Threespine stickleback do not use social cues to learn about predation risk.

Animals can use a variety of sources of information to learn about local predation threats, including the behavior of conspecifics. Socially-acquired information about predation risk has been demonstrated in a variety of fish species, so the phenomenon is likely taxonomically widespread. Threespine stickleback fish are a geographically widespread species that encounters a variety of native and introduced predators throughout its range; as such, learning to recognize predators may be an important component of survival. We assessed whether laboratory-bred, predator-naïve stickleback could learn to fear the odor of a live rainbow trout by first observing videos of conspecifics exhibiting antipredator responses in the presence of trout odor. We found that this is not the case: following one conditioning trial in which trout odor was paired with videos of frightened conspecifics, stickleback did not exhibit an increase in antipredator behavior (e.g., a decrease in activity or an increase in hiding) in the presence of trout odor. Although there is evidence that stickleback use social information to find foraging patches, it does not appear that they do the same to learn about predation threat, at least in the context of our experimental conditions.

Pseudomyxoma Peritonei: A Case Report of a 62-Year-Old Female With Unexplained Abdominal Enlargement and Appendiceal Origin.

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is any mucin-producing tumor in the abdomen. If left untreated, it can compress vital abdominal organs. We describe a misleading presentation of disseminated peritoneal adenomucinosis (DPAM) of appendiceal origin. Treatment strategies for PMP vary from watchful waiting to cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) or early postoperative intraperitoneal chemotherapy (EPIC). The rarity of PMP has precluded any randomized studies, and few institutions see sufficient cases to report a series. The purpose of this case report is to contribute to reaching a common consensus on the guidelines of pseudomyxoma peritonei. Recent studies support that cytoreduction followed by HIPEC improves survival in patients with peritoneal carcinomatosis of colorectal origin. Our case report introduced a patient with low-grade appendiceal mucinous neoplasm with visceral peritoneal penetration who underwent surgical debulking with promising results that supports the practice. Our patient has also responded well to adjuvant systemic chemotherapy without hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy.