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Copyright of Canadian Journal of Community Mental Health is the property of Canadian Periodical for Community Studies Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We developed a high‐resolution and noninvasive multichannel urodynamic system combined with a novel signal‐processing algorithm tailored to extract electromyographic (EMG) activity from the urinary bladder. We utilized a flexible noninvasive biopotential recording system to collect an array of EMG signals from the urinary bladder of human subjects. This study also presents the use of an existing artifact rejection methodology to autonomously extract an EMG signal from an environment prone to motion artifacts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Swallowing is a complex neuromuscular task. There is limited spatiotemporal data on normative surface electromyographic signal during swallow, particularly across standard textures. We hypothesize the pattern of electromyographic signal of the anterior neck varies cranio‐caudally, that laterality can be evaluated, and categorization of bolus texture can be differentiated by high‐density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) through signal analysis. Methods: An HDsEMG grid of 20 electrodes captured electromyographic activity in eight healthy adult subjects across 240 total swallows. Participants swallowed five standard textures: saliva, thin liquid, puree, mixed consistency, and dry solid. Data were bandpass filtered, underwent functional alignment of signal, and then placed into binary classifier receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Muscular activity was visualized by creating two‐dimensional EMG heat maps. Results: Signal analysis results demonstrated a positive correlation between signal amplitude and bolus texture. Greater differences of amplitude in the cranial most region of the array when compared to the caudal most region were noted in all subjects. Lateral comparison of the array revealed symmetric power levels across all subjects and textures. ROC curves demonstrated the ability to correctly classify textures within subjects in 6 of 10 texture comparisons. Conclusion: This pilot study suggests that utilizing HDsEMG during deglutition can noninvasively differentiate swallows of varying texture noninvasively. This may prove useful in future diagnostic and behavioral swallow applications. Level of Evidence: 4 Laryngoscope, 133:2695–2703, 2023 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses the Slepian-Wolf problem of distributed near-lossless compression of correlated sources. We introduce practical new tools for communicating at all rates in the achievable region. The technique employs a simple "source-splitting" strategy that does not require common sources of randomness at the encoders and decoders. This approach allows for pipelined encoding and decoding so that the system operates with the complexity of a single user encoder and decoder. Moreover, when this splitting approach is used in conjunction with iterative decoding methods, it produces a significant simplification of the decoding process. We demonstrate this approach for synthetically generated data. Finally, we consider the Slepian-Wolf problem when linear codes are used as syndrome-formers and consider a linear programming relaxation to maximum-likelihood (ML) sequence decoding. We note that the fractional vertices of the relaxed polytope compete with the optimal solution in a manner analogous to that observed when the "min-sum" iterative decoding algorithm is applied. This relaxation exhibits the ML-certificate property: if an integral solution is found, it is the ML solution. For symmetric binary joint distributions, we show that selecting easily constructable "expander"-style low-density parity check codes (LDPCs) as syndrome-formers admits a positive error exponent and therefore provably good performance. Index Terms--Block codes, communication systems, data compression, decoding, iterative methods.

Background: Relationships between primary care providers (PCP) and trans patients remain important, necessitating discussions about gender identity, health and their intersections.Methods: Using an online survey, we explored socio-demographic and psycho-social factors associated with: (1) disclosing gender identity; (2) discussing gender identity-related health issues; and (3) comfort sharing gender identity with PCPs, among trans people (n =112) over 16years of age, sampled in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Bivariate and multivariate methods using modified Poisson regression generated effect estimates.Results: Age, birth presumed gender, employment status, family support, and transphobia were significantly associated with disclosing gender identity, discussing gender identity-related health issues, and comfortability sharing gender identity with PCPs.Conclusion: Increasing PCPs' knowledge of trans-related health issues is stressed to improve access and quality for trans patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Studies of HIV-related risk in trans (transgender, transsexual, or transitioned) people have most often involved urban convenience samples of those on the male-to-female (MTF) spectrum. Studies have detected high prevalences of HIV-related risk behaviours, self-reported HIV, and HIV seropositivity. Methods The Trans PULSE Project conducted a multi-mode survey using respondent-driven sampling to recruit 433 trans people in Ontario, Canada. Weighted estimates were calculated for HIV-related risk behaviours, HIV testing and self-reported HIV, including subgroup estimates for gender spectrum and ethno-racial groups. Results Trans people in Ontario report a wide range of sexual behaviours with a full range of partner types. High proportions – 25% of female-to-male (FTM) and 51% of MTF individuals – had not had a sex partner within the past year. Of MTFs, 19% had a past-year high-risk sexual experience, versus 7% of FTMs. The largest behavioural contributors to HIV risk were sexual behaviours some may assume trans people do not engage in: unprotected receptive genital sex for FTMs and insertive genital sex for MTFs. Overall, 46% had never been tested for HIV; lifetime testing was highest in Aboriginal trans people and lowest among non-Aboriginal racialized people. Approximately 15% of both FTM and MTF participants had engaged in sex work or exchange sex and about 2% currently work in the sex trade. Self-report of HIV prevalence was 10 times the estimated baseline prevalence for Ontario. However, given wide confidence intervals and the high proportion of trans people who had never been tested for HIV, estimating the actual prevalence was not possible. Conclusions Results suggest potentially higher than baseline levels of HIV; however low testing rates were observed and self-reported prevalences likely underestimate seroprevalence. Explicit inclusion of trans people in epidemiological surveillance statistics would provide much-needed information on incidence and prevalence. Given the wide range of sexual behaviours and partner types reported, HIV prevention programs and materials should not make assumptions regarding types of behaviours trans people do or do not engage in.

Abstract Background U.S. population studies show herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) seroprevalence levelling by approximately age 30, suggesting few new infections after that age. It is unclear whether this pattern is driven by greater percentages in stable relationships, and to what extent adults who initiate new relationships may be at risk of incident HSV-2 infection. Methods Survey and laboratory data from the 1999-2008 waves of the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were combined for 12,862 adults age 20-49. Weighted population estimates of self-reported genital herpes, HSV-2 seroprevalence, and past-year sexual history were calculated, stratified by age, sex, race, and relationship status. Multivariable logistic regression was used to assess whether relationship status provided additional information in predicting HSV-2 over age, race and sex, and whether any such associations could be accounted for through differences in lifetime number of sex partners. Results Those who were unpartnered had higher HSV-2 prevalence than those who were married/cohabitating. Among unpartnered 45-49 year olds, seroprevalence was 55.3% in women and 25.7% in men. Those who were married/cohabitating were more likely to have had a past-year sex partner, and less likely to have had two or more partners. The effect of age in increasing the odds of HSV-2 was modified by race, with higher HSV-2 prevalence among Black Americans established by age 20-24 years, and the effect of race decreasing from age 30 to 49. Relationship status remained an independent predictor of HSV-2 when controlling for age, race, and sex among those age 30 to 49; married/cohabitating status was protective for HSV-2 in this group (OR = 0.69) Conclusions Whereas sexually transmitted infections are often perceived as issues for young adults and specific high-risk groups, the chronic nature of HSV-2 results in accumulation of prevalence with age, especially among those not in married/cohabitating relationships. Increased odds of HSV-2 with age did not correspond with increases in self-reported genital herpes, which remained low. Adults who initiate new relationships should be aware of HSV-2 in order to better recognize its symptoms and prevent transmission.