After being harvested, cacao beans are usually subjected to very complex processes in order to improve their chemical and physical characteristics, like tastefulness with chocolate characteristic flavors. The traditional process consists of three major processing stages: fermentation, drying, and roasting, while most of the fermentation is carried out by an on-farm in-box process. In Taiwan, we have two major cocoa beans, the red and the yellow.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAccurate data describing the geographic distribution of specific species form the basis for effective conservation management policies. However, for most species the freely available distributional information is usually confined to either expert maps or purely theoretical maps constructed by using a variety of modeling frameworks. These maps usually do not provide enough resolution for conservation applications or do not accurately describe the current distribution status.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFReviews of imaging studies assessing the brain effects of vascular risk factors typically include a substantial number of studies with subjects with a history of symptomatic cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease and/or events, limiting our ability to disentangle the primary brain effects of vascular risk factors from those of resulting brain and cardiac damage. The objective of this study was to perform a systematic review of brain changes from imaging studies in patients with vascular risk factors but without clinically manifest cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease or events. The 77 studies included in this review demonstrate that in persons without symptomatic cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, or peripheral vascular disease, the vascular risk factors of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, obesity, hyperlipidemia, and smoking are all independently associated with brain imaging changes before the clinical manifestation of cardiovascular or cerebrovascular disease.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAustralas J Dermatol
February 2009
Due to its particularly lethal nature and tendency to affect relatively young individuals, the timely diagnosis of melanoma remains of paramount importance for clinicians and their patients. Unfortunately, melanomas can mimic benign lesions that are overwhelmingly more common in the population than are melanomas, and misdiagnosis or delay in diagnosis of melanoma can occur. Misdiagnosis of melanoma serves as one of the most common causes for malpractice litigation brought against medical practitioners.
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