JP4016505B2 - Monitoring system for long exposure photography - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a monitoring system for exposure and photographing of weak chemiluminescence emitted from a chemical issuance substance used as a substrate when detecting specific DNA or protein by chemiluminescence.
[0002]
[Prior art]
In recent years, a detection method using chemiluminescence has been adopted when detecting specific DNA or protein from a sample (a target to be detected). That is, a so-called chemiluminescent substance is used as a sample substrate, and a weak chemiluminescence emitted by the chemiluminescent substance by an enzyme reaction is exposed and photographed to detect a detection target. Examples of the chemiluminescent substance include so-called AMPPD and CSPD.
[0003]
As the detection method, for example, there is a method described in p149 to p154 of “Bio-Experiment Illustrated 5 Protein is not afraid (written by Masato Nishikata)” issued by Shujunsha Co., Ltd.
[0004]
This is a method of detecting a detection target by recording chemiluminescence emitted from the chemical issuing substance on an X-ray film. In this method, in order to find the optimum exposure time (generally, about 30 minutes to 2 hours), the exposure is first performed for 30 minutes, and the X-ray film is taken out and developed in this state, and the appropriate exposure is observed by looking at the development result. The time is reset, a new X-ray film is prepared again, and exposure is performed for the reset exposure time. This operation was repeated several times to find the optimum exposure time.
[0005]
Incidentally, the weak chemiluminescence of the chemiluminescent substance generally remains almost constant for about 24 hours in the case of CSPD, for example, so the exposure state (darkness) of the X-ray film is proportional to the exposure time.
[0006]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, if a method such as the prior art is adopted, as described above, the X-ray film is replaced many times, the exposure is performed many times at different times, the optimum exposure time is searched, and the one with the best exposure state is obtained. He was forced to do a very cumbersome task of hiring.
[0007]
The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and exposure photography that can efficiently find an optimal exposure time when detecting a specific substance from a sample by exposing and photographing chemiluminescence emitted by the chemiluminescent substance. The purpose is to provide a monitoring system.
[0008]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
In a monitoring system comprising an exposure photographing means, an image storage means for storing an image photographed by the exposure photographing means for at least one minute, and a monitor for displaying an image stored by the image storage means , the image storage means comprises : an exposure completion expected time, and setting at least one or more exposure check time to check the images taken by paused the exposure shooting means exposure in the middle stage before the completion of exposure expected time, the second and subsequent said exposure The check time is set to be longer than the previous exposure check time, and the images taken by the exposure photographing means are stored for each exposure check time, and at least two or more stored images are arbitrarily added or subtracted. The monitoring system is characterized by storing and memorizing .
[0009]
In this way, the exposure completion scheduled time and at least one exposure check time for temporarily stopping the exposure and checking the exposure photographed image in the middle stage before the exposure completion scheduled time are set in advance. each, by exposure shooting means can be displayed on the monitor and stored in the respective image storage means an image-exposure shooting, the experimenter that their exposure middle stage is confirmed from time to time by monitoring means exposure photographic image of desired time Can do. Further, the experimenter can display on the monitor an image obtained by adding or subtracting the images stored in the image storage means for each exposure check time. Based on the principle that “the exposure state (darkness) is proportional to the exposure time” described above, the addition / subtraction of the images stored in the image storage means corresponds to the addition / subtraction of the exposure time. The person can display the result of adding and subtracting the images stored in the image storage means on the monitor, and convert the total exposure time while checking the image. If the exposure time is too long, arbitrary file data can be subtracted.
[0012]
As described above, using this monitoring system, the experimenter can easily find the optimum exposure time without the complicated work of replacing the conventional X-ray film many times, The work efficiency can be improved.
[0013]
More preferably, as in the invention described in claim 2 , the exposure is continued by resetting the expected exposure completion time and the exposure check time after the start of exposure photographing in the claim 1 . .
[0014]
As a result, if the image at the exposure check time in the middle of the exposure is different from the expected result, the experimenter stops the exposure at that stage and repeats the experiment, or refers to the result. The exposure can be continued by newly setting the exposure completion scheduled time and the exposure check time. Therefore, by adding this function, flexibility in searching for the optimum exposure time can be further improved, and work efficiency can be further improved.
[0015]
The exposure photographing means in this monitoring system uses a high-sensitivity camera such as a so-called CCD camera that can decompose a weak chemiluminescent amount emitted from a chemiluminescent substance for each pixel and store it as an “electron amount” by a CCD element. It is desirable. This CCD camera has a type in which the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element is not reset even when exposure is paused, and a type in which the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element is reset when exposure is paused. is there. An application example to the present monitoring system when both types are used will be described in the following embodiments.
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
[0017]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an entire monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 6 denotes a sample (a target to be detected), which uses a so-called chemiluminescent substance as a substrate, and the chemiluminescent substance is obtained by an enzyme reaction between a specific component in the target to be detected and the chemiluminescent substance. The weak light 3 is emitted.
[0018]
The feeble light 3 is taken into a CCD camera 1 (exposure photographing means), exposed and photographed, and a specific component in a detection target is detected.
[0019]
The weak light 3 exposed and photographed by the CCD camera 1 is decomposed into pixel units and accumulated as “electron quantity” for each pixel by the CCD element. The accumulated “electron quantity” is converted into a digital signal through the A / D converter 4 and then transferred to the computer 2. This monitoring system displays the information for each pixel as an image on the monitor 7 (monitor means). Or can be stored in the hard disk 5 (image storage means). In addition, the computer 2 can control the start and pause of exposure shooting of the CCD camera 1, and the exposure shooting of the CCD camera 1 is paused at a preset exposure check time and exposure completion scheduled time. To control.
[0020]
Next, a flowchart for efficiently searching for an optimum exposure time using the present monitoring system will be described with reference to FIGS.
[0021]
FIG. 2 shows a flowchart when a CCD camera 1 is used in which the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element is not reset even if exposure is temporarily stopped. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the computer 2 has previously set the exposure completion scheduled time to 60 minutes and the exposure check time during the exposure to 10 minutes and 30 minutes.
[0022]
First, at step 101, the computer 2 resets the timer T and starts exposure photographing by the CCD camera 1 (step 102). Then, exposure photographing is continued until the timer T has passed the first exposure check time of 10 minutes (step 103).
[0023]
When the timer T reaches 10 minutes, the computer 2 sends a command to the CCD camera 1 to temporarily stop exposure shooting (step 104). The CCD camera 1 temporarily stops exposure photography, and the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element in the CCD camera 1 is digitized through the A / D converter 4 and then transferred to the computer 2 for each pixel. Image information is stored in the hard disk 5. When saved, “Image10” is given as the file name (step 105). The stored image “Image10” is displayed on the monitor 7 (step 106).
[0024]
Next, the computer 2 sends a command to resume exposure shooting to the CCD camera 1, and the CCD camera 1 restarts exposure shooting (step 107). Then, exposure photographing is continued until the timer T has passed the second exposure check time of 30 minutes (step 108). At that time, the timer T is not reset and continues to accumulate time. Further, the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element in the CCD camera 1 is not reset and is accumulated as it is.
[0025]
Here, the experimenter confirming the image “Image 10” displayed on the monitor 7 is in a situation where the exposure state exceeds the optimum state and is too dark, unlike the result that the image is expected by the experimenter. If so, the exposure can be stopped at that stage and the experiment can be repeated. When the experiment is repeated, the exposure completion scheduled time may be set within 10 minutes. On the other hand, if the exposure state of the image “Image 10” displayed on the monitor 7 is light, unlike the result expected by the user, the second exposure check time and the exposure completion scheduled time when the exposure shooting is paused next. Can be reset longer than the set 30 minutes and 60 minutes, and exposure photography can be continued as it is.
[0026]
When the timer T reaches the second exposure check time, the computer 2 sends a command to the CCD camera 1 to temporarily stop exposure shooting (step 109). The CCD camera 1 pauses exposure shooting, and image information is stored in the hard disk 5 as in the first exposure check time. When saved, “Image30” is given as the file name (step 110). The stored image “Image30” is displayed on the monitor 7 (step 111).
[0027]
Next, the computer 2 sends a command to resume exposure shooting to the CCD camera 1, and the CCD camera 1 restarts exposure shooting (step 112). Then, exposure photographing is continued until the timer T has passed 60 minutes, which is the expected exposure completion time (step 113). Also at this time, the timer T is not reset and continues to accumulate time. Further, the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element in the CCD camera 1 is not reset and is accumulated as it is.
[0028]
Further, if the experimenter confirming the image “Image30” displayed on the monitor 7 is different from the result expected by the experimenter, the experimenter stops the exposure at that stage as described above. The experiment can be repeated, or a new exposure completion scheduled time or a new third or fourth exposure check time can be set with reference to the image “Image 30”, and exposure photography can be continued.
[0029]
When the timer T reaches the exposure completion scheduled time, the computer 2 sends a command to the CCD camera 1 to end the exposure shooting (step 114). The CCD camera 1 finishes the exposure shooting, and the image information is stored in the hard disk 5 as in the first and second exposure check times. When saved, “Image 60” is given as the file name (step 115). The stored image “Image 60” is displayed on the monitor 7 (step 116).
[0030]
In this way, the experimenter can check the exposure photographed image at the desired time in the middle of the exposure on the monitor 7 at any time, and can efficiently find the optimum exposure time.
[0031]
FIG. 3 shows a flowchart when the CCD camera 1 is of a type in which the amount of electrons stored in the CCD element is reset when exposure is temporarily stopped. In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the computer 2 has previously set the exposure completion scheduled time to 60 minutes and the exposure check time during the exposure to 10 minutes and 30 minutes. Note that the processing parts corresponding to those in the flowchart of FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, description of the corresponding processing parts is omitted, and only the differences will be described.
[0032]
The difference from the flowchart of FIG. 2 is that the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element in the CCD camera 1 is reset each time exposure shooting is paused, and the timer T is set every time exposure shooting is paused. Is the point that is reset.
[0033]
That is, in steps 104 to 105 ′ and steps 109 to 110 ′, when exposure photography is temporarily stopped and data “Image11” and “Image20” are stored in the hard disk 5, they are stored in the CCD elements in the CCD camera 1. The amount of electrons is reset. Further, immediately before the exposure photographing is restarted in Step 107 and Step 112, the timer T is reset in Step 121 and Step 122.
[0034]
The file name of the exposure photographed image in the first exposure check time is “Image11” in order to distinguish it from that in FIG. The data of the image “Image11” is an image having an exposure time of 10 minutes, like the data of the image “Image10”. Also, since the second exposure check time is set to 30 minutes, the exposure time from the start of exposure shooting in step 107 to the temporary stop of exposure shooting in step 109 is set to 20 minutes (step 108 ′). Then, the image “Image 20” obtained by exposure for 20 minutes and the image “Image 11” obtained by exposure for 10 minutes are added to synthesize an image having a total exposure time of 30 minutes and displayed on the monitor 7 (step 111 ′). The image displayed on the monitor 7 can be saved in the hard disk 5 as the file name “Image 31”.
[0035]
Further, since the expected exposure completion time is set to 60 minutes, the exposure time from the start of the exposure shooting in step 112 to the end of the exposure shooting in step 114 is set to 30 minutes (step 113 ′). The image “Image 32” obtained by exposure for one minute and the image “Image 31” obtained by exposure for 30 minutes, which were created previously, are added to compose an image for 60 minutes in total exposure time and displayed on the monitor 7 (step 116 ′). ). The image displayed on the monitor 7 can also be saved in the hard disk 5 as the file name “Image 61”.
[0036]
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, it is possible to change the exposure check time and the exposure completion scheduled time with reference to the image displayed on the monitor 7 during exposure photographing.
[0037]
Furthermore, in this embodiment, for example, when it is determined that the image “Image 61” obtained by exposure exposure for 60 minutes is too dark (exposure time is too long), the exposure shooting time 40 minutes (by adding arbitrary file data) An exposure photographed image such as “Image11” + “Image32”) or an exposure photographing time of 50 minutes (“Image20” + “Image32”) can also be synthesized and created. It is also possible to subtract arbitrary file data.
[0038]
In this way, using this monitoring system, the experimenter can easily find the optimum exposure time without complicated work such as replacing the X-ray film as before. It is possible to improve the efficiency.
[0039]
As mentioned above, although this invention was demonstrated according to the said embodiment, this invention is not limited to the said aspect, The various aspect according to the principle of this invention is included.
[0040]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, according to the present invention, in exposure photography, an optimum exposure time can be efficiently found when a specific substance is detected from a sample by performing exposure photography of chemiluminescence emitted by the chemiluminescent substance. A monitoring system can be provided.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of an entire monitoring apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a flowchart when the monitoring apparatus according to the present invention is used when the CCD camera 1 is of a type in which the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element is not reset even if exposure is temporarily stopped.
FIG. 3 is a flowchart when the monitoring device according to the present invention is used when the CCD camera 1 is of a type in which the amount of electrons accumulated in the CCD element is reset when exposure is temporarily stopped.
[Explanation of symbols]
1 CCD camera (exposure photography means)
5 Hard disk (image storage means)
7 Monitor (Monitor means)

Claims (2)

Exposure photographing means;
Image storage means for storing an image photographed by the exposure photographing means for at least one minute;
In a monitoring system comprising a monitor for displaying an image stored by the image storage means,
The image storage unit sets the exposure completion expected time, the exposure completion expected time at least one or more exposure check time to check the images taken by the previous intermediate stage in pauses exposure the exposure shooting means, The exposure check time after the second time is set to be longer than the previous exposure check time,
For each exposure check time, each of the images taken by the exposure photographing means is stored ,
A monitoring system, wherein at least two or more stored images are arbitrarily added and subtracted and stored . In the monitoring system according to claim 1 ,
A monitoring system characterized in that the exposure is continued by resetting the estimated exposure completion time and the exposure check time after the start of exposure photography.

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