Signal processing method in autoradiography

Claim 2

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of radioactively labeled substances distributed in at least one dimensional direction to form at least one row of the distributed substances on a support medium, which comprises steps of: scanning digital image data in at least two different positions in such a manner that each scanning traverses the row of distributed substances to obtain a relationship between position along said scanning and signal level in said position; detecting distributed points for the radioactively labeled substances along each scanning based on said relationship; and preparing a continuous line selected from the group consisting of a straight line, a curved line and a polygonal line along the corresponding points of the radioactively labeled substances for each scanning to assign said continuous line to a scanning line for detection of sampling points, said digital image data being a set of digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by the radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning on said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 3

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 1, wherein the scanning is carried out on the digital image data in at least two different positions in such a manner that said scannings traversing the row of distributed radioactively labeled substances are performed substantially in parallel with each other.

Claim 4

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the position and width of said scanning on the digital image data are set prior to the signal processing to match with the conditions of the row of distributed substances under analysis.

Claim 5

The signal processing method in autoradigraphy as claimed in claim 1 or 2, which comprises steps of: scanning the digital image data in two different positions; detecting two distributed points for the radioactively labeled substances in each row of distributed substances along said" scanning; and preparing a straight line between the two distributed points to assign said line to a scanning line for detection of sampling points.

Claim 6

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said radioactively labeled substances arranged to form a row of distributed substances on the support medium are biopolymers, derivatives thereof, or cleavage products thereof, labeled with a radioactive element and resolved in one dimensional direction on the support medium.

Claim 7

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 5, wherein said biopolymers are nucleic acids, derivatives thereof or cleavage products thereof.

Claim 8

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of radioactively labeled substances distributed in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate; and (2) processing said graph through either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 9

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of radioactively labeled substances distributed in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate; and (2) processing said graph through either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 10

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 7, wherein said smoothing of the graph in which the position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and the signal level is set on ordinate is performed by convolution of the graph with a filter function.

Claim 11

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein all maximum points detected in the graph processed with said smoothing are assigned to the sampling points.

Claim 12

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein all middle points of regions where the signal level is positive in the graph processed with said smoothing and threshold-processing are assigned to the sampling points.

Claim 13

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 10, wherein the threshold value for said threshold-processing is determined based on a histogram.

Claim 14

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 7 or 8, wherein said radioactively labeled substances distributed on the support medium are biopolymers, derivatives thereof, or cleavage products thereof, labeled with a radioacitive element.

Claim 15

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of groups of radioactively labeled substances arranged in plural rows including a reference row and distributed respectively in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to the reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; and (4) detecting sampling points on respective scanning lines of the residual rows based on said fundamental sampling points, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated .emission photoelectrically.

Claim 16

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of groups of radioactively labeled substances arranged in plural rows including a reference row and distributed respectively in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to the reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; and (4) detecting sampling points on respective scanning lines of the residual rows based on said fundamental sampling points, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated .emission photoelectrically.

Claim 17

The signal processing method in autoradiogra- p h y as claimed in claim 13, wherein said radioactively labeled substances distributed on the support medium are biopolymers, derivatives thereof, or cleavage products thereof, labeled with a radioacitive element.

Claim 18

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 14, wherein said biopolymers are nucleic acids, derivatives thereof or cleavage products thereof; and said symbol, numeral or combination thereof obtained by said signal processing represents base sequence thereof.

Claim 19

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of groups of radioactively labeled substances arranged in plural rows and distributed in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing a reference row from a plurality of the rows of distributed substances, and preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to said reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; and (4) detecting sampling points on respective scanning lines of the rows based on said fundamental sampling points, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 20

A signal processing method in autoradiography for obtaining information on one dimensional location of groups of radioactively labeled substances arranged in plural rows and distributed in at least one dimensional direction on a support medium, in the form of symbol, numeral or combination thereof, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing a reference row from a plurality of the rows of distributed substances, and preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to said reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; and (4) detecting sampling points on respective scanning lines of the rows based on said fundamental sampling points, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled substances, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled substances on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled substances on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 21

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 16, wherein said radioactively labeled substances distributed on the support medium are biopolymers, derivatives thereof, or cleavage products thereof, labeled with a radioacitive element.

Claim 22

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 17, wherein said biopolymers are nucleic acids, derivatives thereof or cleavage products thereof, and said symbol, numeral or combination thereof obtained by said signal processing represents base sequence thereof.

Claim 23

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least five groups of base specific cleavage products and a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) a mixture of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, thymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products; 2) guanine specific cleavage products; 3) guanine specific cleavage products + adenine specific cleavage products; 4) tymine specific cleavage products + cytosine specific cleavage products; and 5) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA >r DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioac- :ive element and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set In ordinate with respect to an internal reference row, said internal reference row being the resolved row of said mixture 1) of base specific cleavage products; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; (4) detecting sampling points on each scanning line with respect to the residual resolved rows based on said fundamental sampling points; and (5) comparing and identifying the positions of said sampling points on the scanning lines among the resolved rows to obtain locational information on guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 24

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least five groups of base specific cleavage products and a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) a mixture of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, thymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products; 2) guanine specific cleavage products; 3) guanine specific cleavage products + adenine specific cleavage products; 4) tymine specific cleavage products + cytosine specific cleavage products; and 5) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA >r DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioac- :ive element and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set In ordinate with respect to an internal reference row, said internal reference row being the resolved row of said mixture 1) of base specific cleavage products; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; (4) detecting sampling points on each scanning line with respect to the residual resolved rows based on said fundamental sampling points; and (5) comparing and identifying the positions of said sampling points on the scanning lines among the resolved rows to obtain locational information on guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 25

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 19, wherein said statistical processing for the candidate sampling points to determine fundamental sampling points comprises steps of: (1) approximating said candidate sampling points with the following equation (1): wherein W On represents the distance between the candidate sampling point on the scanning line and the starting point of the resolution, n represents the number of the sampling point corresponding to said candidate point, and A and M are constant values, to determine a and b in the equation (1); and (2) determining the fundamental sampling points using the equation (1) based on said a and b.

Claim 26

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least four groups of base specific cleavage products consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) guanine specific cleavage products + adenine specific cleavage products; 3) tymine specific cleavage products + cytosine specific cleavage products; and 4) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing an internal reference row from the resolved rows and preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to said internal reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; (4) detecting sampling points on each scanning line with respect to the resolved rows based on said fundamental sampling points; and (5) comparing and identifying the positions of said sampling points on the scanning lines among the resolved rows to obtain locational information on guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 27

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least four groups of base specific cleavage products consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) guanine specific cleavage products + adenine specific cleavage products; 3) tymine specific cleavage products + cytosine specific cleavage products; and 4) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing an internal reference row from the resolved rows and preparing a graph in which position on the scanning line is set on abscissa and signal level is set on ordinate with respect to said internal reference row; (2) processing said graph with either or both of smoothing and threshold-processing to detect candidate sampling points; (3) processing said candidate sampling points statistically to determine fundamental sampling points; (4) detecting sampling points on each scanning line with respect to the resolved rows based on said fundamental sampling points; and (5) comparing and identifying the positions of said sampling points on the scanning lines among the resolved rows to obtain locational information on guanine, adenine, thymine and cytosine, said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 28

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 21, wherein said statistical processing for the candidate sampling points to determine fundamental sampling points comprises steps of: (1) approximating each candidate sampling point with the following equation (1): wherein W On represents the distance between the candidate sampling point on the scanning line from the starting point for the resolution, n represents the number of the sampling point corresponding to said candidate point, and A and M are constant values to determine a and b in the equation (1); and (2) determining the fundamental sampling points using the equation (1) based on said a and b.

Claim 29

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least four groups of base specific cleavage products consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) adenine specific cleavage products; 3) tymine specific cleavage products; and 4) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing an internal reference row from the resolved rows and determining fundamental sampling points with respect to said internal reference row; and (2) comparing the signals of the radioactively labeled cleavage products being present within a sampling mask determined on the basis of said fundamental sampling points, among respective resolved rows to detect sampling points in each resolved row by utilizing the exclusiveness of the sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 30

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least four groups of base specific cleavage products consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) adenine specific cleavage products; 3) tymine specific cleavage products; and 4) cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) synthesizing an internal reference row from the resolved rows and determining fundamental sampling points with respect to said internal reference row; and (2) comparing the signals of the radioactively labeled cleavage products being present within a sampling mask determined on the basis of said fundamental sampling points, among respective resolved rows to detect sampling points in each resolved row by utilizing the exclusiveness of the sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 31

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 23, wherein said fundamental sampling points are determined by subjecting the digital signal to smoothing, threshold-processing and statistical processing.

Claim 32

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment employing at least five groups of base specific cleavage products and a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) adenine specific cleavage products; . 3) tymine specific cleavage products; 4) cytosine specific cleavage products; and 5) a mixture of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, thymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) determining fundamental sampling points with respect to an internal reference row, said internal reference row being the resolved row of said mixture 5) of base specific cleavage products; and (2) comparing the signals of the radioactively labeled cleavage products being present within a sampling mask determined on the basis of said fundamental sampling points, among respective resolved rows to detect sampling points in each resolved row utilizing the exclusiveness of the sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the group of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 33

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determination of base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment employing at least five groups of base specific cleavage products and a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; 2) adenine specific cleavage products; . 3) tymine specific cleavage products; 4) cytosine specific cleavage products; and 5) a mixture of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, thymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products, which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) determining fundamental sampling points with respect to an internal reference row, said internal reference row being the resolved row of said mixture 5) of base specific cleavage products; and (2) comparing the signals of the radioactively labeled cleavage products being present within a sampling mask determined on the basis of said fundamental sampling points, among respective resolved rows to detect sampling points in each resolved row utilizing the exclusiveness of the sampling points; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the group of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 34

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 25, wherein said fundamental sampling points are determined by subjecting the digital signal to smoothing, threshold-processing and statistical processing.

Claim 35

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determining base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least two groups of base specific cleavage products or a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) single base specific cleavage products or a mixture of two or three kinds of base specific cleavage products selected from the group consisting of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, tymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products; and 2) a mixture of two, three or four kinds of base specific cleavage products containing at least one kind of the base specific cleavage products included in the above group 1), which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) operating numerically between the resolved row of the above group 1) and the resolved row of the above group 2) with respect to the corresponding positions on each scanning line to obtain an imaginary resolved row; and (2) determining sampling points with respect to said imaginary resolved row; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 36

A signal processing method in autoradiography for determining base sequence of DNA or DNA fragment, employing at least two groups of base specific cleavage products or a mixture thereof consisting of: 1) single base specific cleavage products or a mixture of two or three kinds of base specific cleavage products selected from the group consisting of guanine specific cleavage products, adenine specific cleavage products, tymine specific cleavage products and cytosine specific cleavage products; and 2) a mixture of two, three or four kinds of base specific cleavage products containing at least one kind of the base specific cleavage products included in the above group 1), which are obtained by specific cleavage of the DNA or DNA fragment which has been labeled with a radioactive element, and resolved respectively in one dimensional direction and in parallel relation to each other to form resolved rows on a support medium, which comprises a process including: (1) operating numerically between the resolved row of the above group 1) and the resolved row of the above group 2) with respect to the corresponding positions on each scanning line to obtain an imaginary resolved row; and (2) determining sampling points with respect to said imaginary resolved row; said process being applied to digital signal corresponding to an autoradiograph having the locational information on the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products, said digital signal being obtained by causing a stimulable phosphor sheet to absorb radiation energy emitted by said groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the support medium to record the autoradiograph of the groups of radioactively labeled cleavage products on the stimulable phosphor sheet, scanning said stimulable phosphor sheet with an electromagnetic wave to release at least a portion of radiation energy stored in said phosphor sheet in the form of the autoradiograph as stimulated emission, and detecting said stimulated emission photoelectrically.

Claim 37

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 27, wherein said sampling points are determined by subjecting the digital signal with respect to said imaginary resolved row to smoothing and/or threshold-processing.

Claim 38

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 27 or 28, wherein said group 2) consists essentially of a combination of the base specific cleavage products or mixture thereof of said group 1) and another kind of base specific cleavage products, and said numerical operation in the process (1) is performed by subtraction.

Claim 39

The signal processing method in autoradiography as claimed in claim 29, wherein the combination of said group 1) and said group 2) is both or either of: 1) guanine specific cleavage products; and 2) guanine specific cleavage products + adenine specific cleavage products, and 1) cytosine specific cleavage products; and 2) tymine specific cleavage products + cytosine specific cleavage products.