THE TEACHING ABOUT THE CARE OF THE ELDERLY IN NURSING TRAINING: THE SITUATION IN PORTUGAL

This paper aims to look at the teaching situation of the nursing undergraduate degree’s courses about eldercare in Portugal. A documentary research on the teaching programs in 39 nursing schools, 26 schools presented syllabus units related to the topic ‘eldercare’ and in eight of these schools the contents of the units were identified. Using textual analysis and from the categories we concluded that the teaching regarding eldercare for the nurse training in Portugal is focused on hospital care; it is directed to the adult/elderly/family; it explores the definitions related to the aging process; it explores community issues, legislation and research. People responsible for the design/monitoring of teaching programs should include teaching regarding eldercare in the nurse training, considering that the elder population is increasing in Portugal.

Evaluation of different postharvest conditions to preserve the amount of bioactive compounds, physicochemical quality parameters and sensory attributes of ‘Sweetheart’ cherries.

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) ‘Sweetheart’ were harvested at different production regions from Portugal (Cova da Beira and Portalegre) and Spain (Valle de Jerte). Cherries were harvested at their commercial maturation according to the empirical knowledge of external color corresponding to good quality. Fruits were stored and evaluated in order to study their quality on the harvest day and during a period of 21 days, at cold storage (1 ºC, 95% RH). The sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’ is a well-known variety and a highly appreciated one but fruits present a short shelf life. On the other hand the effect of different “terroir” on cherry characteristics should be known and clarified. Fruits from day 0, considered without storage, were kept at 20ºC and analyzed. Every weak, 3 replicas were randomly picked up and 10 fruits from each one were submitted to several analyses after fruit temperature stabilized at 20ºC. Several quality parameters were evaluated: external colour (L*, a*, b*), texture, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and the ratio between soluble solid contents (SSC) and tritratable acidity (TA). Fruits from different orchards and locations were significantly different according to these parameters. Fruits from Cova da Beira were less firm comparing with other two regions, Valle de Jerte and Portalegre, which may indicate a higher maturation rate at harvest in those fruits. This is in accordance with SSC/titratable acidity rate suggesting a late harvest in Cova da Beira comparing with other two orchards, however fruits from Cova da Beira exhibit a poor color at harvest. These results clearly showed a lower correlation between SSC and firmness considering fruits origin.

Quality of cherry ‘Sweetheart’ from different regions of Portugal and Spain (Cova da Beira, Portalegre and Valle del Jerte).

Sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) ‘Sweetheart’ were harvested at different production regions from Portugal (Cova da Beira and Portalegre) and Spain (Valle de Jerte). Cherries were harvested at their commercial maturation according to the empirical knowledge of external color corresponding to good quality. Fruits were stored and evaluated in order to study their quality on the harvest day and during a period of 21 days, at cold storage (1 ºC, 95% RH). The sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’ is a well known variety and a highly appreciated one but fruits present a short shelf life. On the other hand the effect of different “terroir” on cherry characteristics should be known and clarified. Fruits from day 0, considered without storage, were kept at 20ºC and analyzed. Every weak, 3 replicas were randomly picked up and 10 fruits from each one were submitted to several analyses after fruit temperature stabilized at 20ºC. Several quality parameters were evaluated: external color (L*, a*, b*), texture, soluble solids content (SSC), titratable acidity (TA) and the ratio between soluble solid contents (SSC) and tritratable acidity (TA). Fruits from different orchards and locations were significantly different according to these parameters. Fruits from Cova da Beira were less firm comparing with other two regions, Valle de Jerte and Portalegre, which may indicate a higher maturation rate at harvest in those fruits. This is in accordance with SSC/titratable acidity rate suggesting a late harvest in Cova da Beira comparing with other two orchards, however fruits from Cova da Beira exhibit a poor color at harvest. These results clearly showed a lower correlation between SSC and firmness considering fruits origin.

QUALITY OF 'SWEETHEART' CHERRY UNDER DIFFERENT STORAGE CONDITIONS

Abstract: In Portalegre, Portugal, sweet cherry production is very important to the region’s economic sustainability. The sweet cherry ‘Sweetheart’ has exhibited short shelf life in spite of being highly appreciated by consumers due to its organoleptic characteristics. In this trial, we evaluated fruit quality of ‘Sweetheart’ stored under different storage conditions: 1) cold conditions (1ºC and high humidity 95%), 2) cold conditions and polypropylene film bags (MA), and 3) controlled atmosphere (CA) (1°C, 95% humidity, 10% CO2 and 8% O2). Fruit physical and chemical parameters were evaluated after 0, 6, 13, 20 and 27 days of cold storage. Quality parameters tested included weight loss, external colour (L* a* b*), visual assessment of the epidermis, epidermis and mesocarp penetration test, soluble solids content (SSC), and titratable acidity (TA). We also performed sensory analyses. The results for textural properties, colour coordinates and sensory analysis suggest that ‘Sweetheart’ fruit can be stored under cold conditions, 1°C, 95% humidity, for up to 21 days without significant loss of quality. Controlled atmosphere maintained tissue turgidity during storage; however, this was not noticed by the panelists, who consistently classified fruits stored under CA conditions with lower overall ratings than fruits under cold conditions with or without film bags.

Genetic diversity of Bursaphelenchus cocophilus in South America

Molecular characterisation of Bursaphelenchus cocophilus, the causal agent of ‘red ring disease’, is imperative for efficient identification procedures in Brazil and Colombia, because quarantine species such as B. xylophilus and B. mucronatus are already listed in both countries. ITS-1/2 region and D2-D3 segment of LSU rDNA were used to characterise isolates of B. cocophilus obtained from coconut plantations in Brazil and Colombia. Results from ITS-1/2 and LSU rDNA regions showed that all isolates of B. cocophilus from Brazil and Colombia formed a monophyletic group. The LSU rDNA region indicated that all isolates formed a single monophyletic group with high Bayesian posterior probability (100%). This is the first study on ITS-1/2 for the characterisation of B. cocophilus populations. A species-specific primer was designed for identification of B. cocophilus.