Opuntia Microdasys Research Articles

Phytochemical characterization and biological activities evaluation of Opuntia sp. cladodes

The prickly pear is a plant belonging to the Cactaceae family, and it is the best-known species that has gained significant recognition in recent years. Opuntia sp. cladodes have been traditionally utilized as a functional food and in traditional medicine for treating chronic diseases. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and pharmacological activities of cladode extracts from Opuntia microdasys (Cl1) and Opuntia macrorhiza (Cl2), as well as to identify their phytochemical compounds. The chemical composition of the cladode extracts was analyzed using spectrophotometric methods, while the antioxidant activity was determined through DNA nicking assays. Microdilution assays were employed to assess the antimicrobial activity. Analgesic and anti-inflammatory activities were determined using the acetic acid writhing test in mice and the carrageenan-induced Wistar rat paw edema test. The results revealed that the two extracts of cladodes from Cl1 and Cl2 were characterized by a high phenolic content (58.13 and 44.58 GAE/g of extract, respectively). All the tested extracts exhibited antimicrobial activity against the strains tested, with Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) values ranging from 0.312 to 5 mg/mL and Minimum Bactericidal Concentration (MBC) values ranging from 1.25 to 10 mg/mL. The cladode extracts of Cl1 and Cl2 at a dose of 300 mg/kg showed a dose-dependent inhibition of acetic acid-induced writhing in mice, with respective values of 64.76 % and 61.91 %. The maximum anti-inflammatory activity of all doses of cladode extracts was observed 5 h after carrageenan-induced paw edema, and all tested doses significantly inhibited the induced inflammation.

Volatile compounds and bioactivities properties of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) and Opuntia macrorhiza (Engelm.) seeds

The seeds of Opuntia sp. require additional investigations because they could contain several active molecules. Therefore, the present study analyzed the chemical composition and biological activities of Opuntia microdasys and that of Opuntia macrorhiza using in vitro and in vivo models. The headspace of the powders of the seeds of Opuntia have been analyzed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC–MS). The analgesic activity was assessed using the acetic acid-induced abdominal constriction response on mouse. Chemical analyses showed that the powders of the seeds of O. microdasys and O. macrorhiza were rich in nonanal and camphor. Also, the O. macrorhiza seeds has a high antioxidant activity (EC50 =0.12 mg/ml). The results showed that the ethanolic extracts, at a dose of 200 mg/kg of body weight, caused a significant (P< 0.05) inhibition of the abdominal constriction response (75.17% and 56.22% for O. microdasys and O. microdasys). The microdilution assay revealed that ethanolic extract of O. macrorhiza seeds is more active and could inhibit the growth of almost all the evaluated bacterial and fungal strains, with the minimal bactericidal concentration values (MIC) ranging from 0.039 to 2.50 mg/mL. The overall results highlighted the potential of the tested Opuntia seeds that can be used as a source of bioactive compounds that confer various important biological activities to it, which could imply other pharmacological applications.

Beneficial Effects of Opuntia spp. on Liver Health.

The genus Opuntia spp. includes plants capable of growing in arid, temperate and tropical climates. The vast majority of wild species grow in Mexico, but O. ficus-indica (prickly pear or nopal) is cultivated around the world and it is one of the most studied. This review shows the currently available knowledge concerning the action of O. ficus-indica and other Opuntia species (Opuntia vulgaris, Opuntia robusta, Opuntia streptacantha, Opuntia microdasys, Opuntia dillenii and Opuntia dejecta) on liver health. The available data demonstrate the positive effects of extracts, vinegar, juices or seed oil of the Opuntia genus on the alterations induced in the liver by inadequate feeding patterns or the administration of chemicals. In this regard, the potential beneficial effects of nopal are related to the attenuation of triglyceride accumulation, oxidative stress and/or inflammation. Nevertheless, there is no information concerning the bioactive compound's characterisation in most of these studies; consequently, it is not possible to link the therapeutic effects of these plants to the presence of specific compounds in the nopal extracts. Therefore, further research is needed to confirm if the positive effects observed in animal models are also found in humans, in order to determine whether Opuntia can represent an effective tool to prevent and/or manage hepatic alterations.

Thinking Your Way Through a Difficult Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: Technique for High-Quality Subtotal Cholecystectomy.

Laparoscopic subtotal cholecystectomy (LSC) is a bailout strategy to prevent bile duct injury in difficult gallbladder cases. It is associated with acceptable morbidity that is readily managed with postoperative interventions. Here we share our techniques for LSC. We begin with landmarking, which includes the line of safety, a theoretical line the sulcus of Rouvière and the junction of the cystic and hilar plates. If the fundus can be grasped, then the gallbladder is dissected off the cystic plate using the top-around approach. The gallbladder is then amputated, creating a short cuff of proximal gallbladder. This cuff can be left patent (2A) or cinched close with an ENDOLOOP (Ethicon) if it is small, ideally less than 1 cm (1A). If the fundus cannot be grasped, then an inverted T incision is made on the anterior gallbladder wall. The longitudinal incision is extended toward the fundus, and the transverse incision is extended superiorly along the cystic plate edge. Two "bunny ears" are developed and ultimately resected to excise the anterior gallbladder wall at an oblique angle while leaving the posterior wall intact (2B). If the remaining cuff is small, then it can be sutured closed against the gallbladder back wall (1B). In the setting of extensive bowel adhesion to the anterior gallbladder, we perform a fundectomy, from which we extend two incisions along the cystic plate to open the gallbladder like a clamshell. Our paper describes and illustrates our St Joseph's Health Centre institutional LSC approach and subtype classification (1A, 1B, 2A, and 2B).

Concerned about Climate? You Should be Eating Rabbit

Research Article| November 01 2022 Concerned about Climate? You Should be Eating Rabbit Amy Finley Amy Finley Amy Finley is finishing an MS in food systems at the University of Vermont. A native of San Diego, California, her decision to move to New England was influenced, in part, by climate change. She has worked professionally as a trained chef for more than twenty years, has appeared on several shows on the Food Network and the Cooking Channel, and is the author of the memoir How to Eat a Small Country (Clarkson Potter, 2011). Search for other works by this author on: This Site PubMed Google Scholar Gastronomica (2022) 22 (4): 90–92. https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2022.22.4.90 Views Icon Views Article contents Figures & tables Video Audio Supplementary Data Peer Review Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Cite Icon Cite Search Site Citation Amy Finley; Concerned about Climate? You Should be Eating Rabbit. Gastronomica 1 November 2022; 22 (4): 90–92. doi: https://doi.org/10.1525/gfc.2022.22.4.90 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentGastronomica Search Walking from my car to the front entrance of the Whole Foods, I heard the protestors before I saw them. It was summer 2014, and a small woman wearing bunny ears paced at the front of the crowd, a megaphone gripped in her hand. Scalded by the rays of the strong Southern California sun, her arms and shoulders were turning as pink as the wiggly nose of the white, fluffy rabbit depicted on the protestors’ waving placards—it sat on a dinner plate under the slogan, “Whole Foods is now selling our pets.” That poor woman needs sunscreen, I thought, as I shouldered my shopping bag and prepared to thread the gauntlet. Perhaps unwittingly I gave the woman some sort of look, or maybe she had some sixth sense about why I was at the market in the first place—I don’t know. But as I passed by, she turned her... You do not currently have access to this content.

The Cinematic Selfie: Questioning the Self through Generative Art

This article addresses and questions the magic-mirror phenomenon, popularised by current smartphone selfie and video capture apps. This phenomenon stimulates the illusion of control over the appearance of the face, either through applying semi-automatic soft filters to highlight the face area, to smooth the skin or correct the posture; or through the use of humorous add-ons or distortions, such as bunny ears or anime features, among others. However these results are short-lived, as their publication in social networks is either ephemeral – as a story – or timed to become invisible or irrelevant – in the timeline stream. Cumulatively they leave little margin (if at all) to stimulate a deeper reflection on the subject of (self) identity, and could thus be reduced to an expression of narcissism and consumption rather than a shared, transformative, meaningful practice. The two generative artworks described in this article, on the other hand, seek to guide the visitor beyond the visual magic-mirror through thought-provoking and reflective processes, where face-based audio-visual trance inducing cycles are used to hint at new identities and possibilities, challenging species, race, gender and age. These artworks seek to immerse the visitor, with narrowed awareness of external surroundings and stimuli, with a deepened focus in a synesthetic experience of flow, aiming at an altered perception of the self. If appearance can act as a tool to communicate one’s identity to others, this article ponders the possibility that such a synesthetic environment can be artivistically used to influence the perception of the self.

New record of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff. (Cactaceae) for the flora of Zimbabwe

Recent field work in Zimbabwe yielded new records of an alien species, Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff. (Cactaceae) which is naturalized in central region of the country. This species is native to central, northern and southern America and is commonly used as an ornamental plant in Zimbabwe.

A Nightmare

A Nightmare Talia Neffson (bio) She knew what she'd told Lizzie was true. Head injuries do produce an alarming and seemingly unaccountable amount of blood. Mira had never seen so much blood in her life. When she was done crying, she washed her face in the downstairs half-bath and dried it on a burgundy hand towel with a big S monogrammed on it. She tried to remember if Lizzie had changed her last name. It seemed strange and embarrassing that she couldn't remember. Then she remembered. The living room was strewn with toys, board books, little and big shoes, and fossilized Cheerios, just as it had been every time Mira visited, which wasn't often. The only time she could remember its being visibly tidied was for Little Man's first birthday party. She was surprised that Lizzie hadn't tidied this time, with the other couples coming over, though she wasn't sure if she was surprised in a good way or a bad way. Mira couldn't remember where she'd learned about head injuries bleeding heavily but it made sense—so many blood vessels, and of course from an evolutionary standpoint the priority had to be protecting the all-important brain. She had asked the EMT guy if wounds like this always bleed a lot and he'd said, "Sometimes." Otherwise he'd spoken only to Ben, who had been seated on the floor in front of the sink, holding the wadded-up beach towel against his head. Ben's usual serene manner had seemed transformed by the circumstances into a stunned silence that might've been calm or shock. He'd barely said a word. Mira hadn't seen the exact moment his complexion turned to a brown-tinged, pallid gray from its usual warm, light bronze ("like Lenny Kravitz," said Lizzie, when they'd first started [End Page 489] dating). But it was a noticeable change and almost as unnerving as the blood. There was a name for that color. Taupe? Ecru? It made Mira think of the monochrome del Sarto paintings Marco had tried to convince her to like. "Well, you know I am just a dumb American. I'm probably not sophisticated enough to appreciate it," she'd said. "But you are not dumb," Marco had responded seriously, continuing to examine the painting. "You are a very intelligent woman." Humor, especially sarcasm, had always been a problem with Marco. At first Mira had assumed it was a language problem. Later she realized it was not just a language problem. Three years and eight months. Lizzie refused to refer to him as anything other than "that fucking Italian." They'd played the name game after dinner while the two couples with the husbands Ben knew from work were still there. Lizzie and Mira's team went first. Lizzie put down the first scrap of paper and, without pausing, pulled her cardigan off the back of her chair, draped it over her shoulders and tied the sleeves in a loose knot at her chest. Then she leaned forward and lifted an imaginary pair of glasses to her forehead, as if scrutinizing something up close. "The chiaroscuro!" she said with a rolling, extravagant accent, "Molto bellissimo! You see?" "That fucking Italian," Mira answered flatly. The other couples laughed the resentful, strained laughter of people witnessing an inside joke from the outside. Lizzie's motion for "Polo" looked more like vacuuming than swinging a mallet from horseback, but Mira still got it. Lizzie looked at the next paper and, again without pausing, said in the same exaggerated Canarsie accent she often used to imitate their mothers, "Imagine you're a deer …" "Marisa Tomei," said Mira. They went on like that until Lizzie picked up a paper that made her pause. She put bunny ears behind her head. "Hugh Hefner?" guessed Mira. "Mel Blanc?" The other couples laughed unrestrainedly. Lizzie huffed, then their time was up. They won anyway. They always won when they paired up for the name game. [End Page 490] Ben had offered to sit the game out so they wouldn't have an uneven number. Then he'd gone upstairs to...

Experimental and theoretical study of density, potential, and current structures of a helium plasma in front of an radio frequency antenna tilted with respect to the magnetic field lines

AbstractPotential and density structures in the vicinity of an radio frequency (RF) electrode/antenna in a magnetized plasma are investigated using an RF‐compensated cylindrical Langmuir probe. These measurements were performed in the ALINE plasma device in which only electrons can be considered well magnetized. Very precise 2‐D maps of the plasma parameters are drawn thanks to a 3‐D automatic manipulator on which the probe is mounted. The effect of the tilted magnetic angle between the RF‐biased surface and the magnetic lines is also studied thanks to a tilting electrode. Comparison of several simplistic models with the experiments proved the reliability of simple Langmuir probe measurements in such an RF and magnetized environment (space potential vs. tilting angle of the antenna with respect to magnetic field lines and recovery of the floating potential structure using measured currents). A fluid model based on total current density and ion diffusion equations over the biased flux tube provides the same density structures in front of the electrode as the measurements. Those density structures display a “bunny ears” shape and can be explained using transverse RF and collisional current behaviour: In front of the antenna, the transverse ion currents deplete the magnetized flux tube, while at the edge of the biased flux tube, the same currents increase the density.

A Novel Divergent Geminivirus Identified in Asymptomatic New World Cactaceae Plants.

Cactaceae comprise a diverse and iconic group of flowering plants which are almost exclusively indigenous to the New World. The wide variety of growth forms found amongst the cacti have led to the trafficking of many species throughout the world as ornamentals. Despite the evolution and physiological properties of these plants having been extensively studied, little research has focused on cactus-associated viral communities. While only single-stranded RNA viruses had ever been reported in cacti, here we report the discovery of cactus-infecting single-stranded DNA viruses. These viruses all apparently belong to a single divergent species of the family Geminiviridae and have been tentatively named Opuntia virus 1 (OpV1). A total of 79 apparently complete OpV1 genomes were recovered from 31 different cactus plants (belonging to 20 different cactus species from both the Cactoideae and Opuntioideae clades) and from nine cactus-feeding cochineal insects (Dactylopius sp.) sampled in the USA and Mexico. These 79 OpV1 genomes all share > 78.4% nucleotide identity with one another and < 64.9% identity with previously characterized geminiviruses. Collectively, the OpV1 genomes display evidence of frequent recombination, with some genomes displaying up to five recombinant regions. In one case, recombinant regions span ~40% of the genome. We demonstrate that an infectious clone of an OpV1 genome can replicate in Nicotiana benthamiana and Opuntia microdasys. In addition to expanding the inventory of viruses that are known to infect cacti, the OpV1 group is so distantly related to other known geminiviruses that it likely represents a new geminivirus genus. It remains to be determined whether, like its cactus hosts, its geographical distribution spans the globe.

Survey the Genetic Diversity of Eight Opuntia Species from Egypt using Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA (RAPD) Technique

Opuntia is a large genus of succulent shrubs characterized by unique attractive flowers known as prickly pears by virtue of their characteristic edible fruits. They are used as laxative, diuretic, antipyretic, and anti-inflammatory. This study aims to authenticate eight different Opuntia species, Opuntia brasilliensis (Willd.) Haw (O1), Opuntia dillenii (ker Gawl.) Haw. (O2), Opuntia dejecta Salm-Dyck (O3), Opuntia ficus indica (L.) Mill. (O4), Opuntia tomentosa Salm-Dyck (O5), Opuntia phaecantha Engelm. (O6), Opuntia leucotricha DC. (O7), Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pleiff. (O8), growing in Egypt by using random amplified polymorphic DNA technique. Accurate identification of the eight Opuntia species is an urgent need to maintain herbal formulations potency and peculiarity. Similarity coefficients of 40.0 - 67.6% classified Opuntia species into two main groups, one of them contains two species and the other one contains six species. Consequently, this technique helps the identification of these Opuntia species showing great morphological similarity.

Lawrence: The Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked by Vern Kousky

Reviewed by: Lawrence: The Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked by Vern Kousky Natalie Berglind Kousky, Vern Lawrence: The Bunny Who Wanted to Be Naked; written and illus. by Vern Kousky. Schwartz & Wade, 2020 [38p] Library ed. ISBN 978-0-525-64666-2 $20.99 Trade ed. ISBN 978-0-525-64665-5 $17.99 E-book ed. ISBN 978-0-525-64667-9 $10.99 Reviewed from galleys R 4-6 yrs Lawrence's mom handcrafts the most elaborate, ridiculous clothes for him to wear every day, from concoctions like "sweater suits" and "ear stockings" to jester-like hats that cover his bunny ears. Unhappy with his forced clothes ("Every other beast gets to go naked. Why can't I?"), Lawrence hatches a plan to give his mother a taste of her own medicine: he sews her equally garish clothing and guilts her into wearing them until she understands his feelings ("Could this be how my darling Lawrence feels every single day?"). The two then combine their sewing skills to make an elaborate kite instead, and frolic in the nude, as bunnies were intended. Kousky's watercolor illustrations provide gentle, natural backdrops in hilarious contrast with Lawrence's and his mother's gaudily patterned clothing; the clothes are not only creative but also genuinely laugh-out-loud funny, and viewers will get a kick out of the various ways that Lawrence and his mother can embarrass each other, intentionally or not. Any kids that feel their guardians have been overbearing in some aspect can use this readaloud as a lens through which to poke a little good-humored fun at them. Copyright © 2019 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Influence of fruit dispersal on genotypic diversity and migration rates of a clonal cactus from the Chihuahuan Desert.

The diverse offspring of clonal species differ in their dispersability, influencing genotypic diversity and clonal structure. Here, we determined dispersal patterns and their impact on genetic structure in Opuntia microdasys, a self‐incompatible cactus with three dispersal units (one sexual and two clonal). We analyzed dispersal, using experiments at three populations, and assessed multilocus genotypes (ISSR markers) of all individuals in 10 clumps per population with known reproductive origin (sexual or clonal). Genotype of all samples, population structure, and migration between clumps and populations were assessed with GenAlEx and GenoDive, assuming higher genotypic diversity and migration when sexual reproduction is more frequent. We determined the most likely number of genetic clusters with STRUCTURE and geneland. Dispersal differed among populations; primary dispersal occurred at short distances and was farthest on steep slopes, and dispersal distance increased after secondary dispersal. Clumps had 116 different multilocus genotypes in three spatially explicit genetic clusters. We detected genetic structure at small scale, genotypic diversity among clumps varied between populations; diversity decreased while clonal dominance increased, and the most variation occurred among clumps. Genetic structure was moderate, suggesting gene flow by seed dispersal allows slight differentiation among population at large scales. Genetic diversity within clumps was the lowest because dispersal of clonal propagules was limited and caused genotypic dominance at local scale. However, the combined dispersal pattern of sexual and clonal dispersal units is fine‐tuned by environmental factors, generating a range of genetic diversity among clusters and populations. This pattern suggests that genetic structure of clonal plants is more dynamic than thought, and dispersal of different types of offspring affects genetic structure at many scales.

Use of new local plant-based coagulants for turbid water treatment

This study was conducted to identify low-cost plant materials as coagulants for water treatment. Four abundantly grown and protein-enriched plant materials (normally used as forage for livestock) were selected as bio coagulants: Medicago sativa, Dolichos lablab, Pennisteum glucum and Opuntia microdasys. Their efficiencies for turbidity removal from laboratory-prepared water were analyzed and compared with the chemical coagulant (alum). The optimum doses for alum, Medicago sativa, Dolichos lablab, Pennisteum glucum and Opuntia microdasys were found out to be 20 mg/L, 50 mg/L, 10 mg/L, 50 mg/L and 40 mg/L, respectively. Optimum pH was 6.5, 5, 6.5, 8.5 and 7, respectively. The maximum coagulation activity observed was 96% for alum and 96%, 99%, 98% and 69% for Medicago sativa, Dolichos lablab, Pennisteum glucum and Opuntia microdasys, respectively. Single-factor analysis of variance showed that pH had more dominant effect on turbidity removal as compared to coagulant dosage. Fourier transform infrared analyses confirmed the presence of protein-specific functional groups including strong and broad 1° and 2° amines, medium aliphatic amines group and Amide I in all bio coagulants responsible for coagulation activity. Through micro-photographic analysis, floc sizes observed for alum, Medicago sativa, Dolichos lablab, Pennisteum glucum and Opuntia microdasys were up to 15 µm, 22 µm, 20–50 µm, 20–40 µm and ≤ 10 µm. The common coagulation mechanism for all coagulants observed was charge neutralization. Among all coagulants, the most economically feasible coagulant was found out to be Pennisteum glucum.

Erosion patterns on a granular bed around a vertical cylinder

We report on two different patterns that can be observed at the bed surface close to a vertical cylinder when submitted to a strong enough steady water flow. The classical scour pattern observed at the cylinder foot and due to the “horseshoe” vortex around occurs at a critical velocity U c 1 below the critical velocity U c 0 for erosion without any cylinder, thus under clear-water conditions. But we observe also another pattern downstream the cylinder which consists of two symmetrical ovoid holes that look like “bunny ears”. This new scour pattern referred as BES can be observed at lower velocities that the horseshoe scour (HSS), above a critical velocity U c 2 c 1 , with a timescale formation much higher that the one of HSS.

Dangerous Dakini: Monet Clark’s Bunny Girl and other Precarious Performance Videos

No images are visible during the opening sequence of Bunny Girl (2016), by California performance/video artist Monet Clark. Instead, Clark provides the most basic of sounds; a steady, syncopated clip-clop and the swish of fabric, sandy and hollow, like a lone Appaloosa trotting up a gulch in a Howard Hawks western. Riding over the black screen are credits, simple and white, and Clark leaves us with these for a beat. Then it's a hard cut to a bright, sunny exterior, the shoulder of a highway in the High Sienas, and we can finally see who's been making all the racket: it's Bunny Girl, teetering down a road, tackled-up in white lingerie, fishnet stockings, pink stiletto heels, the classic bunny drill. But something about Bunny Girl's context is off. Distinct alterations affect her traditional bunny attire: her black fishnets have a rip; her stiletto heels, one size too large, wobble precariously on the gravel of the emergency lane; her trademark bunny ears aren't perky and up-right--they're flopped down, clinging close to her face, reminiscent of those lop-eared bunnies at the Benton County Fair. Like Donny Kerabatsos in The Big Lebowski (1998, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen), this manifestation of Bunny Girl is distinctly out of her element; we're more accustomed to watching her serve cocktails and nuts at the Playboy Mansion, flirting with Jack Nicholson and Bill Cosby, vampy but innocent, a brightly colored bauble on Hugh Hefner's arm, the erotically fabulous but nevertheless submissive girl next door. In this subtle stylistic turn, Clark hijacks the traditional, chauvinist Playboy narrative and alters its setting, hobbling unsteadily down Highway 50 ten miles south of Tahoe, the muscles of her back tightly bunched, cheerfully but anxiously looking over her shoulder as the wheels of semi-trucks and sports cars roar by. Bunny Girl's trademark ears and tail may comprise a hackneyed symbolic system with which we have long grown familiarly contemptuous, but all the familiar contempt in the world doesn't debarb her peril, and from the video's outset we can already sense the moral-ethical imperative of Clark's narrative set-up: what happens to little bunnies who stray too far from Farmer McHeffner's Garden and find themselves caught on this high-speed asphalt patch? [ILLUSTRATION OMITTED] In that sense, Bunny Girl has good reason to be anxious, though she never seems truly scared; it's simply in a bunny's nature to be fidgety. But her journey's just begun, and this isn't the only scene wherein Clark places Bunny Girl played by the artist herself) in a Californian landscape that seems alternately hostile and sublime. As the video progresses, Bunny Girl chambers over fallen pine tree trunks in the Sierras, crosses a salt slick in Death Valley, whirls in a superbloom of primrose and notchleaf phacelia in the Mojave Desert, vamps beside the decommissioned Rancho Seco nuclear power plant, romps with doomed lambs at a Nevada City slaughter farm, trips out beneath a Richard Diebenkorn pastiche of Emeryville cloverlcafs, and ultimately finds herself on a series of broken roads that empty into the coves of the Marin Headlands, where she dances to the crashing surf and end credits. As she briefly and delicately occupies each of these dystopian/utopian tableaus, the colorful, opaque quality of Clark's video is overlaid with found footage, sequences of environmental catastrophes and cultural strife: whales dying, crop-dusters spraying pesticides, protesters waving signs. But somehow; in the foothills of the headlands, she's a different bunny girl. Some of the character development takes place in the decomposition of her couture; zig-zagging dizzily toward the coast, her ensemble becomes increasingly frayed, her ears droop more than ever, and the tattered fishnets billow beneath her ankles. Yet dancing beside the suri' in her ravaged outfit, there is something heroic about Bunny Girl, and while I can't quite label this video an empowerment piece, there's no doubt that Bunny Girl has reached an affective apex of some sort. …

Areolar structure in some Opuntioideae: occurrence of mucilage cells in the leaf-glochid transition forms inOpuntia microdasys(Lhem.) Pfeiff.

One of the most remarkable features of Cactaceae are the areoles, axillary outgrowths, which produce trichomes, spines and leaves. The subfamily Opuntioideae K. Schum. shows the widest diversity of transition forms between leaves and spines, which represents anatomical evidence that spines and glochids are modified leaves. The purpose of this paper is to provide an anatomical description of the areolar structure in four species of Opuntioideae, in order that new anatomical homology between spines/glochids and leaves may be clarified. Different patterns of areole morphology are observed: 1) Austrocylindropuntia subulata (Muehl.) Backeb. showing terete and persistent leaves; areoles with persistent spines, glochids and trichomes; 2) Opuntia monacantha (Willd.) Haw. with terete caducous leaves and persistent spines, glochids and trichomes; 3) Opuntia rufida Engelm. with terete deciduous leaves and areoles with glochids and trichomes; and 4) Opuntia microdasys (Lhem.) Pfeiff. with early caducous leaves and areoles showing trichomes and leaf-spine and leaf-glochid transition forms. The development of the areolar structures is very similar in all species, following the description of the literature for other Cactaceae Juss. In O. microdasys is described a new anatomical character in the family: mucilage cells in the leaf-glochid transition forms, which may have functional importance for water storage in species devoid of persistent leaves.

The Cranky Ballerina by Elise Gravel

Reviewed by: The Cranky Ballerina by Elise Gravel Deborah Stevenson, Editor Gravel, Elise The Cranky Ballerina; written and illus. by Elise Gravel. Tegen/ HarperCollins, 2016 [32p] ISBN 978-0-06-235124-1 $17.99 Reviewed from galleys R 5-8 yrs Picturebookland is full of devoted frilly girls in ballet shoes, but Ada hates everything to do with her Saturday ballet class. When Miss Pointy instructs Ada to pirouette, the result is havoc, and in the chaos Ada tumbles into the hallway, crashing into another teacher. Her victim turns out to be a karate teacher who thinks Ada’s antiballet moves are actually “great karate” and invites Ada to join his class, which is a much better fit for Ada. The plot logic is a little thin, but that’s okay; the point is comedically grumpy Ada’s mismatch with ballet and eventual finding of her niche. Gravel lays out humorously the kid who hates everything about what they’re stuck with (Ada loathes the day, the clothes, the car trip), so even ballet-loving kids will get the gist. Speech balloons offer Ada’s fellow students a chance to comment (“She stinks”), and more importantly give voice to Ada’s stuffed animal/sidekick, a chartreuse blob with bunny ears who functions as Greek chorus and cheering section. The art, Gravel’s usual limited palette with neo-retro tones of cherry, lime, and slate predominating, has both absurdity and solidity, and Ada’s disasters are satisfyingly, slapstickily disastrous, with sound effects and flying dancers pelting around the spread. This may spark ideas in audience members who are grumpily going through the motions of an activity they’d like to escape. Copyright © 2016 The Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois

Bioactivity, proximate, mineral and volatile profiles along the flowering stages of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.): defining potential applications.

Opuntia spp. flowers have been traditionally used for medical purposes, mostly because of their diversity in bioactive molecules with health promoting properties. The proximate, mineral and volatile compound profiles, together with the cytotoxic and antimicrobial properties were characterized in O. microdasys flowers at different maturity stages, revealing several statistically significant differences. O. microdasys stood out mainly for its high contents of dietary fiber, potassium and camphor, and its high activities against HCT15 cells, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus versicolor and Penicillium funiculosum. The vegetative stage showed the highest cytotoxic and antifungal activities, whilst the full flowering stage was particularly active against bacterial species. The complete dataset has been classified by principal component analysis, achieving clearly identifiable groups for each flowering stage, elucidating also the most distinctive features, and comprehensively profiling each of the assayed stages. The results might be useful to define the best flowering stage considering practical application purposes.

Dietary fiber, mineral elements profile and macronutrients composition in different edible parts of Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff and Opuntia macrorhiza (Engelm.)

In this era of functional foods, people constantly seek for new healthier food products with suitable ratios of bioactive components such as fiber and/or mineral elements. The genus Opuntia, commonly known as cactus, has the required characteristics to be considered as a functional food. Opuntia microdasys (Lehm.) Pfeiff and Opuntia macrorhiza (Engelm.), were previously studied for their phytochemical profiles and antioxidant activity, demonstrating their potential applications. Each botanical part showed distinct characteristics, allowing its use for different purposes. Bearing this in mind, this follow-up work was designed to acquire an irreproachable knowledge on the morphological characters, nutritional composition, fiber and mineral elements profiles of the cladodes, pulp and seeds. Most of the parameters were also studied in the juice. Seeds gave the highest contents in micro (Fe: 37–94; Cu: 392–992; Mn: 64–158; Zn: 143–237, in μg/100 g fw) and macroelements (Ca: 76–89; Mg: 5.1–7.3; Na: 8–13; K: 63–176, in mg/100 g fw), nutritional compounds (fat: 6.5–8.5; protein: 2.3–2.9; carbohydrates: 61, in g/100 g fw) and fibers (IDF: 39–40; SDF: 15–26, in g/100 g fw). The acquired knowledge is essential to define suitable dietary guidelines, strengthening Opuntia spp. as a potential functional food.