Chronic and acute wounds can be quickly contaminated and infected by microorganisms such as bacteria, multi-resistant organisms or fungi. The introduction of silver as anti-microbial agent into wound management has widely been demonstrated to be effective and contribute to wound healing. As a consequence, many approaches and different materials have been employed to synthesize antibacterial silver-hydrogels. In this work the introduction of silver particles into the fibrillar structure of self-assembling aromatic di-phenylalanine derivatives modified with aromatic groups such as 9-fluorenylmethoxycarbonyl is proposed to produce antibacterial wound dressings. Hydrogels doped with increasing amounts of silver were tested and adopted to modify flax textiles. The influence of silver on the structure of hydrogels was studied using light and confocal microscopy, while SEM-EDX allowed the characterization of the hydrogel coating on the surface of the textile substrates as well as the identification and distribution of silver nanoparticles. The antibacterial potential of the treated flax was demonstrated through microbiological tests on Staphylococcus aureus. The combination of the physico-chemical and anti-bacterial properties, together with the ease of preparation of these biomaterials, fulfils the requirement of clinically-effective wound dressings.

While intraocular lenses (IOL) are used to restore visual acuity in cataract patients, they are limited in their development as no clinically available lens can effectively mimic the accommodative function of the eye's natural lens. The optoelectronic properties of 2D transition metal carbides and/or nitrides (MXenes), including high electronic conductivity, optical transparency, flexibility, biocompatibility, and hydrophilicity, suggest potential use within an accommodating IOL. This study investigates the use of Ti 3 C 2 T x (MXene) as a transparent, conductive electrode to allow changes in optical power. Ti 3 C 2 T x is synthesized and spin-coated on hydrophobic acrylate IOLs, achieving a sheet resistance ranging from 0.2-1.0 kΩ sq −1 with 50-80% transmittance in the visible region. Human lens epithelial and monocytic cells show no cytotoxic nor inflammatory response to the coated lenses. An adjustable focus test cell is fabricated using a liquid crystal (LC) layer sandwiched between Ti 3 C 2 T x coatings on a solid support. Molecular reorientation of the LC layer, through an applied electric field, results in changes in optical power as objects viewed through the test cell appeared in and out of focus. This study is the first step toward the use of Ti 3 C 2 T x within an accommodative IOL design through demonstration of reversible, controlled, adjustable focus.

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Posterior capsule opacification (PCO) is the most common complication arising from the corrective surgery used to treat cataract patients. PCO arises when lens epithelial cells (LEC) residing in the capsular bag post-surgery undergo hyper-proliferation and transdifferentiation into myofibroblasts, migrating from the posterior capsule over the visual axis of the newly implanted intraocular lens (IOL). The developmental pathways underlying PCO are yet to be fully understood and the current literature is contradictory regarding the impact of the recognised risk factors of PCO. The aim of this review is firstly to collate the known biochemical pathways that lead to PCO development, providing an up-to-date chronological overview from surgery to established PCO formation. Secondly, the risk factors of PCO are evaluated, focussing on the impact of IOLs’ properties. Finally, the latest experimental model designs used in PCO research are discussed to demonstrate the ongoing development of clinical PCO models, the efficacy of newly developed IOL technology, and potential therapeutic interventions. This review will contribute to current PCO literature by presenting an updated overview of the known developmental pathways of PCO, an evaluation of the impact of the risk factors underlying its development, and the latest experimental models used to investigate PCO. Furthermore, the review should provide developmental routes for research into the investigation of potential therapeutic interventions and improvements in IOL design in the aid of preventing PCO for new and existing patients.