Nucleic Acid Analysis Device and Diagnosis Method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016245690-A1
Application number	US-201414913809-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 3, 2014
Priority date	Aug 27, 2013
Publication date	Aug 25, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A nucleic acid analysis device is provided that is capable of quickly detecting device abnormalities, and the like. This device is provided with a temperature control block ( 1 ) for holding a tube ( 10 ) that includes a sample, a photometer ( 6 ), and a device diagnosis unit. The photometer ( 6 ) is provided with an LED ( 11 ) for irradiating light toward the temperature control block ( 1 ) in a state in which the tube ( 10 ) is held and a fluorescence detector ( 20 ) for receiving light emitted by the sample in response to the irradiation of light from the LED ( 11 ). The device diagnosis unit causes the LED ( 11 ) to irradiate light toward the temperature control block ( 1 ) in a state in which the tube ( 10 ) is not held, causes the fluorescence detector ( 20 ) to detect the resulting scattered light, and diagnoses the photometer ( 6 ) on the basis of the intensity of the scattered light.

First claim

1 .- 15 . (canceled)

16 . An analysis device comprising:
two or more light source/detection unit pairs including a light source that delivers light and a detection unit that detects light, and sharing one of the light source or the detection unit; and a device diagnosis unit that detects a state of the light source and the detection unit included in the two or more light source/detection unit pairs on the basis of a result of detecting the light delivered from the light source included in the two or more light source/detection unit pairs by the detection unit constituting a pair with the light source.

17 . The analysis device according to claim 16 , wherein the device diagnosis unit is configured to detect the state of the light source and the detection unit included in the at least two or more light source/detection unit pairs on the basis of comparison between a detection result of the detection unit and a predetermined reference value.

18 . The analysis device according to claim 17 , further comprising a holding member that holds an analysis target, wherein any detection unit among the detection units in the two or more light source/detection unit pairs detects part of light delivered to the holding member.

19 . The analysis device according to claim 18 ,
wherein the light source and the detection unit included in the at least two or more light source/detection unit pairs include a first light source, a first detection unit, and a second detection unit, wherein the first detection unit detects part of light delivered from the first light source to the holding member, and wherein the second detection unit detects intensity of the light delivered from the first light source.

20 . The analysis device according to claim 19 , wherein the device diagnosis unit determines that the first detector is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than a predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is higher than a predetermined second reference value, and that the second detector is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is higher than the predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than the predetermined second reference value.

21 . The analysis device according to claim 19 , wherein the device diagnosis unit determines that the first light source is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than a predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than a predetermined second reference value.

22 . The analysis device according to claim 19 ,
wherein the holding member is one of a plurality of holding members, wherein the first detection unit detects part of light delivered to the plurality of holding members, wherein the second detection unit detects intensity of each light before being delivered to the plurality of holding members, and wherein the device diagnosis unit is configured to detect a state of the light source and the detection unit included in the at least two or more light source/detection unit pairs on the basis of comparison between detection results of the first detection unit and the second detection unit, and a predetermined diagnosis criterion.

23 . The analysis device according to claim 19 ,
wherein the analysis device is a nucleic acid analysis device that analyzes nucleic acid, and wherein each of the plurality of holding members has a mechanism capable of adjusting temperature independently.

24 . The analysis device according to claim 23 , further comprising:
a reagent mixing unit that mixes a reagent in nucleic acid in a reaction container to prepare a sample; and an analyzing unit that analyzes the sample, wherein the device diagnosis unit is configured to be activated just after power is input to the nucleic acid analysis device, and wherein the device diagnosis unit is configured to start a process of the reagent mixing unit when a state of the light source and the detection unit included in the at least two or more light source/detection unit pairs is normal on the basis of comparison between detection results of the first detection unit and the second detection unit and a predetermined reference value.

25 . The analysis device according to claim 24 , wherein the device diagnosis unit determines that the first detector is abnormal if the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than a predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is higher than a predetermined second reference value, that the second detector is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is higher than the predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than the predetermined second reference value, and that the first light source is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than the predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than the predetermined second reference value.

26 . A diagnosis method for an analysis device including a holding member that holds a reaction container containing a sample, and a photometer including a light source that delivers light toward the holding member in a state of holding the reaction container and a first detector that receives light emitted from the sample in accordance with the delivery of the light from the light source, the method comprising:
a first step of causing the light source to deliver the light toward the holding member in a state of not holding the reaction container; a second step of causing the first detector to detect light generated in the first step; and a third step of causing the analysis device to diagnose the photometer on the basis of the intensity of the light detected by the first detector.

27 . The diagnosis method for the analysis device according to claim 26 ,
wherein the photometer further includes a second detector that detects intensity of the light delivered from the light source, wherein the second detector detects the intensity of the light delivered from the light source in the second step, and wherein the analysis device diagnoses the photometer on the basis of the intensity of the light detected by the first detector and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector in the third step.

28 . The diagnosis method for the analysis device according to claim 27 , wherein in the third step, the analysis device determines that the first detector is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than a predetermined first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is higher than a predetermined second reference value, and that the second detector is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is higher than the first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than the second reference value.

29 . The diagnosis method for the analysis device according to claim 28 , wherein the analysis device determines that the light source is abnormal when the intensity of the light detected by the first detector is lower than the first reference value and the intensity of the light detected by the second detector is lower than the second reference value in the

Assignees

• Hitachi High Tech Corp

Inventors

• NAMMOKU Manami
• Maeda Kohshi
• Hosoiri Takehiko
• Shoji Yasunori

Classifications

• G01N1/38

  Diluting, dispersing or mixing samples · CPC title

• G01N1/30

  Staining; Impregnating {; Fixation; Dehydration; Multistep processes for preparing samples of tissue, cell or nucleic acid material and the like for analysis} · CPC title

• G01J1/44 Primary

  Electric circuits {(for command of an exposure part G03B7/02)} · CPC title

• G01J2001/444

  Compensating; Calibrating, e.g. dark current, temperature drift, noise reduction or baseline correction; Adjusting · CPC title

• G01N21/51 Primary

  inside a container, e.g. in an ampoule (G01N21/53 takes precedence) · CPC title