Publications by authors named "Vicky L H Bevilacqua"

Development of a rapid field test is needed capable of determining if field supplies of water are safe to drink by the warfighter during a military operation. The present study sought to assess the effectiveness of handheld assays (HHAs) in detecting ricin and Staphylococcal Enterotoxin B (SEB) in water. Performance of HHAs was evaluated in formulated tap water with and without chlorine, reverse osmosis water (RO) with chlorine, and RO with bromine.

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Biotoxin activity assays typically involve multistep sample preparation, multicomponent reactions, multistep analysis, or a combination thereof. We report a single-step, real-time ricin activity assay that requires little or no sample preparation and employs direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry. The release of adenine from the inhomogeneous substrate herring sperm DNA by ricin was determined to be 53 +/- 2 pmol adenine per picomole of ricin per hour.

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A lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) enzyme kinetics laboratory experiment has been developed in which students obtain kinetic data using a microplate spectrophotometer (reader). These instruments have the capability of reading absorbances of many samples in a very short time frame. In this experiment 12 samples are prepared at a time and the absorbances read in less than 1 min.

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Synopsis of recent research by authors named "Vicky L H Bevilacqua"

  • - Vicky L H Bevilacqua's research primarily focuses on developing rapid and efficient methods for detecting biotoxins and assessing water safety, particularly in military contexts, through the use of handheld assays for toxins like ricin and Staphylococcal enterotoxin B.
  • - She has innovated a single-step assay utilizing direct analysis in real-time mass spectrometry, which simplifies the detection of ricin activity by measuring adenine release with minimal sample preparation.
  • - Additionally, Bevilacqua has contributed to educational methodologies in biochemistry by developing a laboratory experiment for studying lactate dehydrogenase kinetics, utilizing a microplate reader to enhance student engagement and data collection efficiency.

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