The University of Tennessee Research Foundation

US Government as Represented by the Secretary of the Army

Dale V Stansberry

Tse-Wei Wang

John Douglas Birdwell

Jared B Pendleton

Ranajit Chakraborty

David J Icove

Roger Horn

Mark S Rader

J Douglas Birdwell

Sally P Horn

Carl G Sapp

The present invention provides a method of predicting whether an unknown biological specimen originates from a member of a particular family. The method compares DNA profiles from at least one unknown biological specimen to DNA profiles of more than one family member, which significantly increases the methods' predictive ability. In particular, the invention describes a method of comparing test DNA profiles from unknown biological specimens to a family pedigree comprising target DNA profiles obtained from biological specimens of family members. In one embodiment, a modified Elston Stewart algorithm is used to determine a probability that a genetic relationship exists between at least one unknown biological specimen and the family pedigree.

Methods of associating an unknown biological specimen with a family

Three methods of predicting whether an unknown biological specimen of a missing person originates from a member of a particular family comprise an initial automated decision support (ADS) algorithm for determining a list of relatives of the missing person for DNA typing and which typing technologies of available technologies to use for a listed relative. The ADS algorithm may be implemented on computer apparatus including a processor and an associated memory. The ADS method comprises determining a set of relatives of available family member relatives for DNA typing via a processor from a stored list of family member relatives according to one of a rule base, a table of hierarchically stored relatives developed based on discriminatory power or by calculating the discriminatory power for available family relatives to type. The ADS method may further comprise comparing at least one set of DNA typing data for the unknown biological specimen to DNA typing data from biological specimens from the determined set of relatives; calculating by the processor a likelihood function that the person is related to the family; and outputting a decision whether or not the person is related to the family.

Automated decision support for associating an unknown biological specimen with a family

Method and apparatus for predicting properties of a target object comprise application of a search manager for analyzing parameters of a plurality of databases for a plurality of objects, the databases comprising an electrical, electromagnetic, acoustic and thermal spectral database (ESD), a micro-body assemblage database (MAD) and a database of image data whereby the databases store data objects containing identifying features, source information and information on site properties and context including time and frequency varying data. The method comprises application of multivariate statistical analysis and principal component analysis in combination with content-based image retrieval for providing two-dimensional attributes of three dimensional objects, for example, via preferential image segmentation using a tree of shapes and to predict further properties of objects by means of k-means clustering and related methods. By way of example, an evidence tree display showing a target object linked by a pathway to a predicted property comprises a similarity value, a speculation value and a model-based rank.

Method and apparatus for predicting object properties and events using similarity-based information retrieval and modeling

Method and apparatus for determining a metric for use in predicting properties of an unknown specimen belonging to a group of reference specimen electrical devices comprises application of a network analyzer for collecting impedance spectra for the reference specimens and determining centroids and thresholds for the group of reference specimens so that an unknown specimen may be confidently classified as a member of the reference group using the metric. If a trait is stored with the reference group of electrical device specimens, then, the trait may be predictably associated with the unknown specimen along with any traits identified with the unknown specimen associated with the reference group.

Method and apparatus for classifying known specimens and media using spectral properties and identifying unknown specimens and media

The present invention provides at least three methods of predicting whether an unknown biological specimen originates from a member of a particular family. These methods compare DNA profiles from unknown biological specimens to DNA profiles of more than one family member, which significantly increases the methods' identification ability. In particular, the invention describes combining at least a ranked first family member list and a ranked second family member list to create a combined ranked list and identifying the unknown biological specimen as one contained among a list of specimens having the highest combined rankings representing the candidates that are most likely related to the family. A second method encompasses comparing test DNA profiles from unknown biological specimens to a family pedigree comprising target DNA profiles obtained from multiple biological specimens of family members. This method also embodies using a modified Elston Stewart algorithm to determine a pedigree likelihood ratio to rank and identify the test profile of the unknown biological specimen most likely to be the missing person sought after by the corresponding family represented by the family pedigree. A third method encompasses construction of a database or directed graph of discovered or known relationships between biological specimens and comparison to a graph representing a family pedigree to identify portions of the database or directed graph that correspond to portions of the family pedigree, in order to rank or identify one or more unknown biological specimens as most likely related to one or more family pedigrees.

Method and apparatus for predicting properties of a target object comprise application of a search manager for analyzing parameters of a plurality of databases for a plurality of objects, the databases comprising an electrical, electromagnetic, acoustic spectral database (ESD), a micro-body assemblage database (MAD) and a database of image data whereby the databases store data objects containing identifying features, source information and information on site properties and context including time and frequency varying data. The method comprises application of multivariate statistical analysis and principal component analysis in combination with content-based image retrieval for providing two-dimensional attributes of three dimensional objects, for example, via preferential image segmentation using a tree of shapes and to predict further properties of objects by means of k-means clustering and related methods. By way of example, a fire event and residual objects may be located and qualified such that, for example, properties of the residual objects may be qualified, for example, via black body radiation and micro-body databases including charcoal assemblages.

An item is organized and presented by displaying a table, wherein the table displays a plurality of data comprising DNA profile analysis results including an observation characterizing the at least one item, and wherein an analysis result is based on a decision made by an expert system according to a rule base. An observation comprises one of concordance, a locus having a concordance error, an off-ladder peak, a peak height imbalance and a peak falling in an overlap region between loci. The rule base comprises rules related to background noise, spike, broad peak, duplicate allele, bleed-through peak, pull-up peak, stutter peak, &#x2212;A peak and global filter rules.

Method of organizing and presenting data in a table

Methods of analyzing data are provided. An expert system receives input from at least a first source. Data is imported and analyzed by an expert system, wherein the expert system makes at least one first decision, which characterizes the data based on a rule base. The at least one first decision is displayable and modifiable by a first input from a first source. In response to the first input from the first source, the rule base may be re-applied to make at least one second decision, wherein the at least one second decision is different from the at least one first decision, or the at least one first decision may be accepted. The at least one first decision or the at least one second decision is then displayable and modifiable in response to a first input from a second source. In response to the first input from the second source, the rule base is either re-applied to make at least one third decision, wherein the third decision is different from the second decision, or either the first or second decisions are accepted.

Organizing and outputting results of a DNA analysis based on firing rules of a rule base

Interaction method with an expert system that utilizes stutter peak rule

An item is organized and presented by displaying a table, wherein the table displays a plurality of data comprising analysis results characterizing the at least one item, and wherein an analysis result is based on a decision made by an expert system according to a rule base. Input is accepted from a source, wherein the input may cause the analysis results to be modified, and wherein the results may be modified by re-applying the rule base. In response to the input, an updated table is created, wherein the updated table comprises the modified analysis results. This updated table is then displayable.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Dale V Stansberry