In this article, the authors examine some of the benefits and challenges associated with conducting research on hard-to-reach/hidden populations: in this instance, sex workers. The population studied was female and male sex workers working in different sectors of the sex industry in a medium-size Canadian metropolitan area. The authors describe the need for close community-academic cooperation, given the hidden and highly stigmatized nature of the target population that was investigated and the local context in which the research project was embedded. The authors discuss the main benefits and challenges of the research collaboration for the various parties involved, including the community partner organization, indigenous research assistants, and academic research team. They conclude with a discussion of strategies to help overcome the main challenges faced during the research endeavor.

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Theoretical models of phospholipid systems have indicated that both intramolecular and intermolecular forces are important in governing their acyl chain order. Knowledge of the nature and magnitude of these interactions is central to understanding the balance of forces present in lipid lamellar phases, which in turn is related to their microscopic and macroscopic behavior. It is possible to explore the contribution of intermolecular interactions using lipid systems with the same headgroup and acyl chain identity by variation of the ratio of the headgroups to acyl chains. In this paper, deuterium (2H) NMR spectroscopy has been used to gain information on the orientational order of an acyl chain perdeuterated lipid, l-perdeuteriopalmitoyl-sn-Bly~3-phosphocholine (PaLpc-d31), in various molecular environments. The orientational order of PaLpGd31 was studied in four different lamellar phases, including pure PaLPC-d31 (containing 10 wt % H20), diplmitoylphosphatidyl~holine/PaLPC-d3~ (3:1), palmitic a~id/PaLPC-d~~ (l:l), and ch~lesterol/PaLPC-d~~ (1:l) (each containing 50 wt % HzO). ' H NMR spectra were obtained for the low-temperature and liquid-crystalline (L,) states of each of these mixtures. In the low-temperature state, the f i t three systems yielded ZH NMR spectra characteristic of all-trans chains undergoing axial diffusion, with the methyl groups rotating about their C3 axes. The molecular order, as judged by the presenoe of spectral discontinuities and moment analysis, was found to be almost identical in the low-tempratwe phases. A different behavior was observed for the ch~lesterol/PaLPC-d~~ (1:l) sample in that the maximum splitting was close to the all-trans rotating value, with a profile of quadrupolar splittings due to inmased disorder near the chain ends. The f i t three systems underwent orderdisorder phase transitions near the same midpoint temperature (range of T, values 40-48 "C), whereas the ch~lesterol/PaLPC-d~~ (1:l) sample did not display a transition over the temperature range studied. In the L, phase, where order profdm were determined as a function of acyl chain segmglt position, the segmental ordering d i f f e r e d significantly among the samples. The differences were interpreted using a simple diamond lattice model for the acyl chain configurational statistics, as a means of comparing the effective lengths, (L), projected along the bilayer normal and estimated chain cross-sectional areas, (A), of PaLPC-d31 in the various mixtures. The derived values of (L) and (A) can be understood qualitatively in terms of average packing parameters related to the balance of forces in the headgroup and acyl chain regions, or alternatively the curvature free energy of the membrane lipid-water interface. In lamellar phases of pure P~L P C -C~~~ the curvature stnap is potentially large, and interdigitation of the acyl chains of the appoaed monolayers may occur. However, in mixtures of PaLPC-d31 with 1 , 2 -d i p a l m i t o y l -s n -B l y~~3 -p h o s p~~~e(DPPC), the curvature elaatic stress is apparently...

Confidence in the police is fundamental to citizens' willingness to report unlawful behaviour, share intelligence about crime, seek help when victimized, and generally comply with the law. Marginalized groups overwhelmingly report a lack of confidence that police will apply the law fairly. Although sex work research reports a wide range of negative experiences with the police, it is not known how common these experiences are because most research focuses solely on street-based sex workers and does not include quantitative measures. We report on confidence in the police through the analysis of relevant data gathered from in-person interviews with sex workers from six census metropolitan areas of Canada. Under the pre-2014 legal regime, our non-random sample of sex workers had lower confidence in police than estimated for other Canadians by the General Social Survey and were particularly unlikely to see police as treating sex workers fairly. Thematic analysis suggests this is primarily driven by stigma and discrimination. We also found a significant minority who reported the police to be a source of aid, suggesting that appropriate policy and program regimes could be developed to improve sex worker–police relations.