In this work, oil obtained from seeds of different red grape varieties, grown in the Autonomous Regions of Castilla-La Mancha and Murcia (Spain), was characterized by determining physicochemical and sensory quality parameters, stability, and the composition in fatty acids and sterols. The physicochemical quality parameters (free acidity, peroxide index, K 270 and wax) scored high (meaning low quality) compared with virgin olive oils, while the negative sensory attributes stood out over the positive ones. Therefore, the oil was not considered suitable for table use without undergoing a refining process. The samples showed high linoleic and low linolenic acid contents, while b-sitosterol was the main sterol found. Drying grape seeds with hot air before extraction gave higher physicochemical quality, total phenolic content and stability, and lower wax content in comparison to air-drying of seeds. The drying process affected the sterol composition but not the fatty acid composition.

Rice plants accumulate high quantities of Cd and Ni when grown for 10 days in a medium containing these heavy metals. Accompanying Cd and Ni uptake, a decrease in shoot and root length was observed, though dry matter accumulation was not affected accordingly. Metal treatments also induced a decrease in K, Ca and Mg contents in the plants, particularly in the shoots, indicating that Cd and Ni interfered not only with nutrient uptake but also with nutrient distribution into the different plant parts. Addition of abscisic acid (ABA) or gibberellic acid (GA,) to the external solution could not overcome the depressing effects of the metals on nutrient acquisition, and even induced a further decrease of Ca content in Ni-treated plants. Both hormones also reduced, significantly, heavy metal incorporation into the plants. Additionally, hormonal applications affected the transport of Cd and Ni to the shoots, resulting in a higher percentage of the metals taken up remaining in the roots.

Humans have made such dramatic and permanent changes to Earth's landscapes that much of it is now substantially and irreversibly altered from its preanthropogenic state. Remote islands, until recently isolated from humans, offer insights into how these landscapes evolved in response to human-induced perturbations. However, little is known about when and how remote systems were colonized because archaeological data and historical records are scarce and incomplete. Here, we use a multiproxy approach to reconstruct the initial colonization and subsequent environmental impacts on the Azores Archipelago. Our reconstructions provide unambiguous evidence for widespread human disturbance of this archipelago starting between 700-60+50 and 850-60+60 Common Era (CE), ca. 700 y earlier than historical records suggest the onset of Portuguese settlement of the islands. Settlement proceeded in three phases, during which human pressure on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems grew steadily (i.e., through livestock introductions, logging, and fire), resulting in irreversible changes. Our climate models suggest that the initial colonization at the end of the early Middle Ages (500 to 900 CE) occurred in conjunction with anomalous northeasterly winds and warmer Northern Hemisphere temperatures. These climate conditions likely inhibited exploration from southern Europe and facilitated human settlers from the northeast Atlantic. These results are consistent with recent archaeological and genetic data suggesting that the Norse were most likely the earliest settlers on the islands.

The surpluses of the wine industry that originate from wine production in the European countries must be reduced. Green harvesting, consisting in collecting the grapes when they are still green, could contribute to the reduction of the yield of vineyards. The green grapes are not suitable for wine production, but they can be used for seed oil extraction. Grape seed oil is a linoleic acid rich oil that has been suggested as an alternative to traditional vegetable edible oils. In this work, grape samples were collected at different stages during berry development for seed oil extraction. The grapes collected at a very early stage showed a very low oil extraction yield compared with that of the samples collected at later stages. The oil from the grapes collected at an early stage had considerably higher sterols content and had a significantly different fatty acid composition compared with those of the oil extracted from grapes collected at later stages. However, the oil samples from grapes collected before veraison did not show significant differences with samples collected after veraison as regards oil extraction yield, fatty acids composition, and total sterol content and composition. Our data suggest that grapes collected from green harvesting near veraison could be suitable for seed oil extraction, with characteristics similar to those of the oil extracted from the seeds of mature grapes.