RNA Identification and Detection of Nucleic Acids as Aerosols in Air Samples by Means of Photon and Electron Interactions†
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
This paper has a perfect structure and methodology: introduction of the problem, theoretical and computing solution. The methodology of the quality and quantity of the components for detection and simulation with the electronphotn beam has an excellent and entire concept;taking into account the various nuclear physics effects. The results of this study provides the solution of the definition and measurement of the viral particles and the geographical dispersion due to incects migration.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
We are really pleased you have appreciated our work.
Best Regards
Piero Neuhold, Luca J Tagliapietra
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript describes a technique for the detection of Nucleic Acids in air samples.
The technique is based on the presence of phosphate group (PO4) in DNA and RNA while it is absent in the air. Differentiation between the presence of the phosphate group in the RNA of Coronaviridae with its presence in ambient bacteria is possible due to their different response (spectrum, flux contribution) to the photon beam.
The authors demonstrated via Monte-Carlo modelling that it is possible to use a photon beam in 110-150 keV energy range for detection purposes.
The Monte-Carlo modelling is done using cross sections from the EPDL97 Library.
The physics behind the modelling is well established, though the accuracy of the cross sections might be relatively poor.
It would be useful to put uncertainty estimates for the presented results.
The paper can be published in the present form.
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
We are really pleased you have appreciated our work.
As far as the EPDL97 Library could you please explain to us your concern? (We probably did not understand what you meant)
Best Regards
Piero Neuhold, Luca J Tagliapietra
Reviewer 3 Report
In this paper, authors proposed methodology is based on a subatomic coupled particle analysis and the subsequent detection on top of their spectra.
The method is new and the derived theories is reasonable. However, the debate of this paper was the lack of actual data to support their method.
1.Please find the other methods to express the results of Tables 4-8. May be they could be expressed as figures. It is not easy to find the meanings with table and lot of number.
2.Please improve the quality of figures 9-18. The lines and symbols need to be revised.
3.Figure 17 Electron 20 keV Channel - Air Sample Vs Contamination. What is the difference between air samples and contamination samples.
4.Authors emphasized that “this study proposes a new approach to identify low contaminations of viral particles clusters mixed in air using Monte Carlo simulations.”. Is any literature or research paper could support this technique?
Author Response
Dear Reviewer,
We are really pleased you have appreciated our work.
As far as your comments (which will implement in the revised document as you suggested):
The method is new and the derived theories is reasonable. However, the debate of this paper was the lack of actual data to support their method.
Yes we agree, Our aim has been to stimulate other teams to set up any experience to produce real data on so sensitive topic.
1.Please find the other methods to express the results of Tables 4-8. May be they could be expressed as figures. It is not easy to find the meanings with table and lot of number.
Yes we can absolutely express table 4 as figure but unfortunately it would be really hard to do the same for tables 5-6-7-8 without loosing part of the information.
2.Please improve the quality of figures 9-18. The lines and symbols need to be revised.
Yes, we will improve the quality of the images as you suggested.
3.Figure 17 Electron 20 keV Channel - Air Sample Vs Contamination. What is the difference between air samples and contamination samples.
It's always Air sample Vs Contamination. The Air sample is shown in table 2 and the contamination means ppm of PO4 group taken into account.
4.Authors emphasized that “this study proposes a new approach to identify low contaminations of viral particles clusters mixed in air using Monte Carlo simulations.”. Is any literature or research paper could support this technique?
Although there are chemical approaches and X-ray studies on virus and bacteria our study propose a new "approach" in terms of double photon-electron counts for primary and secondary particles generated by RNA-DNA interactions. Our main goal was to find a real time per second analysis as far as identification and detection and potentially virus discrimination. As far as we know there aren't papers on this particular double particles analysis on virus discrimination.
Best Regards
Piero Neuhold, Luca J Tagliapietra
