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Here, the authors introduce readers to solving molecular structure elucidation problems using the expert system ACD/Structure Elucidator. They explain in detail the concepts of the Computer-Assisted Structure Elucidation (CASE) approach and point out the crucial role of understanding the axiomatic nature of the data used to deduce the structure. Aspects covered include the main blocks of the expert system and essential features of the mathematical algorithms used. Graduate and PhD students as well as practicing chemists are provided with a detailed explanation of the various practical approaches depending on available spectral data peculiarities and the complexity of the unknown structure. This is supported by a large number of real-world completed examples, most of which are related to the structure elucidation of natural product molecules containing unusual skeletons. Dedicated software and further supplementary material are available at www.acdlabs.com/TeachingSE.

This text examines in detail mathematical and physical modeling, computational methods and systems for obtaining and analyzing biological structures, using pioneering research cases as examples. As such, it emphasizes programming and problem-solving skills. It provides information on structure bioinformatics at various levels, with individual chapters covering introductory to advanced aspects, from fundamental methods and guidelines on acquiring and analyzing genomics and proteomics sequences, the structures of protein, DNA and RNA, to the basics of physical simulations and methods for conformation searches. This book will be of immense value to researchers and students in the fields of bioinformatics, computational biology and chemistry. Dr. Dongqing Wei is a Professor at the Department of Bioinformatics and Biostatistics, College of Life Science and Biotechnology, Shanghai Jiaotong University, Shanghai, China. His research interest is in the general area of structural bioinformatics.