Specialist Periodical Reports provide systematic and detailed review coverage of progress in the major areas of chemical research. Written by experts in their specialist fields the series creates a unique service for the active research chemist, supplying regular critical in-depth accounts of progress in particular areas of chemistry. For over 80 years the Royal Society of Chemistry and its predecessor, the Chemical Society, have been publishing reports charting developments in chemistry, which originally took the form of Annual Reports. However, by 1967 the whole spectrum of chemistry could no longer be contained within one volume and the series Specialist Periodical Reports was born. The Annual Reports themselves still existed but were divided into two, and subsequently three, volumes covering Inorganic, Organic and Physical Chemistry. For more general coverage of the highlights in chemistry they remain a 'must'. Since that time the SPR series has altered according to the fluctuating degree of activity in various fields of chemistry. Some titles have remained unchanged, while others have altered their emphasis along with their titles; some have been combined under a new name whereas others have had to be discontinued. The current list of Specialist Periodical Reports can be seen on the inside flap of this volume.

Biodegradable, polymer-based systems are playing an increasingly pivotal role in tissue engineering replacement and regeneration. This type of biology-driven materials science is slated to be one of the key research areas of the 21st century. The following aspects are crucial: the development of adequate human cell culture to produce the tissues in adequate polymer scaffold materials; the development of culture technology with which human tissues can be grown ex-vivo in 3D polymer matrices; the development of material technology for producing the degradable, 3D matrices, having mechanical properties similar to natural tissue. In addressing these and similar problems, the book contains chapters on biodegradable polymers, polymeric biomaterials, surface modification for controlling cell-material interactions, scaffold design and processing, biomimetic coatings, biocompatibility evaluation, tissue engineering constructs, cell isolation, characterisation and culture, and controlled release of bioactive agents.

Following on from Advances in BioChirality, Progress in Biological Chirality provides a unique summary and review of the most recent developments in the field of biochirality. Living organisms use only one enantiomer of chiral molecules in the majority of biologically important processes. The exact origin and mechanisms for this surprising selectivity are not yet known. This book discusses current research aimed at identifying the scientific reasons that may contribute to this phenomenon. Progress in Biological Chirality takes an interdisciplinary approach to this exciting field, covering a wide range of topics, such as, theory, palaeontology and food technology, to name but a few. This book presents findings via a broad spectrum of scientific approaches making it an excellent overview of Biological Chirality, suitable for postgraduate students, practitioners and researchers in the field of chemistry, biochemistry, biology, palaeontology, and food science with an interest in Chirality. - This book contains 32 chapters written by Authors, who are leading authorities in the field - Presents the most recent research taking place in this highly challenging field - Contains both reference material for the specialist and provides an overview for those who are interested in the fundamental problems of biology and chemistry

There are a number of methods used to synthetically prepare biopolymers, their models, and bioanalogous polymers. This work approaches the syntheses of the three major groups of biopolymers existing in nature - polypeptides, polysaccharides, and nucleic and teichoic acids - by ring-opening polymerization. Until now, this method has never been reviewed uniformly for these three groups. The majority of models prepared by ring-opening polymerization can not reach the complexity of the actual biological molecules. However, a better understanding of these biopolymers will aid in the use of such molecules in several fields of application in research and other high technologies, where they mimic functions of related biopolymers in living organisms.

Providing a range of information on polymers and polymerization techniques, this text covers the gamut of polymer science from synthesis, structure and properties to function and applications. It analyzes speciality polymers, including acrylics, fluoropolymers, polysiplanes, polyphosphazenes, and inorganic and conducting polymers. The book examines the stereochemistry of polymerization and the stereoregularity of polymers.