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Despite great strides in the development of contraceptive technologies, the United States has one of the highest teen pregnancy rates in the world. Religion and associated values may shape the sexual health behaviors of college students, as prior studies have aimed to determine how social factors may influence the use of contraception amongst college students. Thus, we sought to examine the differences in current contraceptive methods and the age of first contraceptive usage among sexually active female college students with different religious affiliations and strengths of religiosity. It was hypothesized that there would be no difference in current contraceptive methods among different religious affiliations and strengths of religions and that there would be a difference in the age of first contraceptive usage among different religious affiliations and strengths of religiosity. Two hundred and twenty-four college-aged females completed a 20-question survey about sexual health and religious practices. Chi-squared tests were implemented to determine the frequencies of responses across religious affiliations and strengths of religiosity. Significant differences in the frequency of responses for the age of first contraceptive usage were observed across different strengths of religiosity ( p = 0.016) and for the self-perceived impact of religion on sexual health across different religious affiliations ( p = 0.033) and strengths of religiosity ( p = 0.005). All other differences were found not to be statistically significant. It was determined that increased strengths of religiosity resulted in delayed onset of contraceptive usage and that both different religious affiliations and greater strengths of religiosity lead to different self-perceived impacts of religion on sexual health despite low levels of current practice.

Metallic transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are rich material systems in which the interplay between strong electron-electron and electron-phonon interactions often results in a variety of collective electronic states, such as charge density waves (CDWs) and superconductivity. While most metallic group V TMDs exhibit coexisting superconducting and CDW phases, 2H-NbS 2 stands out with no charge ordering. Further, due to strong interlayer interaction, the preparation of ultrathin samples of 2H-NbS 2 has been challenging, limiting the exploration of presumably rich quantum phenomena in reduced dimensionality. Here, we demonstrate experimentally and theoretically that light substitutional doping of NbS 2 with heavy atoms is an effective approach to modify both interlayer interaction and collective electronic states in NbS 2 . Very low concentrations of Re dopants (<1%) make NbS 2 exfoliable (down to monolayer) while maintaining its 2H crystal structure and superconducting behavior. In addition, first-principles calculations suggest that Re dopants can stabilize some native CDW patterns that are not stable in pristine NbS 2 .

Abstract: As a rite of passage to womanhood, 2 million girls undergo female genital circumcision (FGC)-the tradition of cutting, and often removing parts of the vulva-every year. The current study is the first to focus on the connection between peripheral nerve damage and chronic neuropathic pain in women with FGC. We used mixed methods-quantitative, qualitative, and physiological-to study chronic pain in Somali-Canadian women (N = 14). These women have the most extensive form of FGC, which includes removal of the glans clitoris, labia minora, medial portion of the labia majora, and stitching together the remaining parts of the labia majora. Our results indicate a multifaceted pain experience in women with FGC. Although they report good overall health and very low pain levels on the short form of the McGill Pain Questionnaire, pressure-pain quantitative sensory testing of the vulvar region applied through vulvalgesiometers shows pain thresholds consistent with those reported by women with chronic vulvar pain. Furthermore, qualitative interviews reveal a considerable amount of often debilitating pain in daily life. These results challenge the use of assessment tools offering elicited verbal pain language and highlight the importance of culturally sensitive ways of conceptualizing, measuring, and managing pain., (Copyright © 2020 International Association for the Study of Pain.)

The development of room-temperature sensing devices for detecting small concentrations of molecular species is imperative for a wide range of low-power sensor applications. We demonstrate a room-temperature, highly sensitive, selective, stable, and reversible chemical sensor based on a monolayer of the transition-metal dichalcogenide Re 0.5 Nb 0.5 S 2 . The sensing device exhibits a thickness-dependent carrier type, and upon exposure to NO 2 molecules, its electrical resistance considerably increases or decreases depending on the layer number. The sensor is selective to NO 2 with only minimal response to other gases such as NH 3 , CH 2 O, and CO 2 . In the presence of humidity, not only are the sensing properties not deteriorated but also the monolayer sensor shows complete reversibility with fast recovery at room temperature. We present a theoretical analysis of the sensing platform and identify the atomically sensitive transduction mechanism.

Frustrated interactions can lead to short-range ordering arising from incompatible interactions of fundamental physical quantities with the underlying lattice. The simplest example is the triangular lattice of spins with antiferromagnetic interactions, where the nearest-neighbor spin-spin interactions cannot simultaneously be energy minimized. Here we show that engineering frustrated interactions is a possible route for controlling structural and electronic phenomena in semiconductor alloys. Using aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy in conjunction with density functional theory calculations, we demonstrate atomic ordering in a two-dimensional semiconductor alloy as a result of the competition between geometrical constraints and nearest-neighbor interactions. Statistical analyses uncover the presence of short-range ordering in the lattice. In addition, we show how the induced ordering can be used as another degree of freedom to considerably modify the band gap of monolayer semiconductor alloys.

The self-assembly of nanoscale materials at the liquid-liquid interface allows for fabrication of three-dimensionally structured liquids with nearly arbitrary geometries and tailored electronic, optical, and magnetic properties. Two-dimensional (2D) materials are highly anisotropic, with thicknesses on the order of a nanometer and lateral dimensions upward of hundreds of nanometers to micrometers. Controlling the assembly of these materials has direct implications for their properties and performance. We here describe the interfacial assembly and jamming of Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanosheets at the oil-water interface. Planar, as well as complex, programmed three-dimensional all-liquid objects are realized. Our approach presents potential for the creation of all-liquid 3D-printed devices for possible applications in all-liquid electrochemical and energy storage devices and electrically active, all-liquid fluidics that exploits the versatile structure, functionality, and reconfigurability of liquids.

Many of the Somali women who have immigrated to other countries, including Canada, have experienced Female Genital Circumcision/ Mutilation/ Cutting (FGC). While there is literature on the medical aspects of FGC, we were interested in understanding the daily life experiences and bodily sensations of Somali-Canadian women in the context of FGC. Fourteen women living in the Greater Toronto Area were interviewed. Interview data were analyzed using a phenomenological approach. We found that the memory of the ceremonial cutting was vivid but was frequently described with acceptance and resignation-as something that just is; that was normal given the particular context, familial and cultural, and their young age. Most of the women recounted experiencing pain and discomfort throughout their adult lives but were intent on not noticing or giving the pain any power; they considered themselves healthy. The following themes emerged from our interviews: Every Body Had It: Discussing FGC, I'm Normal Aren't I?, and Feeling in My Body-all themes that work at normalizing their bodies in a society that they know views them as different. They dealt with both pain and pleasure in the context of their busy lives suggesting resilience in spite of the day-to-day difficulties of daily life., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.

Background: Serrated adenomas (SA) are histologically defined by the presence of both hyperplastic and adenomatous features. These uncommon polyps are thought to play an important role in the development of sporadic colorectal cancers (CRC) with microsatellite instability (MSI). There is paucity of data on the risk of progression of SA to CRC. This study was undertaken to define the relationship between SA and the future development of adenomatous polyps., Methods: Colonoscopic biopsies that contained a pathologic diagnosis of SA were identified from a pathology database of a major urban academic medical center. Those patients with absence of concomitant malignancy, complete colonoscopy, good or adequate prep and presence of at least one follow-up procedures were identified. These were matched to controls by age, sex, indication for colonoscopy, polyp type and number and duration of follow-up. Outcomes of the follow-up procedures were compared., Results: Between January 1997 and June 2005 17,226 colonoscopic biopsies and polypectomies were performed. Of these, 80 patients (0.5%) with SA were found, and of these SA, 80% were found in the left colon. The average age of patients undergoing colonoscopy was 58.5 years, and the average age of patients with SA was 68 years (P = 0.004). Of all patients with SA, 7 (9%) had concomitant CRC. The final groups contained 17 patients and 17 controls, respectively, and were well matched. The mean follow-up interval in the patient group was 29 months vs. 31 months in the control group (P = 0.82). On follow-up examination four patients (24%) and no controls had adenomatous polyps (P = 0.01)., Conclusions: While SA are uncommon, they are commonly associated with colorectal cancer. Serrated adenomas appear to be found more commonly in the left colon and in older patients. This study found a significant association between SA and the subsequent development of adenomatous polyps. Further studies are needed to define appropriate preventive strategies for these patients.

Fibrin ring granulomas are rare lesions whose pathophysiology has remained somewhat elusive. It has been suggested that these peculiar lesions are related to focal vasculitis with endothelial injury and deposition of immune complexes. Fibrin ring granulomas have been described in Q fever; in viral infections such as cytomegalovirus, Epstein-Barr virus, and hepatitis A virus; and in other conditions. We submit the first reported case of fibrin ring granuloma in a patient with chronic hepatitis C infection, in whom other potential etiologies have been excluded, and offer a brief review of available literature on the pathogenesis of both conditions.