Female garment factory workers in Cambodia are more exposed to HIV/AIDS than previously thought. Although HIV/AIDS epidemics are fast spreading in Cambodia, relatively little is known about the sexual health of women other than those perceived as commercial sex workers or married women of reproductive age. In-depth interviews with 20 unmarried female garment factory workers, who reported to have engaged in multi-partnered sex through direct or discretionary commercial sex occupations, demonstrate that they are exposed to HIV-risk created along the gradients of power. Low socioeconomic status (low education, meager factory wage and high dependency rate at their rural households) and obligations as daughters to provide for the family mainly determine their entry into sex work. At the location of sex work, they are subjected to physical violence, alcohol and drug use, both self-taken and forced, and receive meager wages. In a society where women are expected to be virtuous and obedient to parents and husbands, these workers are motivated to identify male sex partners in paid sex as "sweethearts" rather than "guests." These factors contribute to low consistency of condom use. This paper demonstrates the complex interrelationships between power, cultural definitions of intimacy and economic dependency, which structure sexual relationships and the risk of HIV/AIDS.

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A novel hyperbranched poly(ether nitrile) (HBPEN) and its copolymer were synthesized as supports for palladium nanoparticles (PdNPs). Soluble HBPEN and its copolymer were obtained by self-polycondensation of an AB 2 monomer with or without an AB monomer. The study of the model reaction suggested the formation of HBPEN with a degree of branching (DB) of 0.37. Soluble linear poly(ether nitrile) (LPEN) was also synthesized from 2,2-bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane and 2,6-difluorobenzonitrile. The coordination of nitrile groups in the repeating unit with Pd 2+ was confirmed by infrared measurements. The reduction of the coordinated complexes with NaBH 4 resulted in the formation of HBPEN-, HBPEN copolymer-and LPEN-supported PdNPs. Both transmission electron microscopy images and X-ray diffraction patterns suggested that PdNPs supported by HBPEN (3.0 ± 0.8 nm) were the smallest in size among these three polymers. A comparison of the three PdNPs suggested that the branched architecture in HBPEN can help prevent the aggregation of PdNPs generated in the early stages of reduction. INTRODUCTIONTransition metal nanoparticles (NPs) with sizes of 1-10 nm have been intensively investigated in many fields because of their unique optical, electronic, magnetic and catalytic properties. 1-5 In general, metal NPs are prepared by reduction of the corresponding metal ions in the presence of stabilizers that inhibit undesired aggregation. Alkane thiols are well-known stabilizers for AuNPs. 6 Poly(N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) is also known as an effective protecting polymer for Cu, Pt, Pd and Ni NPs. [7][8][9][10] Dendrimers are unique three-dimensional, nanosized molecules that have a consecutively branched architecture. There are several examples of the preparation of metal NPs by encapsulating metal ions in dendrimers. 11,12 Polyamidoamine dendrimers are commercially available and have been intensively investigated as supports for metal NPs. The preparation and catalytic activity of metal and bimetal NPs encapsulated by polyamidoamine dendrimers have been reported in the literature. [13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20][21][22] Yamamoto and co-workers 23 reported the controlled complexation of metal ions in phenylazomethine dendrimers and subsequent reduction to form metal NPs with a controlled number of atoms. Both of these dendrimers act as isolated nanocarriers to form metal NPs. Hyperbranched polymers, which can be synthesized by a one-step polymerization procedure, are generally recognized as analogs to dendrimers. 24-27 Although hyperbranched polymers have irregularly branched architectures, in contrast to dendrimers, the unique properties derived from dendritic architectures are often observed in hyperbranched polymers. Therefore, metal ions and NPs can be surrounded by a dendritically branched architecture when hyperbranched polymers are used as supports. Hyperbranched polyglycerol-supported Pd, Au, Ag, Pt, Ru and Cu NPs have been

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