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Developing visible-light communication (VLC) with easy-to-use circuit modules in order to be integrated with consumer electronics could facilitate VLC technology adopted in more wireless applications for home. The study first implements functions of lighting for reading and data transmitting with a white organic light-emitting diode (OLED) panel. A method to keep the two functions implemented on the same lighting panel from interfering with each other is proposed and investigated. For data transmission, an optical receiver working with the OLED-based data transmitter to organize an optical channel is also proposed with a cost-effective approach based on a mature infrared receiver module. Under the recommended illuminance of 500 lux for reading and office work, home devices can receive codes in 2404 bps with the low-cost and convenient optical channel.

Although the amount of cooking fumes can be estimated based on the output of the piezoelectric transducer, a proper translation from the response of the transducer to the exhaust rate remains to be implemented. In this paper, a smart translation method is used to generate a ventilating signal for the release of cooking fumes based on the output of a piezoelectric transducer. The start and end states of the fume release were computed according to the temporal variation of the output of the piezoelectric transducer, as determined with four successive samples. These detected states were mapped to a 1-bit digital ventilating signal, which then controlled the exhaust fan. Results from a demonstrated range hood system showed that the proposed method enhances the detection of cooking fumes and provides an effective control of the exhaust fan

Ammad Ahmad Farooqi,1 Jen-Yang Tang,2–4 Ruei-Nian Li,5 Muhammad Ismail,1 Yung-Ting Chang,6 Chih-Wen Shu,7 Shyng-Shiou F Yuan,8,9 Jing-Ru Liu,5 Qaisar Mansoor,1 Chih-Jen Huang,2,3,* Hsueh-Wei Chang5,9–11,*1Institute of Biomedical and Genetic Engineering (IBGE), KRL Hospital, Islamabad, Pakistan, 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medicine, 3Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 4Department of Radiation Oncology, Kaohsiung Municipal Ta-Tung Hospital, 5Department of Biomedical Science and Environmental Biology, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan; 6Doctor Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology, National Sun Yat-sen University/Academia Sinica, 7Department of Medical Education and Research, Kaohsiung Veterans General Hospital, 8Translational Research Center, 9Cancer Center, Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital, 10Institute of Medical Science and Technology, National Sun Yat-sen University, 11Research Center of Environmental Medicine, Kaohsiung Medical University, Kaohsiung, Taiwan*These authors contributed equally to this workAbstract: Research concerning the epigenome over the years has systematically and sequentially shown substantial development and we have moved from global inhibition of modifications of the epigenome toward identification and targeted therapy against tumor-specific epigenetic mechanisms. In accordance with this approach, several drugs with epigenetically modulating activity have received considerable attention and appreciation, and recently emerging scientific evidence is uncovering details of their mode of action. High-throughput technologies have considerably improved our existing understanding of tumor suppressors, oncogenes, and signaling pathways that are key drivers of cancer. In this review, we summarize the general epigenetic mechanisms in cancer, including: the post-translational modification of DNA methyltransferase and its mediated inactivation of Ras association domain family 1 isoform A, Sonic hedgehog signaling, Wnt signaling, Notch signaling, transforming growth factor signaling, and natural products with epigenetic modification ability. Moreover, we introduce the importance of nanomedicine for delivery of natural products with modulating ability to epigenetic machinery in cancer cells. Such in-depth and comprehensive knowledge regarding epigenetic dysregulation will be helpful in the upcoming era of molecular genomic pathology for both detection and treatment of cancer. Epigenetic information will also be helpful when nanotherapy is used for epigenetic modification.Keywords: epigenetic, modification, methylation, natural products, cancer

Opening windows is frequently done to refresh the indoor air for the occupants. To maintain the cleanliness and freshness of the indoor air, more outdoor air is needed. But its high temperature and humidity are harmful to the thermal comfort of the indoor environment. Therefore, determining the amount of outdoor air allowed to enter the room is very important for the optimum conditioning of the indoor air. The ASHRAE comfort charts indicate the percentage of subjects feeling comfortable during various combinations of dry-bulb temperature, humidity, and air movement. A set of mathematical expressions were proposed to model the charts in order to calculate the comfort degree of the outdoor air automatically with its temperature and humidity. In this paper, the measurement of temperature and humidity was completed by a self-developed digital method. Besides, the comfort level of the sampled air was also simultaneously determined by this digital method based on the mathematical model of comfort charts. The system implemented based on our method is portable. This will let us make good use of the outdoor air and controll the ventilation machine more effectively.

The exhaust fan in a kitchen range hood is required to generate an adequate suction flow to eliminate the especially high levels of cooking contaminants in Chinese kitchens. Reducing the range hood noise and its power consumption down to an acceptable level is an important issue. In this paper, a low-cost smart range hood system is proposed. A sensitive piezoelectric transducer senses the level of the cooking contaminants and the output regulates the speed of the exhaust fan. Under several cooking conditions, the speed of the exhaust fan, its noise level, and the power consumption were examined. Results showed that the noise level and power consumption can be markedly reduced with the transducer and the control circuit. The average noise level is 65.66 dB and the power consumption 123.97 W, both lower than those of the conventional range hood system, which are 72 dB and 216 W, respectively.

Alternative splicing is a major diversification mechanism in the human transcriptome and proteome. Several diseases, including cancers, have been associated with dysregulation of alternative splicing. Thus, correcting alternative splicing may restore normal cell physiology in patients with these diseases. This paper summarizes several alternative splicing-related diseases, including cancers and their target genes. Since new cancer drugs often target spliceosomes, several clinical drugs and natural products or their synthesized derivatives were analyzed to determine their effects on alternative splicing. Other agents known to have modulating effects on alternative splicing during therapeutic treatment of cancer are also discussed. Several commonly used bioinformatics resources are also summarized.

Long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) function is described in terms of related gene expressions, diseases, and cancers as well as their polymorphisms. Potential modulators of lncRNA function, including clinical drugs, natural products, and derivatives, are discussed, and bioinformatic resources are summarized. The improving knowledge of the lncRNA regulatory network has implications not only in gene expression, diseases, and cancers, but also in the development of lncRNA-based pharmacology.

RNA editing is vital to provide the RNA and protein complexity to regulate the gene expression. Correct RNA editing maintains the cell function and organism development. Imbalance of the RNA editing machinery may lead to diseases and cancers. Recently, RNA editing has been recognized as a target for drug discovery although few studies targeting RNA editing for disease and cancer therapy were reported in the field of natural products. Therefore, RNA editing may be a potential target for therapeutic natural products. In this review, we provide a literature overview of the biological functions of RNA editing on gene expression, diseases, cancers, and drugs. The bioinformatics resources of RNA editing were also summarized.

Betel quid (BQ) products, with or without tobacco, have been classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as group I human carcinogens that are associated with an elevated risk of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMDs) and cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx. There are estimated 600 million BQ users worldwide. In Taiwan alone there are 2 million habitual users (approximately 10% of the population). Oral and pharyngeal cancers result from interactions between genes and environmental factors (BQ exposure). Cytochrome p450 (CYP) families are implicated in the metabolic activation of BQ- and areca nut-specific nitrosamines. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge base regarding CYP genetic variants and related oral disorders. In clinical applications, we focus on cancers of the oral cavity and pharynx and OPMDs associated with CYP gene polymorphisms, including CYP1A1, CYP2A6, CYP2E1, and CYP26B1. Our discussion of CYP polymorphisms provides insight into the importance of screening tests in OPMDs patients for the prevention of oral and pharyngeal cancers. Future studies will establish a strong foundation for the development of chemoprevention strategies, polymorphism-based clinical diagnostic tools (e.g., specific single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) “barcodes”), and effective treatments for BQ-related oral disorders.

Owing to AC LED can be driven directly without any AC to DC converter, the volume and the cost of AC LED can be reduced. Avoiding the power conversion loss, AC LED can have lower energy consumption and higher luminous efficiency than DC LED does. Because of high brightness, low power consumption and long lifetime, LED has been used as a lighting device and is expected to replace the high power-consuming incandescent and fluorescent lamps in the 21th century, in consequence the white light AC LED is a better choice for general illumination in the future. In this study, a white light AC LED smart lighting system equipped with visible light time-division multiplexing optical communication for free space is proposed. In the system, the timing to transmit data is synchronized with the period of the AC power on the wall, in order to keep the transmitted optical signal in an enough level. As a result, the time-division multiplexing optical communication by AC LED lighting is achieved.