Publications by authors named "M Heerikhuisen"

Prebiotics can modulate the gut microbial community composition and function for improved (gut) health and increase resilience against infections. models of the gut facilitate the study of intervention effects on the gut microbial community relevant to health. The mucosa-associated gut microbiota, which thrives in close contact with the host plays a pivotal role in colonization resistance and health.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are widely used as a supplement in infant nutrition to mimic the beneficial effects found in prebiotic human milk oligosaccharides (HMOs). However, the complexity of the GOS mixture makes it challenging to ascertain which of the GOS components contribute most to their health benefits. Galactosyllactoses (GLs) are lactose-based trisaccharides containing a β-galactopyranosyl residue at the 3'-position (3'galactosyllactose, 3'-GL), 4'-position (4'-galactosyllactose, 4'-GL), or the 6'-position (6'-galactosyllactose, 6'-GL).

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

The objective of the current study was to evaluate the potential of 2'-FL and GOS, individually and combined, in beneficially modulating the microbial composition of infant and toddler (12-18 months) feces using the micro-Matrix bioreactor. In addition, the impacts of GOS and 2'-FL, individually and combined, on the outgrowth of fecal bifidobacteria at (sub)species level was investigated using the baby M-SHIME model. For young toddlers, significant increases in the genera , , and , and decreases in , XIVa, and were observed in all supplemented fermentations.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The global COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in a greater interest in improving the ventilation of indoor environments in order to remove aerosolized virus and thus reduce transmission. Air purification systems have been proposed as a solution to improve aerosol removal.

Aim: The aim was to determine the efficacy of air purification systems in reducing the viral load in the environmental air of a room.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: is a Gram-positive anaerobic bacterium that can produce the toxins TcdA and/or TcdB and is considered an opportunistic pathogen. is mainly transmitted as endospores, which germinate to produce the pathogenic vegetative cells under suitable conditions in the gut. To efficiently screen novel therapeutic- interventions against the proliferation of within a complex microbial community, platforms are needed that facilitate parallel experimentation.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF