Qiuping Liu¹, Guanbin Song^1,*

Molecular & Cellular Biomechanics, Vol.16, Suppl.2, pp. 127-127, 2019, DOI:10.32604/mcb.2019.07105

Abstract Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most prevalent and lethal malignancies worldwide. Increased matrix stiffness of extracellular matrix (ECM) is commonly associated with HCC. During tumour formation and expansion, increasing glucose metabolism is necessary for unrestricted growth of tumour cells. Yet, the correlation between matrix stiffness and glucose metabolism in the development of HCC remains unknown. In this study, we aim to investigate the effect of matrix stiffness on glucose metabolism and migration of MHCC97L and HepG2 hepatoma cells, and explore the mechanotransduction involved in this process. Polyacrylamide hydrogels with stiffness gradients of 6, 25, 54 kPa were produced… More >

A. Ivdre^1*, G.D. Soto², U. Cabulis¹

Journal of Renewable Materials, Vol.4, No.4, pp. 285-293, 2016, DOI:10.7569/JRM.2016.634122

Abstract This study presents the synthesis of novel polyols made from tall oil (TO) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with different TO/PET molar ratios. Rigid polyurethane foams based on these synthesized polyols were obtained and characterized to evaluate polyols’ suitability for the development of light materials with insulating properties. The effect of TO/PET molar ratios on the physical, morphological and mechanical properties of the obtained foams, as well as their thermal insulation characteristics, were evaluated. Increasing amounts of PET in polyurethane foams resulted in higher compression strength and closed cell content, while water absorption was not affected. Results indicated that certain TO/PET… More >