CARTA Glossary

A type of neuroglia that supports and insulates axons in the central nervous system of some vertebrates.

An organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet of plant, animal, and fungal origin.

The origin and development of an organism (from fertilization of the egg to the organism’s mature form). Can also refer to the study of an organism’s lifespan.

The ratio of fertile males to fertile females that are ready to mate.

A biological technique that involves the use of light to control gene expression and cellular function in living tissue, typically neurons, that have been genetically modified to express light-sensitive ion channels.

Genes that are found in different species that evolved from a common ancestral gene and typically retain the same function.

A minority ethnic group of central Mexico during the 16th century CE.

Found in the outer subventricular zone of the neocortex, outer radial glia preferentially express genes related to extracellular matrix formation, migration, and stemness.

The timepoint of the menstrual cycle involving the release of an egg from an ovary.

A peptide hormone made by the hypothalamus and stored in the pituitary gland, from which it is released into the blood stream. Oxytocin has many physiological and behavioral functions. It is considered “the love hormone” due to its association with reproduction, social bonding, sexual behavior, childbirth, maternal bonding, and milk production. Oxytocin is also an anti-inflammatory and is associated with sociostasis and longevity.

The formation of long-lasting bonds between two individuals.

A broad prehistoric period during which stone was used to make tools and weapons and is synonymous with Stone Age. During the paleolithic, hunting and gathering (foraging) was the primary subsistence method. The period ended with a flourishing of culture, not only in the manufacture of new stone (and bone tools) and other innovations (such spear thrower, bow and arrow, eyed needle, fishing implements), but also the development of splendid cave art paintings and engravings. Subdivisions:

• Lower Paleolithic: ~3.4 million years ago (mya) - 300 thousand years ago (kya).
• Middle Paleolithic: Consists of use of prepared cores (i.e. Levallois Technique) and hafted tools and weapons. ~300 - 30 kya.
• Upper Paleolithic: Coincides with behavioral modernity and predates the advent of agriculture. Artifacts include finely crafted stone blades and bone and antler tools, such as harpoons and needles. ~50 - 10 kya.

A theory of the mental representations (or “data structures”) involved in the language faculty that are organized by phonology, syntax, and semantics.

An organism that lives on or in a host organism at the expense of the host.

Any behavior of a member of a species toward an immature conspecific that increases the likelihood that the immature organism will survive to maturity.

The portion of reproductive effort in form of parenting (protection, feeding, provisioning).

The correlation between parental investment and mate choice where the greater the parental investment the more selective, and the lesser the investment the greater the access to more mates (Trivers, 1972).

High-order cortical regions located at the junction of the parietal and occipital lobes that integrate multisensory information, particularly relating to spatial awareness, visual attention, and navigation.

The parental effort of fathers.

The ability of males to assess the likelihood of having sired a particular offspring.

Uncertainty about paternity due to female mating behavior.

The biological mechanism (or mechanisms) that leads to a disease state and can also refer to the origin and development of a disease, and whether it is acute, chronic, or recurrent.

Disordered physiological processes associated with disease or injury.

Foreign objects embedded beneath the skin of the penis.

A covalent chemical bond that forms between two amino acids, linking them together in a peptide or protein chain. It occurs when the carboxyl group (-COOH) of one amino acid reacts with the amino group (-NH2) of another amino acid, releasing a molecule of water (a process called dehydration or condensation).

Around the time of ovulation.

Intentional permanent or semipermanent alterations of the living human body for reasons such as ritual, folk medicine, aesthetics, or corporal punishment. In general, voluntary changes are considered to be modifications, and involuntary changes are considered mutilations.

Observable traits of an organism that result from interactions between genes and environment during development.

Molecules that are produced by one individual and have signal value for another individual of the same species.

A biochemical process in which a phosphate group (PO4 ³-) is added to a molecule, typically a protein, by an enzyme called a kinase. This addition of a phosphate group often occurs at specific amino acids in the protein, such as serine, threonine, or tyrosine, and it can significantly change the protein’s structure, function, or activity. Phosphorylation is a crucial mechanism of cellular regulation and plays a key role in controlling various cellular processes and also histone modification.

Historical relationships of species or loci.

A branched chain fatty acid produced during the digestion of chlorophyll, especially in foregut fermenting species (ruminants) that consume plant materials. Humans obtain phytanic acid by consuming dairy products, ruminant animals, and some fish.

1. The deliberate creation of a hole in the skin and/or flesh, often to hold an ornament such as an earring. 2. perforation itself. (e.g., “I changed the jewelry in my piercing”). 4. The ornament that is worn in a perforation of the tissue. More accurately described as piercing jewelry, body piercing jewelry, or body jewelry. (e.g., “My piercing fell out”).

A flattened circular organ, primarily of fetal origin, in the uterus of pregnant eutherian mammals, nourishing and maintaining the fetus through the umbilical cord.

A genus of single-celled organisms that are obligate parasites of vertebrates and insects. In humans, malaria is caused by multiple species of Plasmodium and transmitted by mosquitos (commonly female Anopheles mosquitos).

A village in Honduras occupied from before 700 BCE to ca. 200 BCE. It also refers to the style of figurines produced and used there.

A fine particulate matter (particles or droplets less than 3 microns in width) air pollutant that causes haze, reduces air quality, and can cause short- and long-term negative health effects.

The idea that some genes are more easily expressed because of their chromatin state.

Ovaries that contain a large number of small, fluid-filled sacs called follicles, or cysts, just under the surface. These cysts are usually immature follicles that failed to develop properly during the menstrual cycle and did not release an egg (ovulate).

Relating to a trait determined by two or more genes. Most traits of organisms are polygenic.

A mating system where males regularly mate with multiple females.

The “many forms,” or genetic variants, of a single gene that exist and are maintained in a population at a frequency of 1% or higher.

A homopolymer of sialic acids abundant in the brain and fish eggs and found on certain pathogenic bacteria.

A vast grassland region in Eastern Europe and Western Asia, stretching from the northern shores of the Black Sea (Pontic) to the Caspian Sea. It forms the western part of the Eurasian Steppe and has played a crucial role in human migration, culture, and prehistoric population dynamics.

The dramatic reduction in population size, which often results in a loss of genetic diversity.

Temporary cessation of menstrual cycles after giving birth.

The portion of parietal neocortex that plays an important role in planned movements, spatial reasoning, and attention.

The period of time after a woman has ceased ovulating. This life-stage is unique to humans and not expressed in non-human primates.