BC Community Research Articles

A multi-embankment Chalcolithic walled enclosure

Ota, a key part of the Chalcolithic walled enclosure phenomenon in Portuguese Estremadura, represents a unique settlement strategy within the actual territory of Portugal. The architecture and social dynamics of this site remained largely unexplored until 2019. This study marks a significant shift in its study, utilizing a synergistic approach of archaeology and geotechnologies, embodied in the using an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle equipped with LiDAR. This innovative combination successfully penetrated the dense vegetation, revealing 21 previously unknown archaeological features. The results from the fieldwork unveiled a novel type of walled enclosure at Ota, characterized by a series of four embankments. This discovery prompts a re-evaluation of the roles and practices of 3rd millennium BC communities in Portuguese Estremadura. Furthermore, the proven efficacy of this methodology paves the way for its application in similar archaeological contexts. The paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the recent fieldwork, integrating interpretations from LiDAR data, material studies and 14C dating.

Socio-Political Structure in Central Anatolia in the Third Millennium BC

In Central Anatolia, the socio-economic and political organization of communities in the 3rd millennium BC includes a limited number of studies from different perspectives. These studies refer to a socio-political system in which administrative units divided into regions and provinces are administered by “local rulers”, “independent princes" or "kings". It is suggested that the cities of these principalities were surrounded by walls, they were administered by a ruling class, they participated in commercial activities and the existence of an organization they controlled these, and emphasis is placed on the class society structure consisting of administrators, soldiers and merchants. As mentioned here, the social structure of the socities of the 3rd millennium BC and their relations with each other in the subject region are generally considered in a hierarchical order, and complicate to understand the different social models. Since the social structure cannot be explained only in hierarchical order, some new approaches have been developed. Accordingly, although different individuals in the society gain priority in various activities such as religion, trade, and politics, they may not exhibit a central and hierarchical structure in power relations. In this paper, based on this approach, the socio-political structure and power phenomenon of the 3rd millennium BC communities in the region will be discussed within the socio-economic models, production and specialization, evidence of administrative practices, patterns of settlement, burial customs, phenomenon of belief and remnants of material culture pointing to social complexity, and the views that refer to hierarchical structuring in power relations will be approached.

Who Was Buried at the Petit-Chasseur Site? The Contribution of Archaeometric Analyses of Final Neolithic and Bell Beaker Domestic Pottery to the Understanding of the Megalith-Erecting Society of the Upper Rhône Valley (Switzerland, 3300–2200 BC)

Abstract The Petit-Chasseur megalithic necropolis is a key archaeological context for analyzing the social and ideological changes at the end of the Neolithic in the Alpine region of Central Europe. The link between the funerary monuments and settlement sites was established by means of ceramic archaeometric analysis. Domestic pottery from settlement sites were thoroughly characterized using multiple spectroscopic and microscopic techniques. Twelve ceramic fabrics were identified along with three types of clay substrate: illitic, muscovitic, and kaolinitic. Reconstructed paste preparation recipes largely involved the tempering of the raw clays with crushed rocks or coarse sediments. Types of raw material were not picked up randomly but were selected or avoided due to their particular compositional properties and attest to the exploitation of glacial, gravitational, eolian, and fluvial deposits. Compositional correspondence between ceramic grave goods and domestic pottery allowed identification of a link between the megalithic tombs and settlement sites, thus providing new data contributing to the investigation of the social dimension of monumental burials. Ceramic grave goods were revealed to be intertwined with the social instability affecting the 3rd millennium BC communities of the Upper Rhône Valley.

Barrows in the funeral space at the turn of the Final Neolithic and the beginning of the Bronze Age in the Carpathian basins of Vistula and San rivers

The aim of the paper is to present funeral customs of communities that inhabited the Carpathian foothills of Vistula and San rivers basins at the Final Neolithic and the Early Bronze Age representing Corded Ware and Mierzanowice cultures in the light of new chronometric data. These radiocarbon data were obtained for barrows at site 3 in Średnia, Przemyśl district and Jawczyce, Wieliczka district site 1, mound 2. According to conducted investigations the earliest barrows in this region can be dated to the beginning of the 29th century BC. Then in the younger phase of the Corded Ware culture the exploitation of existing mound continued so subsequent graves were dug into the embankment. This burial rite lasted until the turn of the 24th and 23rd centuries BC so can be synchronised with the presence of niche graves to the north of Carpathian foothills. Afterwards during the Early Bronze Age starting at the 22nd century BC communities of the Mierzanowice culture also chose existing mounds as a place to bury their dead. Therefore one can conclude that in funeral rites of the Corded Ware and Mierzanowice cultures groups in the Carpathian foothills the barrow as the burial place of their ancestors played the main role.

Neolithic farmers or Neolithic foragers? Organic residue analysis of early pottery from Rakushechny Yar on the Lower Don (Russia)

The emergence of pottery in Europe is associated with two distinct traditions: hunter-gatherers in the east of the continent during the early 6th millennium BC and early agricultural communities in the south-west in the late 7th millennium BC. Here we investigate the function of pottery from the site of Rakushechny Yar, located at the Southern fringe of Eastern Europe, in this putative contact zone between these two economic ‘worlds’. To investigate, organic residue analysis was conducted on 120 samples from the Early Neolithic phase (ca. mid-6th millennium BC) along with microscopic and SEM analysis of associated foodcrusts. The results showed that the earliest phase of pottery use was predominantly used to process riverine resources. Many of the vessels have molecular and isotopic characteristics consistent with migratory fish, such as sturgeon, confirmed by the identification of sturgeon bony structures embedded in the charred surface deposits. There was no evidence of dairy products in any of the vessels, despite the fact these have been routinely identified in coeval sites to the south. Further analysis of some of the mammalian bones using ZooMS failed to demonstrate that domesticated animals were present in the Early Neolithic. Nevertheless, we argue that intensive exploitation of seasonally migratory fish, accompanied by large-scale pottery production, created storable surpluses that led to similar socio-economic outcomes as documented in early agricultural societies.

La voie des marques (ou Lévi-Strauss dans le Midi). Une première approche structuraliste des stèles anthropomorphes néolithiques d’Occitanie

In the first half of the 3rd millennium BC, the peasant and metallurgical communities of Occitania (southeastern France) produced and erected a large number of anthropomorphic stelae in their respective territories: Rouergue and High-Languedoc for the Treilles culture, Low-Languedoc for the Fontbouisse culture. Several of these stone objects display particular marks on the face: “périnasales” in one case, “circumoculaires” in the other. Such patterns can be identified as representations of tattoos or scarifications. They are the most obvious part of the opposition system revealed by the structural analysis of the stelae designed by the two cultural groups. The latter would thus have materialized in their respective choices of plastic expression an antagonism probably centered around the copper mining in the Massif Central, on a model close to that brought to light by Claude Lévi-Strauss among the Indians of British Columbia.

Potret Konformitas dalam Kelompok Remaja Laki-Laki Urban Komunitas BC

This article is a research study on communication behavior, especially regarding group conformity and communication motives that occur in urban adolescents. The BC community is a unique urban teenage boy community as a group of young people who are digitally literate and prioritize the value of conformity in their group. Therefore, the author wants to describe the conformity and motives of adolescents in the community. This study uses the Schutz phenomenology method because it observes the communication behavior of the study of group conformity and male adolescent motives. The results of the research showed that the conformity of the group in the BC community was formed due to personal factors and situational factors; The motives underlying the male adolescent communication behavior in the BC community are classified into because of motives and to motives. In the end, the writer found that conformity and motive are two different things but inherent in the individual so that the author can see what trends will be done by male adolescents. This is an impact arising from the conformity and motives they have.

A first appraisal on copper sources for Chalcolithic settlements in southern Portugal using Pb isotope analysis

This work presents the first provenance study on copper in use by 3rd millennium BC communities in southern Portugal. Copper ores from small mines and copper artefacts from Chalcolithic settlements were subjected to Pb isotope analysis. Some of Pb isotope ratios obtained in ores from the Ossa-Morena Zone, but also from the South Portuguese Zone, evince the existence of deposits with highly radiogenic Pb, which was previously considered rare in the Iberian Peninsula. Pb isotope ratios of artefacts were compared with Pb isotope fields of closer geological/tectonostratigraphic zones, namely the South Portuguese Zone, Ossa-Morena Zone and Central Iberian Zone. The assessment suggests that most artefacts were produced with copper from the Ossa-Morena Zone. Nevertheless, a flat axe of the Três Moinhos settlement is a remarkable exception due to its highly radiogenic Pb signature, which only has parallels in the Iberian Peninsula on copper ores of the Chalcolithic mines of La Profunda and El Milagro (northern Spain). Consequently, this flat axe constitutes the first indication of a possible long-distance trade of copper between the Cantabrian region and southwestern Iberian Peninsula during the 3rd millennium BC.

Telehealth-enabled auditory brainstem response testing for infants living in rural communities: the British Columbia Early Hearing Program experience

Objective: The present study investigated a telehealth-enabled auditory-brainstem-response (TH-ABR) programme provided by the British Columbia Early Hearing Program (BCEHP) to families in a remote northern area who face barriers such as travel distance and access to audiologists trained in ABR testing. Objectives were to: (i) outline the design/implementation of a TH-ABR programme, (ii) summarise equipment/procedures, and (iii) report on results for the TH-ABR programme (cost/time effectiveness, testing accuracy/efficiency, and caregiver satisfaction).Design: TH-ABR implementation was described and TH-ABR results were compared to behavioural follow-up findings to evaluate TH-ABR test accuracy. Caregivers were invited to complete TH-ABR satisfaction surveys following their appointment(s).Study sample: One hundred and two infants (mean age: 2.3 months) were assessed via TH-ABR at four points-of-care; 41/66 caregivers completed surveys.Results: The TH-ABR programme was suitable, sustainable and scalable. After 29 TH-ABR events, the service was cost neutral to BCEHP ($91,250 averted after 102 TH-ABRs). Fifty infants were identified with hearing loss and TH-ABR accuracy and efficiency were comparable to face-to-face assessments. Parent survey results indicated a high level of satisfaction with the TH-ABR experience.Conclusions: TH-ABR is efficient, accurate, valued by parents, optimises availability to audiology resources, builds local service capacity, and reduces costs for northern BC communities.

Time out of joint: A re-assessment of the Cypriot Aceramic Neolithic site of Kalavasos-Tenta and its regional implications

This article proposes that the Pre-Pottery Neolithic A (PPNA) hunter-forager-cultivator introductions to Cyprus from the northern Levant had a much more enduring impact on the Cypriot Aceramic Neolithic than subsequent agricultural introductions associated with the Early Pre-Pottery Neolithic B (PPNB). The presence at Ayios Tychonas-Klimonas of imported wild emmer wheat, a chipped stone assemblage bearing strong similarities to Mureybet IIIA and a circular communal building with close parallels in the northern Levantine PPNA (Vigne et al. 2012: 8446–47), confirm that by the beginning of the 9th millennium cal BC communities on Cyprus had adopted technologies, behaviours and perhaps the ideology of the mainland PPNA. Many PPNA-derived practices survived, or were deliberately maintained, after the introduction of agriculture to the island in the mid 9th millennium cal BC. On the basis of a critical re-evaluation of the important Cypriot Aceramic Neolithic site of Kalavasos-Tenta, the significance of this assertion is explored. The possibility is discussed that cultural archaism, observed in many aspects of the Cypriot Neolithic, was the result of deliberate choice, constituted within an ideology that rejected the shift towards the more structured, corporate way of living which was gathering pace on the mainland by the 8th millennium cal BC (Benz et al. 2017). Instead, mainland PPNB technologies and materiel were differentially adopted, or disregarded, under unique conditions that enabled Cyprus to maintain a predominantly hunting economy long after agriculture had been introduced to the island. A re-analysis of three impressive circular communal buildings at Tenta and their relationship with the surrounding, much smaller pillar buildings lead us to argue that Tenta was occupied virtually continuously from at least the mid 9th to the mid 7th millennia cal BC, that its extraordinary longevity and archaism can be attributed to its socio-ideological significance; and, that the top-of-site communal buildings may have been the successors to the early 9th millennium cal BC examples epitomised by Building 10 at Klimonas. In addition, the smaller circular pillar buildings surrounding them are interpreted here in the context of a new influx of people with links to Upper Mesopotamia at around 7500 cal BC, who may have been seeking refuge from the rapidly intensifying and changing world of the mainland PPNB.

El Castru (Vigaña, Balmonte de Miranda, Asturias): un pequeño poblado fortificado de las montañas occidentales cantábricas durante la Edad del Hierro

espanolEste articulo presenta los datos arqueologicos recuperados en las excavaciones del poblado castreno de El Castru, en Vigana (Balmonte de Miranda, Asturias) realizadas en 2012 y 2013. Dicho yacimiento constituye un buen ejemplo de los pequenos castros de la Edad del Hierro en las montanas del area occidental cantabrica. Por ello, el analisis de las informaciones obtenidas y su contextualizacion a escala regional ofrecen interesantes aportaciones al debate sobre las formas de poblamiento y subsistencia adoptadas por las comunidades del I milenio a.C. en el Noroeste iberico. EnglishIn this article we present and discuss the archaeological data obtained in the 2012 and 2013 excavations carried out in the hillfort of El Castru, in Vigana (Balmonte de Miranda, Asturias, NW Iberia). The excavations have showed a long-sequence occupation of the hillfort since the Early Iron Age to the early Roman period. The site constitutes a good example of the small Iron Age hillforts of the western Cantabrian Mountains. For this reason, the analysis of the information collected during fieldwork and its contextualization at regional level provide us with interesting considerations for discussing about the settlement patterns and subsistence systems adopted by the I millennia BC communities in NW Iberia. The manuscript is opened by a general overview of the hillfort, including a contextualisation of its surrounding landscape. Then, a detailed description of the six stratigraphic phases we identified during the excavations is presented, paying attention to the stratigraphic relations between different layers and structures. In addition, five radiocarbon dates are presented to build up the chronology of the site. Three huts and metallurgical production areas were explored, resulting on a significant collection of materials. The structures and layers that create each stratigraphic group are characterised considering a broad discussion about the archaeological materials that were discovered through the excavations, paying particular attention to pottery assemblages. The study and discussion of an outstanding zooarchaeological remains collection, some seeds and four pollen samples offers a relevant window to understand the anthropization of the surrounding landscape along the biography of this site. Diverse agricultural activities were developed in connection with a complex arrangement of pastoralist strategies, where we envision a growing specialization on cattle herding along the biography of this site, while agriculture is based in a wide range of complementary crops including several types of cereals. The discussion of these data considering Landscape Archaeology as our theoretical and methodological framework becomes a relevant case study in the geographical context of the western Cantabrian Mountains, where we lack this kind of approaches. The archaeological dataset under examination in El Castru allows us to argue that the small peasant community who inhabited the hillfort along the Iron Age and the earlier decades of the Roman period could be characterised particularly by their socio-political autonomy and productive self-sufficiency. This way, we understand Iron Age social landscapes in this area under the umbrella of non-hierarchical models for social organisation, such as heterarchical societies or ‘deep rural communities’, following some of the interpretations recently raised by several scholars in NW Iberia. euskaraArtikulu honetan bildu ditugu El Castru (Vigana, Balmonte de Miranda, Asturias) herrixkan 2012an eta 2013an eginiko indusketetan berreskuratutako datu arkeologikoak. Aztarnategi hori Burdin Aroan Kantaurialdeko mendebaldeko mendietan zeuden kastro txikien adibide ona da. Horregatik, eskuratutako informazioak aztertzeak eta informazio horiek eskualdeko testuinguruan kokatzeak elementu interesgarriak dakartzate Iberiar penintsulako ipar-mendebaldean K.a. I. milurtekoan zeuden komunitateek zituzten populaketa-moduei eta biziraupen-moduei buruzko eztabaidara.

Using decomposition methodology to gain a better understanding of progress in and challenges facing regional and local climate action

Abstract Decomposition analysis provides a potentially powerful means for analyzing community greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data. However, this form of analysis is typically conducted at larger geographical scales (i.e., national and state/provincial levels), which leaves questions around how to apply this methodology to local and regional contexts. This study explores the application of decomposition methodology to community data in order to elucidate how this form of analysis can be employed to inform local/regional planning and climate policy. The research involved developing decomposition models that focus on two particularly areas important for local climate action - transportation and residential energy. Each model consisted of five factors - population, population distribution, travel (transportation) or energy customer accounts (residential) intensity, vehicle (transportation) or home energy (residential) type, and emissions intensity. Using data from the BC Community Energy Emissions Inventory, the study examined effects of the different factors on emissions changes occurring between 2007 and 2012 in the Metro Vancouver Regional District (British Columbia, Canada). Results from the transportation analysis indicated that population growth and people's choices in vehicle type had the effect of increasing emissions in the MVRD, whereas travel and emissions intensity factors had mitigating effects. The residential energy analysis indicated that only population effects led to emissions-increases in the MVRD, whereas the other factors had mitigating effects. Community-scale analyses also were conducted to identify municipalities where emissions-increasing effects were experienced more dramatically, for example, travel intensity effects in smaller communities (e.g., White Rock), energy accounts intensity effects in Vancouver, and emissions intensity effects in the District of North Vancouver. The study demonstrated how decomposition analysis can provide regional and local governments with valuable insight on what is contributing to GHG emissions and where progress is being made, which in turn can help these governments focus climate policy and planning efforts to achieve progress toward mitigation. The paper begins with an introduction on the use of decomposition methodology in energy and GHG emissions studies, and its potential value for analyzing local emissions data. The next sections discuss the analytical approach designed for and employed in this study, as well as describing the data used for this research. The paper then presents the results of the analysis performed on the MVRD. Finally, it concludes with a discussion on the implications of the results of this study for regional and local policy and planning.

MP44: TEC4Home heart failure: using home telemonitoring to decrease ED readmissions and clinical flow

Introduction: Patients with Heart failure (HF) experience frequent decompensation necessitating multiple emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. If patients are able to receive timely interventions and optimize self-management, recurrent ED visits may be reduced. In this feasibility study, we piloted the application of home telemonitoring to support the discharge of HF patients from hospital to home. We hypothesized that TEC4Home would decrease ED revisits and hospital admissions and improve patient health outcomes. Methods: Upon discharge from the ED or hospital, patients with HF received a blood pressure cuff, weight scale, pulse oximeter, and a touchscreen tablet. Participants submitted measurements and answered questions on the tablet about their HF symptoms daily for 60 days. Data were reviewed by a monitoring nurse. From November 2016 to July 2017, 69 participants were recruited from Vancouver General Hospital (VGH), St. Pauls Hospital (SPH) and Kelowna General Hospital (KGH). Participants completed pre-surveys at enrollement and post-surveys 30 days after monitoring finished. Administrative data related to ED visits and hospital admissions were reviewed. Interviews were conducted with the monitoring nurses to assess the impact of monitoring on patient health outcomes. Results: A preliminary analysis was conducted on a subsample of participants (n=22) enrolled across all 3 sites by March 31, 2017. At VGH and SPH (n=14), 25% fewer patients required an ED visit in the post-survey reporting compared to pre-survey. During the monitoring period, the monitoring nurse observed seven likely avoided ED admissions due to early intervention. In total, admissions were reduced by 20% and total hospital length of stay reduced by 69%. At KGH (n=8), 43% fewer patients required an ED visit in the post-survey reporting compared to the pre-survey. Hospital admissions were reduced by 20% and total hospital length of stay reduced by 50%. Overall, TEC4Home participants from all sites showed a significant improvement in health-related quality of life and in self-care behaviour pre- to 90 days post-monitoring. A full analysis of the 69 patients will be complete in February 2018. Conclusion: Preliminary findings indicate that home telemonitoring for HF patients can decrease ED revisits and improve patient experience. The length of stay data may also suggest the potential for early discharge of ED patients with home telemonitoring to avoid or reduce hospitalization. A stepped-wedge randomized controlled trial of TEC4Home in 22 BC communities will be conducted in 2018 to generate evidence and scale up the service in urban, regional and rural communities. This work is submitted on behalf of the TEC4Home Healthcare Innovation Community.

Insights into the biodiversity of the gut microbiota of broiler chickens.

The gastrointestinal tract of poultry is densely populated with microorganisms, which are presumed to interact with the host and ingested feed. Comparison of the gut microbiota of chickens used for large-scale commercial production (Broiler Chicken, BC) and those grown in semi-wild conditions (Free-Range Chicken, FRC) revealed that at phylum level Firmicutes was the dominant phylum of the gut community in BC, while the gut microbiota of FRC contained higher levels of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria. Such differences may be due to the diet and/or the intensive use of antibiotics in BC. Indeed, analysis of the resistome of the cecal microbiomes showed a marked richness in BC datasets, with a modulation of the cecal microbiota toward antibiotic resistant bacteria. Functional characterization of the microbiome of FRC samples revealed an increase in gene pathways involved in degradation of complex carbohydrates. Furthermore, in silico analyses of the microbiomes of FRC and BC revealed a higher presence in genes involved in formate production in BC samples. Notably, compared to the BC microbiomes the FRC microbiomes were shown to contain a higher abundance of genes involved in the pathway for acetate production.

Biochar as a novel niche for culturing microbial communities in composting

Biochar has been applied as a bulk agent or an additive to compost. The mixture of biochar and compost has been considered to exert synergistic effect as a soil amendment. In a composting system, the macro-porous sites of biochar may act as a novel niche that selects and cultures the microorganisms from the bulk compost. A variety of volatile organic carbons (VOCs) such as aromatic hydrocarbons and aliphatics were detected in biochar pellets (BC) pyrolyzed at 100°C. In the mesosphilic phase, the water-soluble carbon (WSC) and water-soluble phenols (WSP) in biochar increased from 2.1 to 26mgkg−1 and 5.9 to 101μgkg−1, respectively. These labile carbons however, were subjected to a rapid metabolism over the composting course. We further compared the responses of microbial community in BC to those in the bulk organic matter. Both Shannon-Wiener and Richness indexes of bacterial communities were higher in BC than in the adjacent compost (ADJ) and the bulk organic matter (control). As for fungal communities, the two indexes were higher in BC than ADJ and control only in the mature phase. During the composting course, the bacterial activity was higher than the fungal counterpart in terms of the changes of corresponding biomarkers, glucosamine and muramic acids. The results suggested that the diversified labile carbons sources including VOCs and WSC in BC could influence the structure of microbial community and resulted in an enhanced carbon catabolic capacity.

Microbial community structure and predicted bacterial metabolic functions in biochar pellets aged in soil after 34 months

Biochar has been shown to induce changes in soil microbial communities, which is initially attributed to the labile organic carbons stimulating degraders over short time periods. However, little is currently understood about microbial communities as well as their metabolic traits on biochar pellets (BC) aged in soil for prolonged periods of time. It was hypothesized that microbial communities affected by biochar may result in changes in the metabolic traits. The activities of bacteria and fungi were compared by measuring their biomarkers including muramic acid (MurN) and glucosamine (GluN). The structure of soil microbial communities on BC aged in soil after 34 months was evaluated using 454 pyrosequencing. The metabolic functions of the bacterial community were predicted by Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt). Pyrolysates in BC were analyzed using pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectroscopy. The statistically significant decrease of GluN/MurN in BC in comparison with the adjacent soil (ADJ) and the control indicates higher accumulated bacterial activity than that of fungi. The structure of bacterial communities greatly shifted in biochar pellets in comparison with their fungal counterparts. Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria of bacterial community were more abundant in BC than in ADJ and control soils. At class level there were greater bacterial OTUs in BC than ADJ and control soils. The changes of pyrolysates in BC may indicate the deconstruction of biochar. The PICRUSt indicated the bacterial community in BC shifted from preferring metabolizing carbohydrates to xenobiotics. This was supported by the high concentration of water soluble carbon present in BC. The current study suggests that biochar may preserve soil organic matter through mediating bacterial metabolic capacities in carbon sources.

Sustainable childhood obesity prevention through community engagement (SCOPE) program: evaluation of the implementation phase.

Childhood obesity rates are steadily rising. Sustainable Childhood Obesity Prevention Through Community Engagement (SCOPE) is a community-based participatory action research (PAR) program aimed at preventing childhood obesity. This study aimed to describe community perspectives on, and elicit feedback about, SCOPE's first phase of implementation in two pilot cities in British Columbia, Canada. A case study was implemented using interviews and questionnaires to obtain feedback about SCOPE from two groups: SCOPE coordinators and stakeholders (i.e., individuals and organizations that were a member of the community and engaged with SCOPE coordinators). Participants were recruited via email and (or) by telephone. Coordinators completed a telephone interview. Stakeholders completed a questionnaire and (or) a telephone interview. Thematic analysis was conducted. Participants included 2 coordinators and 15 stakeholders. Participants similarly interpreted SCOPE as a program focused on raising awareness about childhood obesity prevention, while engaging multiple community sectors. Overall, participants valued the program's role in facilitating networking and partnership development, providing evidence-based resources, technical expertise, and contributing funding. Participants felt that SCOPE is sustainable. However, participants felt that barriers to achieving healthy weights among children included those related to the built environment, and social, behavioral, and economic obstacles. Perspectives on factors that facilitated and acted as barriers to SCOPE's first phase of implementation were obtained from the SCOPE communities and may be used to enhance the sustainability of SCOPE and its applicability to other BC communities.

Abstract P1-09-18: Perceptions and gaps of women living with advanced breast cancer: Results from the "Count Us, Know Us, Join Us" online survey in Latin America

Abstract Background: Patients with advanced breast cancer (ABC) represent a subgroup of BC patients who have a unique set of needs in their multiprofessional care, as the focus is more concerned with surviving the challenges of the disease, rather than being a survivor. However, little is known about these specific needs. A global Internet-based survey, ‘’Count Us, Know Us, Join Us," was performed to identify and raise awareness of unmet needs of women living with ABC. Herein, the outcomes of respondents in Argentina, Brazil, and Mexico are presented. Methods: The survey, conducted by Harris Poll between Oct 2012 – March 2013, sponsored by Novartis Oncology, comprised 40 questions to assess respondent demographics and baseline characteristics, diagnosis, metastatic spread of disease, overall health, family history, communication with the health care practitioner (HCP), information sources and resources, treatment, support, quality of life (QOL), satisfaction, emotional state, and economic impact. It was distributed online through locally based patient advocacy groups. Women ≥21 years old with BC that had spread to distant parts of the body beyond the breast and its local lymph nodes (stage IV) were eligible to participate. Results: Overall, 1,273 participants from 12 countries completed the survey, including 302 respondents from Latin America (n=100, Argentina; n=100, Brazil; n=102 Mexico). Of these, 62% were between 40–59 years old and 59% had metastatic disease at diagnosis. The majority of patients in Brazil (64%) and Mexico (74%), but not Argentina (22%), were very satisfied with the communication they had with their HCP, although overall 74% wanted their HCP to also address their emotional needs. Just over a quarter (28%) felt isolated from the early stage BC community, and two-thirds (67%) felt no one understood what they were going through; 41% experienced a decrease in support from family and friends after being diagnosed. In total, 74% of women felt their QOL had been impaired moderately or strongly following diagnosis. Around half of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with aspects of their mental health, including outlook on life (43%), sense of control over their life (48%), emotional state (50%), and self-esteem (47%) following diagnosis. Moreover, moderate or strong negative impacts on jobs (67%) and finances (71%) were reported by applicable respondents. An impact on work was indicated by 89% of employed women and overall 66% stated that ABC interfered with their ability to work such that they suffered a loss of personal income, with the highest figure for respondents in Mexico (85%). Conclusions: This survey has identified that ABC has a major impact on many aspects of a sufferer’s life. One of the key findings is the need for a larger psychosocial component in the care of women with ABC in Latin America. Engaging the commitment and collaboration of a multiprofessional care team, caregivers, patient organizations, and governments to improve the quality and breadth of care beyond therapeutic aspects may help to fulfill this unmet need and improve the general well-being of this often invisible patient population. Citation Format: Maira Caleffi. Perceptions and gaps of women living with advanced breast cancer: Results from the "Count Us, Know Us, Join Us" online survey in Latin America [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Seventh Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2014 Dec 9-13; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(9 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-09-18.

Inspection violations and community care facilities in British Columbia, Canada


 Background: In British Columbia, community care facility is a broad term that covers many different type of facilities including residential care and child care facilities. These facilities are inspected and audited by the BC regional health authorities to ensure that they are operating in compliance with the BC Community Care and Facilities Act and its respective regulations. These facilities house population groups that are at higher risk of injury or illness due to their physiology and behaviour. Therefore, it is crucial that these facilities are operating in compliance with the prescribed legislation to minimize the risk of illness and injury to the users of these facilities. Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine if there were any differences in the number of violations in residential care and child care facilities between the different health authorities in BC. Methods: Inspection data were randomly selected and extracted from each of BC’s five health authority’s websites and assessed for the number of violations found in these inspections. Violations were tallied and an ANOVA analysis was performed to identify if there were any differences in the number of violations between the health authority regions. Results: Statistical analysis was performed using Microsoft Excel 2013 and NCSS. There was a statistically significant difference of violations between child care and residential care facilities located in the Interior Health Authority region and Northern Health Authority region. Interior Health Authority child care and residential care facilities have more violations than Northern Health Authority child care and residential care facilities. Conclusion: Violations in child care and residential care facilities varied among the five BC HA region. The IHA facilities were found to have the overall highest number of violations for both child care and residential care facilities whereas the NHA facilities were found to have the lowest number of violations. This suggests that patrons of child/residential care facilities in IHA have a higher potential of getting injured or ill compared to patrons in facilities located in NHA.

Community forestry in British Columbia: Policy progression and public participation

It is 17 years since the British Columbia Ministry of Forests instituted the Jobs and Timber Accord of 1997, which established British Columbia's (BC) Community Forest Pilot Program and formally introduced Community Forest Agreements into the provincial forest policy framework. For this special issue we present the results of a census of all active members of the BC Community Forest Association, evaluating the program using the method demonstrated by Maryudi et al. (2012) where evaluation is guided by the original aims of the policy; in this case the Community Forestry Initiative of BC. We sought the Community Forest Organisations' views on the strengths and limitations of the initiative, whether they were equipped to achieve the aims expected of the policy, and the degree to which the policy aims were their priorities. We found that community forests in BC assess themselves as having been broadly successful in terms of policy aims of public participation and environmental stewardship of forests, but that the policy has not enabled economic diversification. Corroborating other studies we report that community forests found that encouraging participation requires sustained effort, that diversifying from conventional forestry is desired but not usually achievable and that motivations for involvement in community forests are diverse.