PATERN 16.09.96         

PATERN is a computer program for the calculation of paternity 
probabilities from multilocus DNA profiles. An appropriate 
reference to the mathematical model employed is 

     Krawczak M, Bockel B (1992) A genetic factor model for the
     statistical analysis of multilocus DNA fingerprints.
     Electrophoresis 13: 10-17.

Once the program has been started and the major layout has appeared 
on the screen, various options are available. These options are 
activated by hitting the corresponding keys, as indicated in brackets. 
For example, <Q>uit means that, after hitting either the q-key or 
the Q-key, the show is over. 

Options

<E>dit pattern - Enter and edit the frequency of the position-wise
     DNA fingerprint patterns. The window for editing is moved up
     and down using the cursor keys. Within the window, the cursor
     is moved left or right using the cursor keys as well. Type
     ^X to finish editing (i.e. press <CTRL> or <STRG> and X-key 
     simultaneously). Likelihoods and paternity probabilities will
     be updated automatically.

     Usually, the total number of gel positions analyzed is determined
     automatically as the sum of the frequencies of the eight possible 
     DNA fingerprint patterns. However, when the program is started 
     using option S, i.e. when
				patern s
     is entered at the DOS prompt, the total number of gel positions 
     can be edited. Then, the number of '---' patterns is calculated
     automatically. Inconsistencies are eliminated in that the number 
     of '---' patterns is set equal to zero, and the total number of 
     gel positions is determined as the sum of the frequencies of 
     the remaining seven patterns.

     If the program is started using option A, i.e. entering
				patern a
     from DOS, then neither the number of '---'  patterns nor the
     total number of positions can be edited. In this case, the
     bandsharing between mother and putative father is determined
     from patterns including at least one '+', and the number of 
     '---' is chosen such that the bandsharing rate equals the 
     probability of appearence of a band (see below). The latter
     can not be edited. 

<A>ppearence prob. - Enter or estimate the probability of appearence
     of a band at a single gel position (i.e. the band sharing 
     probability). This figure can either be estimated from the maternal 
     and paternal DNA fingerprints (<S>), or can be entered and edited 
     manually (<E>). 

<M>utation prob. - Enter or edit the mutation probability (i.e.
     the probability of observing an offspring band at a position where 
     a band is lacking in both parental fingerprints). The default value 
     is 0.001 which represents a good estimate for a variety of typing 
     systems in humans.

     Paternity probabilities of 0.00000% or 100.00000% are due to
     the fixed decimal format (maximum = 5 digits). The precise 
     probability can be computed from the LOG10(LIKELIHOOD-RATIO) (LR) 
     using the following formula:

			     P x 10^LR
	       W = 100 x -----------------
			 P x 10^LR + (1-P)

     where P is the prior probability of paternity.

Best wishes
MK