This book is a printed edition of the Special Issue "Dendrimers: A Themed Issue in Honor of Professor Donald A. Tomalia on the Occasion of His 80th Birthday" that was published in Molecules

Dendrimers have firmly established their space in the macromolecular field since their first discovery in 1978. These monodispersed and hyperbranched macromolecules present unique properties with demonstrated potential in varied scientific disciplines. Dr. Donald A Tomalia is one of the pioneers in this area whose name is synonym for polyamidoamine (PAMAM) dendrimers, one of the most extensively investigated macromolecular architectures. In this monograph, his colleagues and friends celebrate Don's achievements and contributions to the field, on the occasion of his 80th birthday in 2018, which also coincides with the 40th anniversary of the first report on dendrimers. It provides the reader with excellent reviews on different aspects of dendritic architectures, followed by research articles that explore the state-of-the-art in synthesis, properties and varied applications, including in biology. Collectively, it provides scientists just beginning their careers, as well as firmly established ones, with the pulse of the field and inspiration to continue to explore these intriguing macromolecules.

Polymers in Organic Electronics: Polymer Selection for Electronic, Mechatronic, and Optoelectronic Systems provides readers with vital data, guidelines, and techniques for optimally designing organic electronic systems using novel polymers. The book classifies polymer families, types, complexes, composites, nanocomposites, compounds, and small molecules while also providing an introduction to the fundamental principles of polymers and electronics. Features information on concepts and optimized types of electronics and a classification system of electronic polymers, including piezoelectric and pyroelectric, optoelectronic, mechatronic, organic electronic complexes, and more. The book is designed to help readers select the optimized material for structuring their organic electronic system.Chapters discuss the most common properties of electronic polymers, methods of optimization, and polymeric-structured printed circuit boards. The polymeric structures of optoelectronics and photonics are covered and the book concludes with a chapter emphasizing the importance of polymeric structures for packaging of electronic devices. - Provides key identifying details on a range of polymers, micro-polymers, nano-polymers, resins, hydrocarbons, and oligomers - Covers the most common electrical, electronic, and optical properties of electronic polymers - Describes the underlying theories on the mechanics of polymer conductivity - Discusses polymeric structured printed circuit boards, including their rapid prototyping and optimizing their polymeric structures - Shows optimization methods for both polymeric structures of organic active electronic components and organic passive electronic components

With chapters from highly skilled, experienced, and renowned scientists and researchers from around the globe, Dendrimers for Drug Delivery provides an abundance of information on dendrimers and their applications in the field of drug delivery. The volume begins with an introduction to dendrimers, summarizing dendrimer applications and the striking features of dendrimers. It goes on to present the details of usual properties, structure, classification, and methods of synthesis, with relevant examples. The toxicity of dendrimers is also discussed. The chapter authors provide an exhaustive amount of information about dendrimers and their biomedical applications, including biocompatibility and toxicity aspects, a very useful feature. This informative volume will be valuable resource that will help readers to create products derived from dendrimers and navigate through the regulatory, manufacturing, and quality control hurdles. It will be an important resource for researchers, scientists, upper-level students, and industry professionals.

The dendrimer is a common name of polymers which are characterised by a specific structure, although their chemical composition can be very different. Dendrimers display several characteristics which distinguish them from linear polymers. All dendrimers are synthesised by attaching branched monomers to the central core molecule. Monomers are attached layer by layer. As a result of such a synthesis, dendrimers posses plenty of terminal, reactive groups on their surface and empty internal cavities. Both of these features can be utilised. Soon after the first synthesis in mid-1980's, dendrimers have become interesting and promising molecules for pharmaceutical and technical aims. The last years brought many new facts about dendrimers impact on biological systems. Both, general toxic studies, as well as detailed research devoted to particular cellular compounds, as DNA or lipid bilayer, were carried out. New types of dendrimers were synthesised and new applications appeared.

Dendrimers, which are hyperbranched synthetic macromolecules, have attracted researchers’ increasing interest over the last three decades owing to their numerous properties, in particular, in the fields of biology and nanomedicine. This book is an up-to-date collection of the most recent achievements in the use of dendrimers in nanomedicine, exemplified by phosphorus-containing dendrimers. Starting with the synthesis and characterization of phosphorus dendrimers, the book discusses their use as biomaterials, carriers of biological entities, and anti-inflammatory drugs; in bioimaging; and against prion diseases, Alzheimer’s, HIV, and cancer. It compares phosphorus dendrimers with other types of dendrimers. Supplemented with numerous references and abundant illustrations, the book opens new perspectives for the researchers working on dendrimers.

General Biophysics, Volume I deals with the theoretical physics underlying biological phenomena and presents some pertinent experimental results. It explores the molecular foundations of biophysics, the thermodynamics of nonequilibrium systems and membrane transport, nerve impulses, and mechanochemical processes. Comprised of five chapters, this volume begins with an overview of molecular biophysics and the concept of molecular recognition, followed by a discussion of the interaction between antibodies and antigens, the primary processes that determine odor reception, and the importance of intercellular interactions in the existence and development of multicellular organisms. The next chapters explain how protein biosynthesis is regulated by molecules and how proteins are biosynthesized in eukaryotic cells, along with the application of thermodynamics to the analysis of biophysical problems and the coupling of chemical reactions near equilibrium. The reader is also introduced to the stability conditions of a steady state, the concept of entropy for an open system, the thermodynamics of the sodium pump, ionic equilibrium between sodium and potassium solutions separated by an active membrane, the conformational properties of membranes, and the general phenomenological theory of facilitated transport and the role of the carriers. The book concludes with a chapter on biological mechanochemical processes and their thermodynamics. This book is a valuable resource for physicists and biophysicists, graduate and postgraduate students having the necessary knowledge of physics, and anyone acquainted with proteins and nucleic acids.