The departure of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in response to the declining jumbo squid (Dosidicus gigas) population in the central portion of the Gulf of California.

As sperm whales are important predators that control energy flux in the oceans, changes in their population can be used as a sentinel to measure of ecosystem health. The present study conducted a sperm whale survey of the eastern Midriff Islands Region in the Gulf of California over the course of nine years, recording sightings and collecting photographs of the fluke of sperm whale individuals. A photo-identification catalog was compiled, while individual recapture data were used to estimate the population size in the central portion of the Gulf of California, using a Jolly-Seber POPAN open population model. The results obtained show a yearly population of between 20 and 167 sperm whales, with a super population of 354 sperm whales observed between 2009 and 2015. However, from 2016 to 2018, no sightings of the species were recorded, which coincides with the decline observed in landings of their main prey, the jumbo squid, in the region. General additive model conducted on sperm whale sightings per unit of effort vs jumbo squid landings obtained an adjusted R2 of 0.644 and a deviance explained of 60.3%, indicating a good non-linear relationship between sightings of this odontocete and its prey availability. This evidence suggests that sperm whales departed the region between 2016 and 2018, due to a documented fishery collapse alongside changes of their main prey into its small phenotype, possibly as the result of increase warming conditions in surface and subsurface waters in the Gulf of California in the last three decades.

Efecto de Petiveria alliacea y drogas colinérgicas sobre la habituación / Effects of Petiveria alliacea and cholinergic drugs on the habituation cognitive behavior

Petiveria alliacea (PA) have anxiolytic, antidepressant and cognitive effects. In the present paper the effect of PA water infusion and cholinergic drugs on cognitive behavior were studied. For that, 40 male NMRI mice were divided in 4 groups: Control (n=10), Drug Control (n=10), PA (n=10) and PA plus Drug (n=10). PA 1% was administered orally (7.59±1.39 ml/day); while scopolamine (2 mg/Kg), galantamine (1 mg/Kg) and nicotine (0.1 mg/Kg) were administered intraperitoneally. Behavioral tests included: anxiety maze (AM), open field (OF) and marble burying (MB). Habituation cognitive behavior was evaluated in 4 sessions, one week each session. PA had anxiolytic and antidepressant effect effect in AM, combined with nicotine potentiated an anxiogenic effect in AM, galantamine favored habituation in OF. Scopolamine potentiated the habituation in LA and decreased the obsessive-compulsive behavior in OF. In conclusion; PA had an anxiolytic effect and favored deshabituation, combined with nicotine induced an anxiogenic effect, galantamine favored habituation and scopolamine decreased obsessive-compulsive behavior and favored motor habituation indicated a possible anxiolytic effect.

La Petiveria alliacea (PA) está relacionada con efectos ansiolíticos, antidepresivos y cognitivos. El presente trabajo estudió el efecto de la infusión de PA y drogas colinérgicas sobre la habituación. 40 ratones NMRI machos fueron divididos en 4 grupos: Control (n=10), Control Drogas (n=10), PA (n=10) y PA plus Drogas (n=10). La PA (1%) fue administrada vía oral (7.59±1.39 ml/día); escopolamina (2 mg/Kg), galantamina (1 mg/Kg) y nicotina (0.1 mg/Kg) fueron administrados vía intraperitoneal. Los ensayos conductuales incluyeron: laberinto de ansiedad (LA), campo abierto (CA) y enterramiento aversivo (EA). La habituación fue evaluada en 4 sesiones con duración de una semana cada una. PA mostró un efecto ansiolítico en el LA, combinada con nicotina potenció un efecto ansiogénico en el LA. Galantamina favoreció la habituación en CA, y escopolamina potenció el fenómeno de habituación en LA y disminuyó la conducta obsesivo-compulsiva en CA. En conclusión, la PA mostró un efecto ansiolítico y antidepresivo que potencia la deshabituación, combinada con nicotina indujo un efecto ansiogénico, galantamina favoreció la habituación y escopolamina disminuyó la conducta obsesivo­ compulsiva y favoreció la habituación motora indicando un posible efecto ansiolítico.

Validación del Inventario de Conductas Infantiles para niños de entre 1½-5 años (CBCL 1½-5) en la Ciudad de Santiago de Chile / Validation of Child Behavior Inventory for children ages 1½ to 5 years (CBCL 1½-5) at the Santiago de Chile City

Los estudios de prevalencia en salud mental en edades tempranas (primeros 5 años de vida) han sido insuficientes y escasos. Dado que la evidencia neurobiológica, económica, psicológica y social ha demostrado que intervenir durante los primeros años de vida es altamente efectivo para disminuir los problemas psicosociales, es que es urgente obtener datos nacionales sobre problemas afectivos y conductuales en la temprana infancia y edad preescolar. El presente trabajo tuvo como objetivo validar un instrumento de reporte parental denominado Inventario de Conductas Infantiles para niños de entre 1½-5 años (CBCL 1½-5). El test fue validado a través de un proceso de jueces expertos, para posteriormente obtener indicadores de confiabilidad y validez en una muestra de 418 niños pertenecientes a la Región Metropolitana. Los resultados obtenidos en la muestra chilena son coherentes con el modelo bifactorial propuesto por los autores del instrumento, la dimensión Internalización da cuenta de los problemas ansioso-depresivos, quejas somáticas y retraimiento en los niños/as y la Externalización, de los aspectos atencionales y la conducta agresiva. Se concluye que el CBCL 1½-5 es un instrumento válido y confiable para ser aplicado a la realidad nacional, permitiendo ser utilizado para obtener indicadores de diversos trastornos de salud mental en la temprana infancia y edad preescolar.

Prevalence studies in infant and preschool mental health have been scarce and insufficient. Considering the ample neurobiological, psychological, economical and social evidence that has demonstrated that intervening in early years may be a highly effective strategy for lowering the rates of mental health problems, is urgent to find prevalence data about early emotional and behavioral problems. To validate an instrument called Child Behavior Checklist for ages 1.5-5 (CBCL 1-5-5). The study was made through a process with expert judges, and subsequently, reliability and validation results were obtained in a sample of 418 children from Region Metropolitana. Data from a Chilean sample confirmed the bi-factorial model originally proposed by the authors who create the instrument. Internalizing dimension account for anxious-depression symptoms', somatic complaints, and withdrawal in children, and Externalizing dimension account for atentional and behavioral problems. The CBCL 1.5-5 is a valid and reliable instrument and can be apply to Chilean reality, obtaining good signs of emotional and behavioral problems in infancy and preschool ages.