CYRILLIC SOFTWARE FACT SHEET
www.cyrillicsoftware.com
BACKGROUND
The science of genetics examines the mechanisms by which biological traits are passed from
generation to generation. Medical researchers have found inherited genetic markers in many
diseases and disorders. By analyzing genetic markers in individuals and families, pictures
are built up of how diseases are inherited. This data is used to build new models of
medical practice and to assess the risks of individuals or offspring inheriting a disease
or disorder.
THE PRODUCT
Cyrillic is designed for both medical researchers studying inherited diseases and
disorders, and for clinicians in their work with patients. Originally developed by Dr.
Cyril Chapman, a practicing clinical geneticist, for his own work with patients, Cyrillic
has been further developed by Cherwell Scientific as two products: the first as a complete
solution for genetic researchers (those studying genetic components of a particular
disease) and the second for clinicians or genetic counselors (doctors who trace a disease
through a family and calculate risks for individuals and offspring).
AUDIENCE
Primary users of Cyrillic are:
- Human genetics researchers
- Genetic counselors
- Cancer geneticists and other clinicians
Additional Cyrillic users are in:
- Child health, public health, and community medicine
- Animal health & husbandry
HOW CYRILLIC IS USED
Cyrillic is used to determine an individuals risk of developing or carrying a
genetic disorder and of passing it on to other generations. The clinician can manage
patient data and visualize lines of descent in pedigree diagrams. The software keeps
records of individuals, including results from genetic assessments, and records the
relationships between individuals. As the data is entered, Cyrillic draws the pedigree and
shows how the disorder is passed on through a family. Pedigrees can be printed for work
with patients, or used for posters and research presentations.
The newest Cyrillic software, Cyrillic 3, has several new features
designed for "intelligent pedigree management." For example, Cyrillic 3
(developed for clinicians and counselors) integrates tools to calculate the risk of breast
and ovarian cancer in patients. The clinician enters the family data, runs the risk
assessment for the selected individual, and sees the results displayed immediately.
This newest version is the only software that includes tools for
showing the most-complex relationships within families (e.g., complex multiple births,
multiple parents) so that every possible relationship within a family can now be analyzed.
Finally, in the newest software, data is now stored using
industry-standard database technologies, currently Microsoft Access or Corel Paradox. All
pedigree data is recorded in a single database instead of individual files, enabling
flexible cross-pedigree searching and reporting. For example, a clinician or researcher
can examine the incidence of a disorder by geography or sex.
Cyrillic 3 can simultaneously display pedigree diagrams and data
tables. These are dynamically linked so that changes made to a pedigree diagram will be
automatically reflected in the data table, and vice versa. This saves time and increases
productivity.
BENEFITS FOR PRACTITIONERS
The release of Cyrillic 3 will result in the following practical improvements for
practitioners:
- Risk assessment can be time-consuming and difficult to perform
because it must either be done by hand or via analysis tools that require considerable
data preparation and high levels of computer literacy. With the new Cyrillic 3, this
process is reduced to a few mouse clicks. There is no data prep; practitioners merely
select data and choose an assessment tool. There is no setup, nor is there a need for
practitioners to possess considerable computer expertise.
- Because risk assessments can now be run so easily and quickly within
Cyrillic 3, it is possible to run multiple scenarios using all available information,
including uncertain data, to determine the appropriate course of action.
- With the new Cyrillic 3, risk assessment is a fully integrated
process. There is no need to use external programs, and results are delivered within the
software in a format that is easy to understand and interpret. Also, results are saved as
part of the pedigree for future reference.
- Using Cyrillic 3, genetic counselors and cancer geneticists will save
significant amounts of time and provide better patient care by being able to take a
history, assess for risk, and discuss likely outcomes in just a few steps, right in the
clinic.
CURRENT PRODUCTS
Cyrillic 3 (NEW)
- Designed for genetic counselors and clinicians, including cancer
geneticists
- Pedigree drawing
- Data management
- Fully integrated risk assessment tools (BRCAPRO and MENDEL software)
- Uses industry-standard database technologies (currently Microsoft
Access and Corel Paradox)
- No marker data required for risk assessment
- Shows complex relationships between individuals, including
consanguinity, multiple or no parents, complex multiple births
Cyrillic 2.1
- Designed for genetic researchers
- Pedigree drawing
- Data management
- Works with marker data for haplotyping
- Support for genetic and risk analysis
- Shows complex relationships between individuals, including
consanguinity
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