Optimization of spark plasma sintered titania for potential application as a keratoprosthesis skirt.

The manufacture of mechanically strong and biocompatible titania (TiO ) materials is of vital importance for their application as corneal implant skirts. This study was aimed at optimizing the selection of raw powder and sintering conditions for TiO ceramics. TiO compacts were synthesized from five raw powders, denoted as Altair, Inframat, Alfa, Materion, and Amperit, respectively, by spark plasma sintering using different sintering parameters.

Evaluation of a Micro-Optical Coherence Tomography for the Corneal Endothelium in an Animal Model.

Recent developments in optical coherence tomography (OCT) systems for the cornea have limited resolution or acquisition speed. In this study we aim to evaluate the use of a 'micro-OCT' (μOCT ~1 μm axial resolution) compared to existing imaging modalities using animal models of corneal endothelial disease. We used established cryoinjury and bullous keratopathy models in Sprague Dawley rats comparing ex vivo μOCT imaging in normal and diseased eyes to (1) histology; (2) in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM); and (3) scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Prophylactic Vancomycin Drops Reduce the Severity of Early Bacterial Keratitis in Keratoprosthesis.

Background: Artificial cornea transplantation, keratoprosthesis, improves vision for patients at high risk of failure with human cadaveric cornea. However, post-operative infection can cause visual loss and implant extrusion in 3.2-17% of eyes.

A new class of pluripotent stem cell cytotoxic small molecules.

A major concern in Pluripotent Stem Cell (PSC)-derived cell replacement therapy is the risk of teratoma formation from contaminating undifferentiated cells. Removal of undifferentiated cells from differentiated cultures is an essential step before PSC-based cell therapies can be safely deployed in a clinical setting. We report a group of novel small molecules that are cytotoxic to PSCs.