid binding site.

The totality of all organisms (microbes) that colonize the vagina.

A hormone synthesized in the hypothalamus and then transported to the blood to regulate extracellular fluid volume in the blood vessels and kidneys. It also plays a role in vasoconstriction. Vasopressin and oxytocin evolved from a single primordial neurohypophyseal hormone called vasotocin, which is present in lower vertebrates. Vasopressin, oxytocin, and their receptors are involved in regulating mating systems in several mammals.

Any agent which carries and transmits an infectious pathogen to another living organism. Most agents that act as vectors are living organisms.

Of or relating to viruses. (see Virus)

A submicroscopic infectious agent 10 million times smaller than a human that relies on a living host cell for metabolic processes and replication. Like living organisms, viruses possess genes and evolve by natural selection. Unlike living organisms, viruses lack cellular structure, do not have their own metabolism, instead relying on a living host cell for production of materials, and replication through self-assembly inside a host cell.

The maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during exercise of increasing intensity.

People belonging to societies that are Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, Democratic, as originally proposed by CARTA member, Joseph Henrich.

An infection by the West Nile virus, which is typically spread by mosquitoes. Symptoms include fever, headache, vomiting, or a rash. In rare cases, encephalitis (swelling of the brain) or meningitis occurs, with associated neck stiffness, confusion, or seizures.

A type of immune cell involved in protecting the body against infectious disease and foreign invaders. WBCs are also called leukocytes.

A French feral child who was captured in 1800 at the estimated age of twelve. A young physician, Jean Marc Gaspard Itard, worked with the boy for five years and gave him his name, Victor. Itard was interested in determining what Victor could learn and devised procedures to teach words and recorded his progress. Based on his work with Victor, Itard broke new ground in the education of the developmentally delayed. Victor is estimated to have been born around 1788 and Itard reported he was a normal child at birth but later he was neglected by his alcoholic parents at an early age, and he left to the wild. Recent commentary by Uta Frith, a German developmental psychologist at the Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, University College London, postulates that Victor displayed signs of autism.

A National Heritage Site in Northern Cape Province, South Africa. Archaeological research has revealed over 2 million years of hominin activity in the cave.

The part of short-term memory that is concerned with immediate conscious perceptual and linguistic processing.  It is also important for reasoning and the guidance of decision-making and behavior.

One of the two allosomes of the mammalian genome that determine sex. The Y-chromosome can only be inherited paternally.

An RNA virus of the genus Flavivirus that causes Yellow fever and is spread by the bite of an infected female mosquito, primarily by female Aedes mosquitos. Origin: Africa.

An infectious disease caused by the Zika virus. Symptoms resemble Dengue Fever and may include fever, red eyes, joint pain, headache, and a maculopapular rash but are typically mild. While Zika Fever is mainly spread via mosquitos, it can also be sexually transmitted and potentially spread by blood transfusions. Infections in pregnant women can spread to the baby which may cause microcephaly and other brain malformations. Infections in adults have been linked to Guillain–Barré Syndrome (GBS).

A disease which can be transmitted to humans from animals.