Influence of Cationic meso-Substituted Porphyrins on the Antimicrobial Photodynamic Efficacy and Cell Membrane Interaction in Escherichia coli

Photodynamic inactivation (PDI) is a non-antibiotic option for the treatment of infectious diseases. Although Gram-positive bacteria have been shown to be highly susceptible to PDI, the inactivation of Gram-negative bacteria has been more challenging due to the impermeability properties of the outer membrane. In the present study, a series of photosensitizers which contain one to four positive charges (1–4) were used to evaluate the charge influence on the PDI of a Gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli (E. coli), and their interaction with the cell membrane. The dose-response PDI results confirm the relevance of the number of positive charges on the porphyrin molecule in the PDI of E. coli. The difference between the Hill coefficients of cationic porphyrins with 1–3 positive charges and the tetra-cationic porphyrin (4) revealed potential variations in their mechanism of inactivation. Fluorescent live-cell microscopy studies showed that cationic porphyrins with 1–3 positive charges bind to the cell membrane of E. coli, but are not internalized. On the contrary, the tetra-cationic porphyrin (4) permeates through the membrane of the cells. The contrast in the interaction of cationic porphyrins with E. coli confirmed that they followed different mechanisms of inactivation. This work helps to have a better understanding of the structure-activity relationship in the efficiency of the PDI process of cationic porphyrins against Gram-negative bacteria

Empowerment Feminist Therapy with Latina Immigrants: Honoring the Complexity and Socio-Cultural Contexts of Clients\u27 Lives

In this article, we present how empowerment feminist therapy (EFT) can be effectively used with Latina immigrant clients. A key idea anchoring the arguments is the need for therapists to use a complex conceptual framework and a contextual perspective in understanding clients’ experiences. A brief description of the psychological stressors experienced by women immigrants from Latin America to the United States is presented. Principles of EFT are discussed with specific emphasis on how these apply to therapy with Latina immigrants. We argue that EFT can be effectively used with Latina immigrants as long as therapists take into consideration the complexity and cultural context of their lives