Use of Adobe in Cyprus

What is Adobe? Production, Application & A ; Features Adobe is a composite edifice stuff made with dirt and straws. Needed sum of H2O is added to dirty and straws which is traditionally crushed and squezed by pes, to blend the stuffs making clay. In some parts, droppings is used alternatively of straws. Straws are used to adhere the bricks together. It besides allow the bricks to dry every bit. Some experiments show that utilizing straws in adobe bricks make them more immune for clefts. Dung is chiefly used to avoid insects. The mixture is so casted into wooden frames ( normally 30cm ten 45cmx 6cm ) .It is compressed within the wooden frames to forestall the spreads, doing it heavy and strong. Excess clay is glanced off the frames to do a level surface for the bricks. Wooden frames are removed and adobe bricks are left to dry in a level surface, under the Sun for a few yearss. It is a low-priced and easy to do stuff which was widely used all around the universe extensively in Egypt, Sudan, Middle East and Asia Minor. As it is an earth stuff, it is suited for semi-arid climes where summers are hot and dry and winters cold and wet. It has a high thermal mass which is defined as the ability of the stuff to absorb heat. It helps to stabilise the inside temperature of the edifices. Main natural stuffs of adobe can easy be found locally. Soil types and colorss depends on the vicinity and that is the chief ground to see different coloured adobe edifices in different countries. Load bearing walls made from adobe bricks are normally 45-50cm broad. Minimal breadth should non be less than 30 centimeter. Adobe walls carry their ain weight into foundations so there is no demand for other sturctures to transport the burden of the walls. Normally, 80-100 centimeter high rock walls are built as a base for the adobe walls to forestall the affect of land humidness on adobe bricks. As there are non any other constructions to transport the adobe walls, land is dug for the termss. The deepness of the excavated country depends on the local features of the land and the frost degree of the dirt. The misguided apparatus of the foundations might do clefts on the walls. Courses of adobe bricks are lined horizantally and binded together with clay howitzer to organize the adobe walls. Mud plaster which is a breathable stuff that can let the wet of the adobe walls to vaporize ; is used to stick on the first bed of the adobe walls. Fine grained straws are added where straw fibres increase adhering and to obtain a smooth surface. Mud plaster is a lasting stuff but the concluding coating of the wall is made by stick oning calcium hydroxide based paste which is a water-repellent stuff to protect the structural feature of the adobe. As it is an earth stuff, one-year fix is recommended. Worn surfaces are replaced by clay howitzer and plastered once more. This procedure is normally carried out during fall. In adobe houses, the breadth of the edifices do no transcend 4m ( 13ft ) by and large. The infinites are largely rectangular and in some instances they might be square shaped. It is recommended to construct maximal two floors with adobe. Ceiling beams which were normally wood, are placed parallel to the short side of the rectangle with 30-40cm intervals. For these beams, cypress tree was normally used in Cyprus. Bushes or reeds were placed above the beams or in some instances reeds in the signifier of mats might be used if available. On top of this bed, 20-25 centimeter midst clay is casted and compressed by a rock roller. This type of roofs need one-year fix, which normally carried out in fall. If the roof is build with a incline, tiles are used to cover the clay bed. This will cut down the scratch of the clay and reduces the demand for care. Use of Adobe in Cyprus Adobe is a common edifice stuff in Cyprus from early ages. Building stuffs might change in different parts, such as Kyrenia and Paphos ( which are coastal parts of the island ) rock was used to construct shelters. In the fields and foothills, adobe was widely used. The usage of the stuffs depended on the regional handiness and climatic factors. As adobe is an insulating stuff, bulk of the houses were build utilizing adobe. Mesaoria vale which is located between Kyrenia Mountains in the North and Trodos Mountains in the sou'-west of the island, is an aluvial field where most of the adobe edifices can be seen. Reports on dirt studies in Cyprus shows that there are chiefly two types of dirt in the island. One is ‘deep soils’ which can be found in fields and 2nd one is ‘shallow soils’ which can be found in mountain and semi mountain countries. ‘Deep soil’ consequences show that % 60 of the dirt in fields is clay. Large sum of the field lands is calcareus with Ca carbonate content up to % 40-60. Limestone is a sedimentary stone which includes high degrees of Ca carbonate. Limestone is processed in different phases to bring forth calcium hydroxide. Including insularity characteristics of adobe, suited ingredients can be found locally around the island which are dirt with high clay content, and limestone to bring forth calcium hydroxide. Adobe bricks are dried under Sun where limestone and roof tiles are baked in local furnaces by utilizing wood or fuel. This makes adobe a sustainable and natural stuff. Limestone was besides used to construct patio walls. Nicosia is located in the Mesaoria vale where adobe edifices can widely be seen. After the declaration of independency of the island in 1960, concrete edifices started to lift over the island. Nowadays, little sums of Earth edifices are built around Cyprus. Cyprus is hot and dry during summer where the demand for airing is extremely demanded inside the edifices. Privacy was an of import factor on determining the traditional house design of Cyprus where Windowss were built above oculus degree to maintain the privateness. Windows on adobe walls were made by puting wooden headers on top of the gaps to back up the bricks above. Terra rossa dirt is present in some countries of Mesaoria field which is a ruddy brown dirt. Colour of adobe bricks might change in different parts of the island. Partition walls inside the edifices were normally built with light timber-framing filled with rubble or plaster. As adobe is a heavy stuff, it was used to construct the external walls merely. Testing adobe samples from the Davies House I scratched a really small sum of adobe from the external wall of the Davies House. It was easy crumbled into little pieces chiefly because of the low strenght of the wall. My chief purpose to prove these samples is to happen out and specify the ingredients of the adobe used in this peculiar edifice. My purpose was besides to happen out the age of the stuff if possible. First phase in the research lab was to look at the samples under a microscope. A little sum from the sample was taken and placed on a faux pas. Soil and straw atoms were clearly seen but it was difficult to place the stuffs clearly. As they were assorted and largely binded with each other, I need to divide the ingredients. The manner of dividing the composite stuff is to blend the coveted sum of sample with H2O and leave it for one twenty-four hours. By this manner, dense and heavy stuffs which are dirt atoms in this instance will drop ; where the light stuffs will drift on the liquid which are the straws that has lower denseness than H2O which makes them float. One-half of the adobe sample is grained by utilizing a cock. A all right grained pulverization was obtained. 5gr of the pulverization was weighted by a sensitive weighting graduated table. It was put inside a glass beaker and 200ml of distilled H2O added to the sample. The mixture was stirred manually for a few proceedingss and so placed on the magnetic scaremonger hot plate. The characteristic of this hot plate is that it has a magnetic field and if a magnet is placed inside the solution, the magnet will do a round spin and stir it. A magnet was put inside the solution and left to stir and heat for about 15 proceedingss. I used a thermometer to mensurate the temperature of the solution and around 42 ° , closed the hot plate. By stirring and warming, I achieved a well-mixed solution. After a few proceedingss, I covered the beaker with a level glass dish and go forth it for a dark. Through research I found out that calcium hydroxide was used to stick on the adobe walls. There are some grounds on the walls of the Davies House but to turn out that, I used hydrochloric acid. Lime is a stuff that contains calcium carbonate. The reaction of hydrochloric acid or any acerb with Ca carbonate will stop up with bring forthing C dioxide which can be seen by bare oculus as air bubbles. In order to turn out that calcium hydroxide was used in Davies House, I put a small sum of adobe pulverization in a trial tubing. Couple of beads of hydrochloric acid is adequate to see the air bubbles. As a consequence, reaction of the acid with the adobe sample is positive which proves that calcium hydroxide was used in this edifice. It besides raises another inquiry that if the type of dirt in Mesaoria contains % 40-60 Ca carbonate, does the reaction with the acid is because of the type of dirt used in adobe bricks? The mixture was left for a dark. Dense and heavy and indissoluble stuffs sink at the underside of the beaker, where light 1s float on the H2O. Water is non clear which can be defined that some of the dirt was dissolved in H2O. A filter paper was placed inside a funnel and an empty glass beaker was placed below. In order to roll up the natation stuffs, I poured the H2O into the funnel easy without upseting the underside. It was difficult to roll up all of the drifting stuff so I used a metal spatula to roll up the staying from the mixture. The H2O was filtered from the funnel, go forthing the straw atoms on the filter paper. Straws were collected from the filter paper and was put together with the 1s that were collected manually inside a porcelain crucible. I left them dry in the room temperature for 15 proceedingss and set them in the oven for 35-40 proceedingss. They were dried wholly and ready to burden. I changed the filter paper and poured the staying H2O into the funnel. Some of the indissoluble stuffs remained at the underside of the beaker so I collected them by the aid of the metal spatula and set indoors another porcelain crucible. Water was filtered after 2 hours from the funnel and I collected the stuffs from the filter paper and put them inside the crucible. Same procedure was made to dry the stuffs. I let them dry in room temperature for a piece and set them in oven for 40-45 proceedingss. Consequences I weighted the obtained stuffs individually by utilizing a reasonable weight graduated table. Insoluble Materials ( dirt, pebbles ) : 4.56gr ( Wa‚? ) Floating Materials ( straws ) : 0.06gr ( Wa‚‚ ) Exact sum of the whole sample was 5.04 gr. The expression below will give the per centums of the stuffs in the sample. Wa‚ Total Weight x 100 = % .. Wa‚‚? Total Weight x 100 = % .. Insoluble Materials ( dirt, pebbles ) : % 90.48 Floating Materials ( straws ) : % 1.19 As the H2O was non clear after go forthing the solution for a dark, it is defined that there are soluble stuffs in the mixture. So if soluble stuffs are Wa‚? ; Wa‚? + Wa‚‚ + Wa‚? = 5.04 gr Wa‚? = 0.42gr Wa‚? = % 8.33 Experiment shows that most of the adobe stuff is dirt. Straws were used to beef up the binding of the bricks. The sum of straws in 5gr is 0.06gr which is really few. As the edifice is old and ignored, straw atoms might hold been disapeared or decayed within the dirt through clip. Original ingredients of the adobe is soil, straws and H2O. In order to turn out that the detached stuffs from my sample is straws, they need to be identified under a microscope. They are most likely straws but there is a possibility that they might be timber. Timber and wooden stuffs are identified under a microscope by looking at the layout of the cells. Wood are chiefly classified in two groups which are soft and difficult forests but the layout of their cells are similar. If horizantal beams of cells are seen under a microscope, it is a wooden construction. Following measure of placing the straw atoms will be to look under a microscope after cutting really thin subdivisions of the pieces. One manner of thinking the age of the wood is to place the fungus formations within the stuff. The dimensions of the fungus might mention to its age. This can be done by utilizing a microscope but merely if the detached atoms are timber/wood but non straw. Figures Straws under the microscope: Dirt atoms under microscope: Bibliography Hadjiparaskevas C. Soil study in Cyprus. In: Zdruli P. ( ed. ) , Steduto P. ( ed. ) , Lacirignola C. ( ed. ) , Montanarella L. ( ed. ) . Soil resources of Southern and Eastern Mediterranean states. Bari: CIHEAM,2001. p. 101-110 ( Options Mediterraneennes: Serie B. Etudes et Recherches ; n. 34 ) hypertext transfer protocol: //www.lime.org/lime_basics/index.asp Oliver, P. ( 2006 ) . Built to run into demands: cultural issues in common architecture. Amsterdam, Architectural. Pg.129-142 Oliver, P. ( erectile dysfunction ) ( 1997 ) Encyclopedia ofVernacularArchitecture of the World, Volume 2, Cultures and Habitats. Pg. 1540-1563 Gunce K. , Erturk Z. , & A ; Erturk S. ( 2008 ) . Questioning the â€Å" prototype homes † in the model of Cyprus traditional architecture. Building and Environment. 43, 823-833. Adobe, 2014. . Wikipedia, the free encyclopaedia. Anink, D. , 1996. Handbook of sustainable edifice: an environmental penchant method for choice of stuffs for usage in building and renovation. James & A ; James, London. Dincyurek, O. , Turker, O.. , 2007. Learning from traditional built environment of Cyprus: Re-interpretation of the contextual values. Building and Environment 42, 3384–3392. Earth Materials URL hypertext transfer protocol: //earth.sustainablesources.com/ ( accessed 3.25.14 ) . Earth Plaster, Mud Plaster, and Clay Plasters For Straw Bale and Adobe Walls, n.d. Buildings with Awareness. URL hypertext transfer protocol: //www.buildingwithawareness.com/earth-plaster-walls.html ( accessed 3.25.14 ) . Hadjichristos, C. , 2006. Cyprus: Capital of cyprus and its d-visions. AD Architectural Design 76, 12–19. Roy, R.L. , 2006. Earth-sheltered houses: how to construct an low-cost belowground place. New Society Publishers, Gabriola Island, B.C. Snell, C. , 2005. Constructing green: a complete how-to usher to alternative edifice methods: Earth plaster, straw bale, cordwood, hazelnut, populating roofs. Lark Books, New York. Stedman, M. , 1973. Adobe architecture. 1

Study on Carbohydrates

Effect of drinking soda sweetened high-fructose corn syrup on food Michael ABSTRACT in the with intake aspartame and body or weight G TordoffandAnnette To examine MAlleva suggest that sweet oral stimulation initiates a cephalic-phase metabolic reflex that increases appetite (10). The long-term effects of artificial sweeteners on food intake and body weight are less clear. Although some investigators report weight gain in animals given artificial sweeteners to eat or drink (1 1-13), the majority reports no effects (11, 14-17).What little work has been done in humans does little to answer the question. Two correlative comparisons ofusers and nonusers of artificial sweeteners showed that the sweeteners had no effect on body weight (18, 19). In contrast, an epidemiological study of 78 694 women found that reported weight gain was greater in those who used artificial sweeteners than in those who did not (20). There are only three published studies that have used a causative amount when ap proach. ofweight ate APM replaced In one, dieters who two, during were either hether artificial sweeteners aid intake and body weight, we gave free-living, normal-weight subjects 1 150 g soda sweetened with aspartame (APM) or high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) per day. Relative to when no soda was given, drinking APM-sweetcontrol of long-term food ened soda for 3 wk significantly reduced calorie intake drinking the of both females weight sweetened take (n = 9) and males (n = of males but not of females. soda body for 3 wk significantly and 2 1) and However, decreased the body HFCScalorie in- increased Downloaded from www. ajcn. org by guest on June 1, 2011 eight of both sexes. Ingesting either type of soda reduced intake of sugar from the diet without affecting intake of other nutrients. Drinking large volumes of APMsweetened soda, in contrast to drinking HFCS-sweetened soda, reduces sugar intake and thus may facilitate the control of calorie intake and body weight. Am J Gun Nutr 1990; 5 1:963-9. encouraged lost the same or discouraged and to use APM-sweetened (2 1). In the other fewer calories all sucrose products hospitala 6- or ized lean period obese subjects KEY WORDS tose corn syrup, Human sugar, food intake, aspartame, body high-fruc- weetness, weight, weight control Introduction It is generally benefit believed taste that artificial sweeteners (1). provide Indeed, the foods of a desirable without calories and drinks containing these substances are frequently labeled â€Å"diet. † However, the possibility that sweet, low-calorie foods and drinks actually lead to a reduction in body weight has not been examined in detail. There is mounting evidence that in the short term (< 12 h), consumption of artificial sweeteners increases the motivation to eat. Rats increase food intake after drinking a saccharin solution (2).Humans report increased hunger after drinking solu- than when they were fed a high-sucrose diet (22, 23). None of the work to date has exam ined the effect on food intake or body weight ofadding artificial sweeteners to the normal diet. In the present study, we attempted to do this by determining the effect on long-term (3-wk) food intake and body weight of consuming APM given in soda, the most prevalent vehicle for artificial sweeteners. By comparing periods when subjects drank APM, HFCS, and no soda, we planned to examine the effect of APM both as an addition to the diet and as a l2-d sugar substitute. n the diet Methods Recruitment of subjects tions Food than These of aspartame (APM), saccharin, or acesulfame-K (3, 4). intake is greater after eating a saccharin-sweetened yogurt after a glucose-sweetened or unsweetened yogurt (5). results are not caused by a postingestive or pharmacolog- The experiment was run in two replications, held in the fall of 1987 and the spring of 1988. It was approved by the Cornmittee on Studies Involving Human Beings at the University of Pennsylvania. Potential subjects were first attracte d by advertisements I 2 cal effect of the artificial sweeteners; rats eat more food after sham-drinking (ingesting but not absorbing) sucrose solution (6), and humans increase hunger ratings after chewing a gum base sweetened with as little as 0. 6 mg APM (7). Moreover, subjects who have normal sweetness perception while drinking a sweet milk shake subsequently eat more food than do subjects who cannot perceive the milk shake as sweet [because of treatment with gymnemic acid (8)]. These and other findings (9) posted the Monell on local university campuses. Upon ar- From Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia. Competitive Re- Supported y the US Department ofAgriculture’s search Grants Program grant 87-CRCR- 1-2316. 3Address reprint requests to MG Tordoff, Monell Chemical Center, 3500 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. Senses Received Accepted May 30, 1989. for publication August 9, 1989. Am iC/in Nutr 1990;51:963-9. Printed in USA.  © 1990 American Society for Clinical Nut rition 963 964 TABLE 1 TORDOFF AND ALLEVA each subject was weighed (wearing casual clothes, to the nearest 100 g; the weight was not revealed to the subject), the dietary record from the previous week was examined for ambiguities, and printed instructions for the following week were given.In the two soda conditions, subjects were directed to drink four sodas a day, keep unopened bottles in a refrigerator, and record the time each bottle they were notified, was consumed. In the no-soda â€Å"There are no special instructions condition, for this Constituents of aspartame-sweetened (APM) and high-fructose-cornsyrup-sweetened (HFCS) sodas ingested daily during 21-d test periods Constituent APM HFCS Weight(g) Water(mL) 1135 1130 1135 1000 APM(mg) HFCS(g) Calories (kcal) 590 1 3 0 133 530 week. † bottles carrying collected At the end of the weekly of soda for the following the sodas was somewhat them in smaller batches isit, subjects were given 28 week (if necessary). Because cumbe rsome, a few subjects more frequently. rival at the laboratory tive subject received for an initial a written appointment, description each of the prospecstudy and Debriefing and taste tests signed a participation consent form. The study’s purpose was stated as â€Å"an ongoing project to examine basic mechanisms of food preference, food intake, and appetite. † The only procedural details given were the requirement to keep a dietary record and â€Å"you will receive beverages to drink on various days,† but â€Å"we you will receive cannot tell you at this or what they contain. time how many The description drinks also included notice ofthe requirement to attend a weekly interview at the laboratory and a schedule of remuneration, totalling $ 100 for satisfactory completion ofthe experiment. Subjects were administered the 40-question eating attitudes test (EAT-40) (24), the 5 1-question Restrained Eating Questionnaire (25), and other questionnaires to assess medi cal history, food preferences, eating attitudes, and dietary restraint. On the basis of questionnaire responses, applicants were excluded ifthey were recently or currently dieting, were avoiding caffeine, had a family history ofdiabetes, or were pregnant.Initial training period At the end ofthe 9-wk test period, taste tests were conducted to see if subjects could recognize differences between soda contaming APM and HFCS. First, each subject received a series of 16 counterbalanced triangle tests: the subject attempted to pick the disparate soda from three 10-mL samples of soda, two of one variety and one of the other. Second, the subject was allowed to drink as much as he or she wanted from four cups of soda. He or she was asked to identify whether the soda was a diet or regular type.Unbeknownst to the subject, two glasses contained APM-sweetened soda and two, HFCS-sweetened soda. Finally, we asked what the subject thought the study was about. Analysis ofdietary records Downloaded fr om www. ajcn. org by guest on June 1, 2011 Dietary diet-analysis records software were analyzed (release 3. 0, by use of NUTRITIONIST-3 N-Squared Computing, Sil- An experienced registered dietitian instructed each subject on how to complete dietary records. The 45-mm lesson emphasized the necessity of timely and accurate record keeping and included demonstrations with food models and household measures.To augment compliance, subjects were told, â€Å"We could determine what you have eaten from analysis of urine samples† (although this was untrue). To ensure understanding ofthe instructions, subjects kept a practice dietary record for 2 or 3 d. The completed record was scrutinized by the dietitian (with the subject present) to clarify any ambiguities and to familiarize subjects with the rigor required for keeping a dietary record. At this stage six females and eight males elected to quit the experiment. Two males who kept insufficiently detailed records were also eliminated. E xperiment design and procedure erton, OR) by trained personnel who were unaware of the treatment conditions. Components of foods not listed in the database were obtained directly from the manufacturers or by chemical analysis. For simplicity, we combined fructose, glucose, sucrose, and other monoand disaccharides as â€Å"sugar. † After inspection of initial results, separate values were derived for sugar in beverages (ie, soft drinks, coffee, and tea) and food (all other sources of sugar). Results Preliminary analyses found there were no differences be- Each subject maintained a dietary record continuously for 9 wk. During this eriod they received, in counterbalanced order, for 3 wk each, soda sweetened with APM, soda sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS), or no experimental drinks. The cola-flavored soda was provided in ‘ 300-mL glass bottles. There was an alphanumeric code on the cap or sleeve ofeach bottle but nothing to inform the subject ofthe identity of the drink. During the appropriate periods, subjects were required to drink four bottles ( 1 1 35 g) ofsoda daily (Table 1). At the start of the test period and then at weekly intervals, tween the results of the two replications of this study, so they were combined.Of the I 3 female and 28 male subjects who started the study, 1 female and 5 males stopped keeping dietary records or failed to keep appointments at the laboratory. Three females were eliminated because of chicken pox, pneumonia, and relocation away from the area. Two males complained about having to drink so much soda, so they were also dropped from the study. Analyses and data presentation are based on the remaining 9 females and 2 1 males. Subject characteristics Anthropometric measures are shown in Table 2. Body mass indexes ofthe females and males were 25. 4  ± 1. 4 and 25. 1  ± 0. kg/m2, respectively, which falljust below the 75th percentile of body weight distribution (26). With the exception offour males who a te fixed meals four times per week, all subjects controlled their own food choice and meal size. There were minimal re- ARTIFICIAL TABLE Physical SWEETENERS AND BODY WEIGHT 965 2 characteristics of subjects* Female (n 9) Characteristic Age (y) Height (cm) =  ±  ±  ± (n Male = 21)  ±  ±  ± 28. 2 165. 5 2. 7 2. 2 4. 3 22. 9 174. 5 76. 6 0. 8 1. 2 Weight (kg) *j ±5EM 69. 6 2. 1 ports of food allergies or aversions. scores on the EAT-40, a measure 1 1 . 8  ± 2. , males 9. 9  ± 1. 1). The ing Questionnaire revealed normal No subjects had extreme of eating disorders (females 5 1-question Restrained eating behavior except Eatthat two females and one male had high (> 2 SD above the mean) restraint (factor 1) scores and five males had high disinhibition (factor 2) scores. None of the questionnaire responses corre- lated ofthe significantly except Restrained with Eating food intake Questionnaire) or weight between and = change hunger calorie p < during (factor intake the 3 d ur- experiment, for a correlation ing the no-soda Body weight baseline) period (r 0. 37, 0. 05). Subjects gained slightly but wk of drinking HFCS-sweetened significantly more weight after 2 soda than after the same pesoda or no experimental soda was more marked after 3 wk (Fig did males durHFCS-sweet- riod drinking APM-sweetened (Appendix A). This difference 1). Females lost significantly more weight than ing the control (no-soda) period. While drinking ened soda, females gained p < 0. 0 1) and males gained drinking APM-sweetened  ± 0. 29 kg, p kg, < weight significantly (0. 97  ± 0. 25 kg, slightly (0. 52  ± 0. 23 kg, NS).While soda, females lost gained weight slightly (0. 47 males weight significantly (0. 25  ± 0. 22 NS) but 0. 05). Thus, the effect on both sexes combined and days (1-21 d). Separate analyses were performed either including or excluding the ingredients from the experimental sodas. All the analyses found that females consumed significantly less than did male s, and there was no interaction between sex and treatment (Appendix A). None ofthe analyses produced a main effect or interaction involving the days factor, indicating that intakes were stable across the 2 l-d treatment periods.The possibility ofcarry-over effects from one period to another was examined using the same procedure as for body weight data. Results from the first 3-wk period were analyzed separately by using between-subject comparisons (Appendix B). The results of these analyses from a period before carry-over effects could have occurred were similar to those from the complete set of data, indicating that carry-over effects were either absent or, if present, undetectable and thus ofminor significance. Calories.Relative to calorie intake during the no-soda condition, drinking 530 kcal HFCS-sweetened soda/d produced a large and highly significant increase in total calorie intake (including calories in the experimental soda). Drinking the same volume ofAPM-sweetened soda de creased calorie intake. Both APM and HFCS consumption significantly reduced intake of calories from the diet (ie, calories excluding the sodas) to the same extent (by 179 and 195 kcal/d, respectively; Table 3). The decrease in dietary calorie intake produced by drinking either form of soda was due entirely to a decrease in sugar intake (Fig 2).Drinking soda did not affect the intake of protein, fat, alcohol, or complex (nonsugar) carbohydrate (Table 3). Sugar andsoda. During the period without experimental sodas, average intake of sugar-sweetened soda was 292  ± 1 33 g for females and 414  ± 85 g for males. Three females and two males drank essentially no (< 25 g/d) HFCS-sweetened soda; one female and two males drank > 1 135 g/d. Intake of APMsweetened soda during the same period was 1 59  ± 82 g for females and 88  ± 40 g for males, which included 6 females and 16 males who did not drink any. The total intake ofboth typesDownloaded from www. ajcn. org by guest on June 1, 20 11 ofdrinking HFCS-sweetened body weight, whereas the soda crease was to nonsignificantly in weight seen when gain soda was to significantly increase effect of drinking APM-sweetened decrease males it. Female =9) Male (n=2 1) Because APM could of the counterbalanced reflect either a direct caused body design drank of the study, soda sweetened period the dewith influence by a previous ofthe soda or recovof HFCS- ery from possibilities, the weight we sweetened-soda consumption. compared To discriminate weight changes between of the these three ) C male and three female subgroups of subjects during the first 3 wk of the experiment (Appendix B) and during each of the three 3-wk periods of the study (Appendix C). The pattern of results for each of the periods was more-or-less similar to that seen overall, although because of the smaller group loss in sensitivity produced by the use ofbetween-subject parisons, the only significant during the first 3-wk period difference for females 0 -C 0 .4. J ii No -1 sizes and corn- ci) was present >‘ 0 0 (Appendix who effects loss drank seen C). Judging APM-sweetened weight when per se. ofbody y the desoda gain could drank FIG Soda APM crease in the weight before any possible occur, soda it appears containing that of males carry-over the weight subjects HFCS APM was due to the soda Food intake and of total calories were anwith factors of sex, treatment, Intakes of the various nutrients alyzed by three-way ANOVAs in body weight during 3-wk periods when subjects sweetened with aspartame (APM), an equal weight ofsoda sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup(HFCS), or had no experimental manipulation (no soda). *p < 0. 05 relative to weight gain in no-soda period. 1. Changes drank 150 g/d of soda 966 TABLE 3 ofdrinking Effect on dietary nutrient intake sweetened with APM or HFCS* Measure Nosoda TORDOFF AND ALLEVA evidence that the effects weight were influenced soda. ofthe sodas on calorie intake and body by the subjectsâ€℠¢ ability to identify the guessed the experiment’s purpose; most soda (1 135 g/d) APM kcal/d HFCS None ofthe subjects Females(n = 9) Alcohol Fat Protein Carbohydrate 65 ±23 747 ±93 266 ±25 39 ±12 745 ±95 262 ±28 58 ±23 726 ± 84 256 ± 27 405  ± thought we were performing market a new brand of soda. None noticed changed their body weight or altered take or selection.Discussion research of some kind on that drinking the sodas their patterns of food in- Imposing the requirement to drink 1 135 g/d of APM-sweetened soda on normal-weight, freely feeding subjects decreased calorie intake significantly (by 7%) and reduced body weight slightly (significantly in males). This was in marked contrast to 261 ±60 255 ±55 225 ±56 the highly significant, 13% increase in calorie intake and sig932 ±45 945 ±56 937  ±41 nificant increase in body weight produced by consumption of 373 ±23 384 ±27 373 ± 18 the same amount of HFCS-sweetened soda.The two types of s oda produced an identical, 33% decrease in dietary sugar in617 ±43 612  ±48 ComplexCHO 624 ±49 461  ± 38t take (excluding the sugar in the soda), without affecting intake Sugar 674  ± 49 453  ± 40t Totalintake 2801  ± 150 2647 ± 153 2645 ± l24 t ofother macronutrients. This was caused in part by the â€Å"experimental† sodas displacing discretionary beverages; subjects i  ±SEM. given four bottles ofsoda per day have little motivation to purt Significantly different from no-soda condition: tp < 0. 005, f#{231}p chase and drink their own. However, drinking either form of

Monopoly †economics Essay

In this chapter, look for the answers to these questions: ? Why do monopolies arise? ? Why is MR < P for a monopolist? ? How do monopolies choose their P and Q? ? How do monopolies affect society’s well-being? ? What can the government do about monopolies? ? What is price discrimination? Economics PRINCIPLES OF N. Gregory Mankiw Premium PowerPoint Slides by Ron Cronovich  © 2009 South-Western, a part of Cengage Learning, all rights reserved 1 Introduction ? A monopoly is a firm that is the sole seller of a product without close substitutes. Why Monopolies Arise. The main cause of monopolies is barriers to entry – other firms cannot enter the market. Three sources of barriers to entry: 1. A single firm owns a key resource. E. g. , DeBeers owns most of the world’s diamond mines 2. The govt gives a single firm the exclusive right to produce the good. E. g. , patents, copyright laws 2 ? In this chapter, we study monopoly and contrast it with perfect competition. ? The key difference: A monopoly firm has market power, the ability to influence the market price of the product it sells. A competitive firm has no market power. MONOPOLY MONOPOLY 3 Why Monopolies Arise 3. Natural monopoly: a single firm can produce the entire market Q at lower cost than could several firms. Example: 1000 homes need electricity ATC is lower if one firm services all 1000 homes than if two firms each service 500 homes. MONOPOLY Monopoly vs. Competition: Demand Curves In a competitive market, the market demand curve slopes downward. But the demand curve for any individual firm’s product is horizontal at the market price. The firm can increase Q without lowering P, so MR = P for the competitive firm. 4 Cost Electricity ATC slopes downward due to huge FC and small MC ATC 500 1000 Q P A competitive firm’s demand curve $80 $50 D Q 5 MONOPOLY 1 10/23/2012 Monopoly vs. Competition: Demand Curves A monopolist is the only seller, so it faces the market demand curve. To sell a larger Q, the firm must reduce P. Thus, MR ? P. P ACTIVE LEARNING A monopoly’s revenue Common Grounds is the only seller of cappuccinos in town. The table shows the market demand for cappuccinos. Fill in the missing spaces of the table. Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 P $4. 50 4. 00 3. 50 3. 00 2. 50 2. 00 1. 50 7 1 TR AR n. a. MR A monopolist’s demand curve D Q MONOPOLY 6 What is the relation between P and AR? Between P and MR? ACTIVE LEARNING Answers Here, P = AR, same as for a competitive firm. Here, MR < P, whereas MR = P for a competitive firm. Q 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 1 Common Grounds’ D and MR Curves P TR $0 4 7 9 10 10 9 AR n. a. $4. 00 3. 50 3. 00 2. 50 2. 00 1. 50 8 MR $4 3 2 1 0 –1 Q P MR $4 3 2 1 0 –1 $4. 50 4. 00 3. 50 3. 00 2. 50 2. 00 1. 50 0 $4. 50 1 2 3 4 5 6 4. 00 3. 50 3. 00 2. 50 2. 00 1. 50 P, MR $5 4 3 2 1 0 -1 -2 -3 0 1 2 3 Demand curve (P) MR 4 5 6 7 Q 9 MONOPOLY Understanding the Monopolist’s MR ? Increasing Q has two effects on revenue: ? Output effect: higher output raises revenue ? Price effect: lower price reduces revenue ? To sell a larger Q, the monopolist must reduce the price on all the units it sells. Profit-Maximization ? Like a competitive firm, a monopolist maximizes profit by producing the quantity where MR = MC. ? Once the monopolist identifies this quantity, it sets the highest price consumers are willing to pay for that quantity. ? Hence, MR < P ? MR could even be negative if the price effect exceeds the output effect (e. g. , when Common Grounds increases Q from 5 to 6). 10 ? It finds this price from the D curve. MONOPOLY MONOPOLY 11 2 10/23/2012 Profit-Maximization 1. The profitmaximizing Q is where MR = MC. 2. Find P from the demand curve at this Q. Q Costs and Revenue MC The Monopolist’s Profit Costs and Revenue MC ATC P D MR Quantity As with a competitive firm, the monopolist’s profit equals (P – ATC) x Q P ATC D MR Q Quantity Profit-maximizing output MONOPOLY 12 MONOPOLY 13 A Monopoly Does Not Have an S Curve A competitive firm ? takes P as given ? has a supply curve that shows how its Q depends on P. A monopoly firm ? is a â€Å"price-maker,† not a â€Å"price-taker† ? Q does not depend on P; rather, Q and P are jointly determined by MC, MR, and the demand curve. So there is no supply curve for monopoly. MONOPOLY 14 CASE STUDY: Monopoly vs. Generic Drugs Patents on new drugs give a temporary monopoly to the seller. Price The market for a typical drug PM When the patent expires, PC = MC the market becomes competitive, generics appear. QM D MR Quantity QC MONOPOLY 15 The Welfare Cost of Monopoly ? Recall: In a competitive market equilibrium, P = MC and total surplus is maximized. The Welfare Cost of Monopoly Competitive eq’m: quantity = QC P = MC total surplus is maximized Monopoly eq’m: quantity = QM P > MC deadweight loss Price Deadweight MC loss? In the monopoly eq’m, P > MR = MC ? The value to buyers of an additional unit (P) exceeds the cost of the resources needed to produce that unit (MC). ? The monopoly Q is too low – could increase total surplus with a larger Q. ? Thus, monopoly results in a deadweight loss. P P = MC MC D MR QM QC Quantity MONOPOLY 16 MONOPOLY 17 3 10/23/2012 Price Discrimination ? Discrimination: treating people differently based on some characteristic, e. g. race or gender. Perfect Price Discrimination vs. Single Price Monopoly Here, the monopolist charges the same price (PM) to all buyers. A deadweight loss results. Price Consumer surplus Deadweight loss ? Price discrimination: selling the same good at different prices to different buyers. PM MC ? The characteristic used in price discrimination is willingness to pay (WTP): ? A firm can increase profit by charging a higher price to buyers with higher WTP. Monopoly profit D MR QM MONOPOLY 18 Quantity 19 MONOPOLY Perfect Price Discrimination vs. Single Price Monopoly Here, the monopolist produces the competitive quantity, but charges each buyer his or her WTP. This is called perfect price discrimination. The monopolist captures all CS as profit. But there’s no DWL. MONOPOLY Price Discrimination in the Real World ? In the real world, perfect price discrimination is not possible: ? No firm knows every buyer’s WTP ? Buyers do not announce it to sellers Price Monopoly profit ? So, firms divide customers into groups MC D MR Quantity based on some observable trait that is likely related to WTP, such as age. Q 20 MONOPOLY 21 Examples of Price Discrimination Movie tickets Discounts for seniors, students, and people who can attend during weekday afternoons. They are all more likely to have lower WTP than people who pay full price on Friday night. Airline prices Discounts for Saturday-night stayovers help distinguish business travelers, who usually have higher WTP, from more price-sensitive leisure travelers. MONOPOLY 22 Examples of Price Discrimination Discount coupons People who have time to clip and organize coupons are more likely to have lower income and lower WTP than others. Need-based financial aid Low income families have lower WTP for their children’s college education. Schools price-discriminate by offering need-based aid to low income families. MONOPOLY 23 4 10/23/2012 Examples of Price Discrimination Quantity discounts A buyer’s WTP often declines with additional units, so firms charge less per unit for large quantities than small ones. Example: A movie theater charges $4 for a small popcorn and $5 for a large one that’s twice as big. Public Policy Toward Monopolies ? Increasing competition with antitrust laws ? Ban some anticompetitive practices, allow govt to break up monopolies. ? E. g. , Sherman Antitrust Act (1890), Clayton Act (1914) ? Regulation ? Govt agencies set the monopolist’s price. ? For natural monopolies, MC < ATC at all Q, so marginal cost pricing would result in losses. ? If so, regulators might subsidize the monopolist or set P = ATC for zero economic profit. MONOPOLY 24 MONOPOLY 25 Public Policy Toward Monopolies ? Public ownership ? Example: U. S. Postal Service ? Problem: Public ownership is usually less efficient since no profit motive to minimize costs CONCLUSION: The Prevalence of Monopoly ? Doing nothing ? The foregoing policies all have drawbacks, so the best policy may be no policy. ? In the real world, pure monopoly is rare. ? Yet, many firms have market power, due to: ? selling a unique variety of a product ? having a large market share and few significant competitors ? In many such cases, most of the results from this chapter apply, including: ? markup of price over marginal cost ? deadweight loss MONOPOLY 26 MONOPOLY 27 CHAPTER SUMMARY ? A monopoly firm is the sole seller in its market. Monopolies arise due to barriers to entry, including: government-granted monopolies, the control of a key resource, or economies of scale over the entire range of output. CHAPTER SUMMARY ? Monopoly firms maximize profits by producing the quantity where marginal revenue equals marginal cost. But since marginal revenue is less than price, the monopoly price will be greater than marginal cost, leading to a deadweight loss. ? A monopoly firm faces a downward-sloping demand curve for its product. As a result, it must reduce price to sell a larger quantity, which causes marginal revenue to fall below price. 28 ? Monopoly firms (and others with market power) try to raise their profits by charging higher prices to consumers with higher willingness to pay. This practice is called price discrimination. 29 5 10/23/2012 CHAPTER SUMMARY ? Policymakers may respond by regulating monopolies, using antitrust laws to promote competition, or by taking over the monopoly and running it. Due to problems with each of these options, the best option may be to take no action. 30 6.

Compare between the puplic transport in Oslo city (norway) and western Essay

Compare between the puplic transport in Oslo city (norway) and western australia - Essay Example The city of Perth basically runs the CAT buses around the city to provide a free service to visitors and also to reduce the regular traffic. (Public Transport, Perth). Trains: the train service in Perth also very much advanced and well controlled. A traveler need to have a SmartRider to have an access in the FTZ using any of the train services, but, it is free of charge if someone having a journey within the FTZ boundaries. The tickets for the trains can be purchased from the machines at the stations or one can validate the SmatRider Ticket before entering the train. The public transport cost is very high in Perth for the best quality. Most of the revenue in the transport department comes from the individualized marketing program. However, the fare box revenue from these marketing programs is not enough. The private bus operators require approximately sixty two percent of additional fare. (McClintock 287) The Oslo Public transit system is basically comprised of buses, trams, ferries, local and intercity trains and also an extensive metro system called T-bane. A single ticket allows the traveler to use the full transit system for one hour. This is a very convenient way to roam the city around the city in summer. By this route a traveler can take a trip to the several Islands. Most of the boats depart from the piers outside the Oslo City Hals. (Henrik â€Å"Orientation and Sighseeing† page number has been omitted in the source) For this specific study it has been seen that for both the cities the public transport system is very much advances and run with a very well designed structure. However, the free ride is pretty expensive for the transport department and that part should be taken care of to make it a profitable

Tourism Policy and Planning Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3000 words

Tourism Policy and Planning - Essay Example At the end of the study we will provide with certain recommendations that could prove to be innovative for improving the tourism business of the area. Contents Introduction (2895 words) 3 Substantive Content 4 Political Implication of the city 4 Recent economic implications 5 Social and labor markets 7 SWOT ANALYSIS of the destination 8 PESTEL framework of the destination 10 Conclusion 12 Recommendation 13 5 possible alternative courses of action 13 Reference 15 Introduction (2895 words) In the Northeastern region of the USA is located the state of New York. Within the New York state is located the New York City which is known as the most densely populated city of the United States and it is the hub of the New York urban region. It is the largest metropolitan within the entire United States. The city is situated on the southern regions of the New York State on the banks of the river Hudson. During the year 1609, an English explorer and navigator named Henry Hudson travelled by water through the Hudson River which was named after him. The course of the river that passes through the Manhattan Island is called as North River. Five years from then a permanent dwelling developed around that region which later on came to be known as New York however originally it used to be recognized by the Dutch governors as the New Amsterdam. It was known that one of the Dutch Governors named Peter Minuit bought Islands of Manhattan from the Indians for a deal of trinkets, beads and buttons. A navy was sent by the Great Britain’s Duke of York in 1664 that peacefully detained the Dutch without any violence and baptized the settlement in a tribute of the duke. The control of the city passed on to the young members of the Nation at the conclusion of the Revolutionary War (Burrows & Wallace, 1998, p.14). George Washington had been selected as the then president and the occasion was inaugurated in New York’s old City lobby. Congress gathered and continued their stay in Ne w York ranging from 1785 to 1790. During 1898, the Greater New York was taken under some agreement and the city got expanded to comprise 5 boroughs namely Manhattan, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn. The city is also known as â€Å"The Big Apple†. It is a major a world leader and a global capital in the domains of communications, finance and arts. The harbor of New York is one of the most excellent in the globe and has been ranked as the biggest port compound on the East Coast. New York City is the home for the United Nations and includes the headquarters of a large number of important organizations from across the world. The city is considered to be a significant spot for fashion, advertising, shooting, radio broadcasting, publishing etc. by the important firms across the entire world. Substantive Content Political Implication of the city The  government of  city  is controlled under the Charter of the City and offers for a "well-built"  mayor-council arrang ement. The administration of the state is more nationalized than that of the majority of the other cities of U.S, by means of the city administration being accountable for the correctional institutions, education of the public, public safety, libraries, sanitation, recreational facilities, welfare services and water supply. The  mayor  gets  elected  for a term of a 4 years and remains in charge of the administrative functions of the government

Youth and Interschool Sport Injuries Research Paper

Youth and Interschool Sport Injuries - Research Paper Example 2011). One study that was done on the subject is described in the article titled, â€Å"Football-Related Injuries Among 6- to 17-Year-Olds Treated in US Emergency Departments, 1990-2007† (Id.). Prior research estimated that the US has between 300,000 and 1.2 million injuries annually that are related to football (Shankar et al., 2007). Since the injury rate is so high, better injury prevention strategies must be developed; and, in order to develop them, more research is needed to help fill in all the gaps in the existing research. Very little research on youth football-related injuries currently exists that has a nationally representative sample (Nation et al., 2011). For example, many prior studies only included injuries occurring in organized league play and disregarded injuries that happened during unorganized play (Id.). Some other prior studies focus only on one specific geographic location or type of injury; therefore, none of those studies contained a sample that repres ents the national population so the results are not widely applicable (Id.). In order to obtain more widely applicable results, the current research included children from 6- to 17-years old that had been treated for a football-related injury in a US emergency department between 1990 and 2007 (Id).

Demonstrative Communication Paper Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 1

Demonstrative Communication Paper - Essay Example It also reveals how people relate to each other. Nonverbal or demonstrative communication accounts for about 93 percent of people’s communication. Types of demonstrative communication Demonstrative communication involves different types of communication. Facial expressions contribute a large portion to people’s communication. For instance, a smile or a frown can communicate a lot of information to the receiver. People throughout the world use facial expressions to express happiness, sadness, anger, and fear. Gestures also contribute to non-verbal communication. These are movements and signals that that provide meaning during communication. Their meanings can be more important than words. Paralinguistic can also convey a lot of information during communication. These mainly involve the use of vocal communication such as tone of voice, loudness, and pitch. The type of vocal variation in a particular conveyance of information can bring out a different meaning depending on the context. Body language and posture can also convey a lot of information. Such nonverbal behaviors can indicate feelings and other communication cues. Demonstrative communication may start at an early stage in human development when people start to point at things. The making of gestures by small kids may be a start point for learning demonstrative communication in life. ... 470). Effective and ineffective demonstrative communication Depending on the context, demonstrative communication can be effective or ineffective. The effectiveness of demonstrative communication varies differently between the sender and the receiver. Demonstrative communication involves understanding the feeling of each stakeholder in the communication. There has to be an understanding between the sender and the receiver. Demonstrative communication can be very effective especially for teachers. Their line of work dictates that the teacher has to make the students understand whatever he/she is teaching. The best method to increase students understanding is the use of demonstrative communication in addition to verbal communication while teaching. Demonstrative communication can be very effective depending on the context at hand. For example, facial expressions can be very effective in warning kids. Whenever a kid does something wrong, it is common for parents to give the kids an angr y kind of look. Instantly, the kid stops doing the wrong thing. Such a scenario demonstrates the effectiveness of facial expressions in communicating to kids. Ineffective communication occurs when the speaker uses the wrong nonverbal message to deliver certain information. For instance, using hand gesture to point to a certain direction when the intention was to point to the opposite direction. Wrong choice of nonverbal message can send a different message to the audience. This may make the audience to perceive a different message from the intended Positive and negative effects of demonstrative communication The perception of demonstrative communication can be positive or negative depending on how the receiver. For instance, picture a company meeting where everyone is

Symbolism in 19th century art Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Symbolism in 19th century art - Research Paper Example Freud and Charles Darwin further influence Munch’s work and the art by Munch mainly involves a transformation of personal experiences by using broader statements related to human condition. Among the artwork by Edvard Munch, include: The Scream In this artwork, Munch conveys existential anxiety in relation to the modern age and Munch himself has explained the events in his life that inspired the creation of The Scream. Further, Munch mainly focused on learning how various materials can affect the meaning of an image and believed that different media created different sensibilities within the same image. Munch explored this ideology as evident in the repetition of the same image using oil paint and he believed that, different print media contained different psychological and emotional tones; this provided different feelings concerning Munch’s images4. The Kiss This artwork mainly focus on a description of a man and a woman dressed in the studio of an artist and the subse quent images similar to this, depicted images of couple’s nudity before a window. In most of Munch’s intaglio work revolved around a detailed narration of a scene and the images or themes within his artwork are highly stylized. In a similar manner to the artwork by Gauguin, Munch’s artwork involved a focus on raw materials that are used to make prints and formed an integral part of Munch’s aesthetic conceptions. As depicted in the image of The Kiss, the grain of the wood forms an integral part of the piece and provides organic and vertical pattern, which describes the pouring rain around the black figures that converge to a single form. However, critics of... In this artwork, Munch conveys existential anxiety in relation to the modern age and Munch himself has explained the events in his life that inspired the creation of The Scream. Further, Munch mainly focused on learning how various materials can affect the meaning of an image and believed that different media created different sensibilities within the same image. Munch explored this ideology as evident in the repetition of the same image using oil paint and he believed that, different print media contained different psychological and emotional tones; this provided different feelings concerning Munch’s images. This artwork mainly focus on a description of a man and a woman dressed in the studio of an artist and the subsequent images similar to this, depicted images of couple’s nudity before a window. In most of Munch’s intaglio work revolved around a detailed narration of a scene and the images or themes within his artwork are highly stylized. In a similar manner to the artwork by Gauguin, Munch’s artwork involved a focus on raw materials that are used to make prints and formed an integral part of Munch’s aesthetic conceptions. As depicted in the image of The Kiss, the grain of the wood forms an integral part of the piece and provides organic and vertical pattern, which describes the pouring rain around the black figures that converge to a single form. However, critics of Munch’s work such as Stanislaw Prxybyszewski reiterate that Munch’s image of The Kiss is â€Å"repulsive† and for example, the use of figures.

Culture and self-assessment Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Culture and self-assessment - Essay Example They were also forced to settle but still managed to continue with their nomadic way of life with most of them living in Bulgaria and Romania. White christians excluded gypsies from their professions, and they resorted to fortune telling, iron making and trading animals. They also manufactured cheap household goods and sold them. The gypsies value family and both the man and the woman help each other. The man is the head and the woman is the heart of the family. Upbringing of children is a responsibility of all members of the community.The extended family is highly valued, and the family has a power structure and the oldest man in the family has most powers or has authority over the other members. Bringing and handling money was the responsibility of the woman. A romani has three names which are given at birth, after baptism and after second baptism in a Christian church. The first name given at birth and only known to the mother is meant to confuse the evil spirits. The second name given after getting baptized is used within the tribe and the third name is often used when dealing with non-Romas. The gypsy culture is diverse but believes that birth and death are unique and this custom is passed on through the generations. The gypsies live in groups of extended families and travel together providing each other with mutual support and companionship. The extended family is the basis for which work is divided, resources are shared and food is prepared and shared Children are often married off when they are teens, they consider them adults. The gypsies celebrate the birth of newborns and often invest in marriages that are done traditionally. They have high standards of hygiene and consider dogs and cats impure because they lick themselves. Several extended families combined form a nation through and share a traditional origin practising similar

Supply chain Essay Example for Free

Supply chain Essay INTRODUCTION The operation plays key role in firms because it affects operation managers understand their customers and translate their customers needs into performance objectives. In turn, the performance objectives (and especially the relative importance of each one) influence the overall operations strategy of the business. (Slack et al., 2010,) The reason is that managers can based on performance objectives to do decision because it is reflection of corporation strengths and weaknesses. This essay will describe the Toyota Motor Corporation performance around five-performance objective: quality, speed, dependability, flexibility and cost. Then following discussion of how Toyota uses techniques in operation management to achieve the five objectives. Based on analysis, some suggestions for this firm will shows in the conclusion. FIVE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES IN TOYOTA As most successful car manufacturer in the world, Toyota is a few automobile companies that able to be stockless production system by its unique operational management systems, the most famous Toyota Production System (TPS) and Just-In-Time (JIT). Further, in terms of five performance objectives, which Toyota did quite well in the overall circumstances, especially in the cost, speed and flexibility areas. Toyota cooperation was chosen to analysis because its significant performances and great operations management. Organizations can respond to the performance objectives, but the real challenge is to offer better quality, speed, dependability and flexibility at lower costs than the competition. (Slack et al., 2007) Also, the aim and objective of Toyota is making low-cost, high-efficiency, high-quality production to maximize customer satisfaction and keeping strong competitiveness. (Toyota, 2011) QUALITY Quality can be defined as specification of a product or service, also meaning high specification and must satisfy your customers by providing  error-free goods and services, which are fit for their purpose. (Pycraft, 2000) The external affect of good quality within in operations is that the customers without (or less) complain leading to customers more likely to consume again because the customer feel has received real value for money. This brings in more revenue for the company. For internal influence, conformance quality is high that generally means that cost is saved, dependability increases and speed of response increases. If an operation is continually correcting mistakes, it finds it difficult to respond quickly to customers requests. (Slack et al., 2010) SPEED Speed indicates the time between the beginning of an operation process and its end. (Greasley, 2010) More specific, that means the elapsed time between a customer asking for a product or service and getting it with a satisfactory condition. (Slack et al., 2010) Externally affect of speed is important because it helps to respond quickly to customers and resulting customers return with more business. The internal side have much to do with cost reduction. Usually, faster throughput of information (or customers) will mean reduced costs via reduces the need to manage transformed resources as they pass through the operation and helps to overcome internal problems by maintaining dependability. DEPENDABILITY In terms of dependability, is usually means being on time, in other words, keeping delivery promised to the customer that receive their products or services on time. (Slack et al., 2010) Also, dependability is other half of total delivery performance along with delivery speed and always linked in some way. In externally influence, dependability as good thing for customers also enhances the company product or service in the market, or at least avoids customer complaints. Internally dependability has affect on cost via saving time, saving money directly and giving an organisation the stability that allows it to improve its efficiencies. Moreover, it prevents late delivery slowing down throughput speed. FLEXIBILITY Flexibility always means being able to change the operation in some way, vary or adapt the operations activity to cope with unexpected circumstance or to meet customer requirements gives a flexibility advantage to customers. (Slack et al., 2010) Flexibility has several specific types: Product or service flexibility; Mix flexibility; Volume flexibility and Delivery flexibility. For external affect, the different types of flexibility allow an operation to fit its products and services to its customers in some way, such as produce wide range and frequent new products or services. On other hand, Volume and delivery flexibility adjust its output levels and its delivery procedures in order to cope with unexpected changes. The internal influence is speeds up response, saves time (money) and helps maintain dependability. COST Produce goods and services at a cost, which enables them to be priced appropriately for the market while still allowing for a return to the organization. (Slack et al., 2010) not surprisingly, low cost is a universally attractive objective because lower cost means higher revenue and more competitiveness. If managed properly, high quality, high speed, high dependability and high flexibility can not only bring their own external rewards, they can also save the operation cost.(Greasley, 2010) FIGURE 1: INTEGRATION IN FIVE PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVES Reference: Slack el at, 2010. Chapter 2: _The strategic role and objectives of operations_, Operations management. From figure 1 and unique Toyota Production System, which shows the company five-performance objectives irrelative significantly with each other. As Toyotas mainstay, quality is the most emphasize element of this company. According to the relevant survey institutions that indicates Toyotas  vehicles consistently rank near the top in third-party customer-satisfaction. (Toyota, 2012) Excellent quality of Toyota not only prevents errors slowing down throughput speed, also avoid wasted time and effort, therefore saving cost. For instance, if there occurs many non-value-added activities that mean the company need use time, money and human resource to solve it and increase cost. Also, if quality is not qualified in the produce process then rework will drag on production speed. According to survey data from relevant agencies, the three giants in US, General Motors, Ford, Chrysler, parts procurement costs higher than Toyota 8%. Alternatively, Just-in-Time (JIT) stockless production system is extremely increasing Toyota productivity, which means the speed of production is fast. High speed helps Toyota maintaining dependability via zero (less) inventories because the company can respond to the market quickly. Toyota is a dependable company resulting by TPS (Toyota production system) with multi skilled worker that work as a team, and with control has allowed them to deliver products as promised. On the other hand, be more dependability can increase speed without late delivery and saving cost. In addition, For Toyota plant, flexibility means the ability to produce new products and offer wide range volume. During these years, Toyota has provided a wide range of options cars, such as SUV (Prado, RAV4), hybrid fuel (Prius,Yaris Hybrid) , commercial vehicle, sports car(GT86) and bus et al, also to meet environment and economic changes, Toyota was the earliest car maker to introduce hybrid fuel cars, with the commencement of Prius model. The high flexibility leading to Toyota brings frequent new products to the market to gain more competitiveness. Moreover, the speed from JIT system makes Toyota more flexibility in volume. TECHNICS IN TOYOTA Currently, the main competition between enterprises is from supply chain. The world famous TPS strategic management is also created by Toyota. It is called a variety of small amount of production of the unique market demand in Japan. From mass production of the highly formative changed to be a variety of small amount of production, to completely eliminate waste, improve production efficiency and cost competitive. For example, to increase  production, one person can do kinds of multi-skilled jobs (Kawada Makoto, 1993) Figure 2: TPS Structure JIT JIDOHKA According to Figure 2 indicates that TPS is comprised of two pillars, JIT and Jidoka (automation). Bicheno (1991) states that JIT aims to meet demand instantaneously, with perfect quality and no waste. Three key issues identified by Harrison (1992) as the core of JIT philosophy are: eliminate waste, involve everyone and continuous improvement (Kaizen). JIT approach, through rational design for make the product easy to produce and easy assembly. Essentially, just in time manufacturing consists of allowing the entire production process to be regulated by the natural laws of supply and demand. Customer demand stimulates production of a vehicle. In turn the production of the vehicle stimulates production and delivery of the necessary parts and so on. The result is that the right parts and materials are manufactured and provided in the exact amount needed. Under just in time the ultimate arbiter is always the customer. This is because activity in the system only occurs in response to customer orders. In order to support its JIT system, Toyota needs to ensure that the supplier in accordance with the cost, quality and timeliness, with on time delivery and production, stringent quality control system to help Toyota to reduce inventory, also minimize scrap production, and reduce non-value-added operations to increase quality, save cost and respond market immediately by decrease lead time. It also played an important role to ensure working capital is fully available that make the company be more flexibility to explore new production. (Kawada Makoto, 2004) Moreover, JIT emphasis on total preventative management (TPM), developed by total quality management (TQM). Toyota insists to regular maintenance activities, periodic inspection to equipment to avoid breakdowns and preventative repairs. Attention to the detection and control of each process, ensure found quality problems in a timely manner, immediately stop  produce until resolved. On other hand, TPM encourage all employees involved and use their knowledge to improve performance. (Greasley, 2010) In Japanese jidoka simply means automation. At Toyota it means automation with a human touch. The most visible manifestation of automation with a human touch is using andon cord situated in the line to intervene any abnormalities occur. KANBAN One system for implementing a pull system called a kanban production system. (Greasley, 2009) Kanban is the core in the JIT and it does not work without Kanban manage method. A kanban is simply a message. For example, in the assembly shop this message takes the form of a card attached to every component that is removed and returned when the component is used. The return of the kanban to its source stimulates the automatic re-ordering of the component in question. This system permits greater control over production as well as inventory via efficiency maximum. In Toyota process of produce, kanban is intended to convey information: what is needed when it is needed, and in the amount needed!(Lowson, 2002) The accurate number of parts allocation to avoid waste in the production process, thereby improving the manufacturing speed. KAIZEN / CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT Kaizen is the heart of the Toyota Production System. The day-to-day improvements that Members and their Team Leaders make to their working practices and equipment are known as kaizen. This is simply common sense since it is clear that inherent inefficiencies or problems in any procedure will always be most apparent to those closest to the process. The sense of continuous improvement also can influence Toyota performance, such as quality directly. (Iyer, 2009) Overall, TPS use JIT to eliminate inventory and develop close relationships with suppliers, eliminate all but value-added activities, reduce the number of job classes and build worker flexibility, apply Total Productive  Maintenance (TPM) to increase productivity and ensure quality, thereby obtain faster produce speed and improve productions; avoid waste time and resource to reduce cost; Regards to integration of these five performance objectives, faster speed and low cost resulting to Toyota becoming more dependability and have enough capital to be flexibility. When a company can respond the customer required immediately that means it could be depend. Refers to the flexibility, when Toyota have large amount capital then the firm could use on the production innovation to explore more cars types to offer the market and develop cars capability to increase quality of productions. (Greasley, 2010) CONCLUSION In conclude, Toyota has good performances on speed and quality, thereby promoting the dependability to the customer, also this firm did great on the flexibility because Toyota keep introducing new types of car. The interrelationship between these performances takes a significant benefit for save cost, for instance, faster speed means efficiency to save time and labor source to avoid waste. Although Toyota is extremely successful carmaker, but the recall events in 2009 caused great impacts for it. The reason is the company eagers to rapid expand to the market, the quality of management and personnel training has not been followed up, and then resulting series of parts defects. Moreover, in terms of excessive cost cutting, cause quality of components cannot guarantee. There have four suggestions for Toyota to developing performance: Firstly, Toyota in order to reduce expenditure in research and development via using general parts and components, but the manager have not realize technical innovation is the most important mean to reduce the cost of doing business, promote new products, the company should focus on technology innovation to be more efficiency and flexibility. Secondly, Toyota enterprises should pay more attention on After-sales service, the cost of these services is much lower than the recall and increase the sense of dependability to Toyota, such as Toyota car examination and driving lessons for free. Thirdly, Toyota need to strengthen the staff training to avoid the quality defects occurs in  the process of produce line. Thus, not only can ensure the cars quality and save cost without deal with the consequence from employees non-value-added activities. Finally, the company should increase more quality testing sections to examine new productions repeatedly. In general, the speed of produce car is quick resulting the production line easily ignore the nature of Toyota quality. Increase the quality inspection to insure Toyota manufacture superior products, which enhance the company production quality and dependability. As we known, quality is everything, if the company to seek a long term development then should be offer good products, not just focus on how to save cost thereby supply defective to the customer. REFERENCE: Iyer, A., 2009. _Toyota Supply Chain Management: A Strategic Approach to Toyotas Renowned System_.pp.95-99 Harrison,A. ,1992. Philosophy and core techniques, TIME†¬: Greasley, A., 2010. Lean Operations and JIT, _OPERATIONS MANAGEMTN_ pp. 348-365 T. Gabriel, J. Bicheno, J.E. Galletly, (1991) JIT Manufacturing Simulation, Industrial Management Data Systems, Vol. 91 Iss: 4, pp.3 7 Kawada Makoto.1993. _Why And How, Management Accounting_, Strategic Management Accounting Kawada Makoto.2004. Toyota System And Management Accounting. Publish: Central Economic, China. Lowson, R., 2002. Lean production and just-in-time, Strategic Operations Management. PP.457 Pycraft, M., 2000. _OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT_, pp. 48. Slack N., Chambers, S., Johnston, R., 2010. _OPERATIONS_ _MANAGEMENT._ Slack, N., 2007. _OPERATIONS, STRATEGY AND OPERATIONS STRATEGY,_ pp.24 Toyota, 2011. _Toyota Global Vision Mission Statement Announced._ Available at: Toyota, 2012. _Global sustainability reports_ [pdf] Available at:

Fuzzy Boundaries in HIV Stigma

Fuzzy Boundaries in HIV Stigma Fuzzy Boundaries in the Conceptualization of HIV Stigma: Moving Towards a More Unified Construct Currently, there are 36.7 million people living with HIV (PLWH) worldwide (WHO, 2017). HIV-related stigma continues to be a major concern for PLWH in the United States and overseas (Baugher et al., 2017; Bogart et al., 2008; Herek, Capitanio, & Widaman, 2002; X. Li, Wang, Williams, & He, 2009; Odindo & Mwanthi, 2008) with more than 50% of men and women reporting discriminatory attitudes toward PLWH among countries with data available (UNAIDS, 2015). This is particularly disconcerting given that HIV-related stigma has shown to be associated with negative outcomes in the physical and mental health of PLWH, higher levels of HIV stigma being correlated with higher depression symptoms (L. Li, Lee, Thammawijaya, Jiraphongsa, & Rotheram-Borus, 2009; Onyebuchi-Iwudibia & Brown, 2014; Rao et al., 2012), lower adherence to antiretroviral therapy (Katz et al., 2013), and less access and usage of social and healthcare services (Chambers et al., 2015; Rueda et al., 2016). In general, HIV-related stigma has focused on the individual experience of stigma by PLWH and has been conceptualized into three different types (Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009; Nyblade, 2006): the fear of negative attitudes, judgment, and discrimination from HIV status and serostatus disclosure (perceived stigma), the acceptance of negative stereotypes associated with HIV as part of the self or identity (internalized stigma), and the actual experience of discrimination by PLWH (enacted stigma). More recently, some conceptualizations have highlighted the importance of considering HIV-related stigma beyond the individual context as stigma is a social process, a pattern of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that influence change and growth in society (Deacon, 2006; Link & Phelan, 2001; Mahajan et al., 2008; Parker & Aggleton, 2003). This recent shift has led researchers to propose several revisions to the HIV stigma construct. In particular, they argue that HIV-related stigma should be distinguished from discrimination (Deacon, 2006) and that it should be measured at structural and institutional levels (Link & Phelan, 2001; Mahajan et al., 2008; Parker & Aggleton, 2003). Since the conceptualization of HIV-related stigma has practical implications on how it is studied, measured, and treated, the purpose of this paper is to review the validity of the proposed revisions. It will be argued that despite there being a strong theoretical basis for both changes to the conceptualization of HIV-related stigma, psychometric research suggests that enacted stigma should not be removed from the construct, but that HIV-related stigma should be measured across socio-ecological levels. Theoretical Implications of HIV Stigma as a Social Process A majority of the stigma literature derives from the work of sociologist, Erving Goffman. His original theory viewed stigma as a social process (Goffman, 1963), which has important implications on the conceptualization of HIV-related stigma, as research in this area has primarily focused on the construct at an individual level.     Ã‚   Stigma as a Social Process The conceptualization of HIV-related stigma often departs from the definition proposed by Goffman. Goffman defined stigma as â€Å"an attribute that is deeply discrediting† according to society, which diminishes the stigmatized individual from â€Å"a whole and usual person to a tainted, discounted one† (Goffman, 1963). Although Goffman acknowledged the role of society in stigmatization, researchers limit their definition of HIV stigma and cite sections from Goffman that emphasize stigma as an internal or individual level construct (Link & Phelan, 2001; Parker & Aggleton, 2003). Notably, they highlight how the â€Å"deviant† or â€Å"undesirable difference† of stigma leads to the assumption of a â€Å"spoilt identity† (Goffman, 1963). This operationalization is significant because it implies that the negative value of stigma comes from the individual instead of society. Inherent within Goffman’s definition was the understanding that stigma is a socially constructed concept. He qualified that even though stigma would refer to â€Å"an attribute† it actually was a â€Å"language of relationships† that was required (Goffman, 1963). In other words, Goffman argued that society determines what is â€Å"discrediting† and thereby develops a structure that delineates how the bearers of stigma are devalued across their social relationships. Subsequently, similar to development in Bronfenbrenner’s ecosystem theory (1997), stigma could be seen more as a dynamic social process that is constantly changing over time (Parker & Aggleton, 2003). HIV Stigma and Discrimination When HIV stigma is considered as a social process, the fuzzy boundary between HIV stigma and discrimination becomes clearer. Discrimination highlights the perpetrators of stigmatization, whereas stigma refers to the targets of these negative behaviors (Link & Phelan, 2001; Mahajan et al., 2008; Sayce, 1998). This distinction is important as it has broader social implications in determining who is responsible for stigmatization (Sayce, 1998). By differentiating HIV-related stigma from discrimination, it focuses the blame on the social processes involved with stigmatization rather than on the individual. Deacon (2006) also argues how including discrimination within the construct of HIV-related stigma constitutes conceptual inflation. Within the stigma literature, discrimination is operationalized as an end result of stigma (Jacoby, 1994; Nyblade, 2006) such that the term â€Å"stigma† becomes synonymous with â€Å"both the stigmatizing beliefs themselves and the effects of†¦stigmatization processes† (Deacon, 2006). This definition limits the understanding about the unique effects of stigma because it becomes unclear whether discrimination mediates the association between stigma and various health outcomes. In all, there is a practical and theoretical basis for differentiating HIV stigma from discrimination. HIV Stigma at the Structural Level Since Goffman, researchers have expounded upon the sociological aspects of his theory to include the structural conditions that influence stigma. Link and Phelan (2001) describe how stigmatization can only occur when â€Å"labeling, stereotyping, separation, status loss, and discrimination† happens within the context of an imbalance in power. In other words, all individuals, including those that are stigmatized, can engage in processes related to the stigmatization. Link and Phelan (2001) discuss an example where an individual with mental illness could stereotype one of their clinicians as a â€Å"pill-pusher.† While the person might treat the   clinician differently on the basis of this stereotype, without any economic, social, cultural, and political power, the individual cannot enact detrimental consequences against the clinician, and therefore the clinician and his or her identifying group would not be stigmatized (Link & Phelan, 2001). For PLWH, Parker and Aggleton (2003) further specify that stigmatization is not only contingent upon these social inequities, but that stigma also serves to strengthen and perpetuate differences in structural power and control. In particular, they argue that stigma increases existing power differentials through devaluing groups and heightening the feelings of superiority in others. In recognizing that stigma functions at structural and institutional levels, Park and Aggleton (2003) believe that stigma is a central component in   Based on these theories, it has been proposed that HIV stigma be measured at the structural and institutional level (Mahajan et al., 2008). Measurement of HIV Stigma Knowledge and understanding about HIV stigma is predicated on researchers’ ability to reliably and accurately measure the construct. In turn, even though there is theory to support the differentiation of HIV stigma from discrimination and the measurement of HIV stigma at the structural level, a review of relevant psychometric research is necessary to validate these revisions to the HIV-related stigma construct. HIV Stigma Scale The HIV Stigma Scale developed by Berger, Ferrans, and Lashley (2001) is the most commonly used stigma measure for PLWH (Sayles et al., 2008). It has a total of 40 items scored on a Likert scale from 1 (strongly disagree) to 4 (strongly agree) with higher scores indicating higher levels of stigma. The internal consistency of the measure has been reliable with different populations, including African Americans (Rao, Pryor, Gaddist, & Mayer, 2008; Wright, Naar-King, Lam, Templin, & Frey, 2007) and PLWH in rural New England (Bunn, Solomon, Miller, & Forehand, 2007). More recently, the HIV Stigma Scale was adapted for use in South India and demonstrated high reliability and validity (Jeyaseelan et al., 2013).    Psychometric Evidence for Measuring HIV Stigma as a Social Process Construct validity for the HIV Stigma Scale is supported by associations with related measures (Berger, Ferrans, & Lashley, 2001). In terms of measuring HIV stigma as a social process, the total HIV stigma scores and the subscale scores on the HIV Stigma Scale show moderate negative correlations with social support availability, social support validation, and subjective social integrations, as well as moderate positive correlations with social conflict. Similar relationships were found between HIV stigma and social support in a meta-analysis by Rueda et al., (2016), higher HIV stigma being associated with lower social support across studies. Overall, there seems to be preliminary evidence that HIV stigma should be conceptualized as a social process. Psychometric Evidence against Chancing the Current Construct of HIV Stigma Through exploratory factor analysis, Berger et al., (2001) determined that there were four interrelated factors from the HIV Stigma Scale: personalized stigma, disclosure concerns, concern with public attitudes toward people with HIV, and negative self-image. These factors could be recoded using current conceptualization of HIV stigma such that personalized stigma is enacted stigma, disclosure concerns and concerns with public attitudes toward people with HIV is perceived stigma, and negative self-image is internalized stigma (Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009). Further analysis by Berger et al., (2001) led to the extraction of one higher-order factor. While this provided further evidence of construct validity for the HIV Stigma Scale, if considered within the context of the recoded factors, it would indicate that enacted stigma should not be removed from the conceptualization of HIV-related stigma. Psychometric Measurement of HIV-Related Stigma at Structural Levels Research on the measurement of HIV-related stigma at structural and institutional levels is sparse and limited (Chan & Reidpath, 2005; Mahajan et al., 2008). Of the studies available, only descriptive information is provided on the experience of structural stigma for PLWH (Biradavolu, Blankenship, Jena, & Dhungana, 2012; Yang, Zhang, Chan, & Reidpath, 2005). Within the larger stigma literature itself, very few researchers have considered measuring stigma across different socio-ecological levels (Gee, 2008; Hatzenbuehler et al., 2014). However, there has been growing evidence to suggest that structural levels of stigma are associated with individuals levels of stigma (Evans-Lacko, Brohan, Mojtabai, & Thornicroft, 2012; Pachankis et al., 2015). In their study, Evans-Lacko et al., (2012) attempted to examine the relationships between structural and individual levels of mental illness stigma in 14 European countries. To do so, they combined two international datasets (the Eurobarometer survey and the Global Alliance of Advocacy Networks study) and compared public attitudes related to mental illness with individual measures of internalized stigma, empowerment, and perceived discrimination among individuals diagnosed with a mental disorder. Evans-Lacko and his colleagues (2012) found that people with mental illness in countries with more positive attitudes (lower structural stigma) reported lower rates of internalized stigma and perceived discrimination than in countries with higher levels of structural stigma. Even though both datasets were cross-sectional, limiting casual inferences from the study, the results indicate that there are associations between the measurement of structural and individual levels of stigma (Evans-Lacko et al., 2012; Major, Dovidio, & Link, 2017). In all, there needs to be more research to validate the measurement of HIV-related stigma at structural and institutional levels. Limitations Due to the lack of experimental research on enacted and structural HIV stigma (Mahajan et al., 2008; Nyblade, 2006), relevant studies in this area may suffer from a file drawer problem. In other words, the prevalence of significant results could be inflated given that there are no incentives for publishing non-significant findings. Moreover, a majority of HIV stigma studies utilize a correlational design, and so the directionality of these associations cannot be determined. Thus, even though the understanding of HIV stigma has improved, the effect size and causality of relationships within the construct require further analysis and clarification. Another limitation is that there is heterogeneity in the conceptualization and measurement of HIV-related stigma, which makes it difficult to compare and contrast results (Grossman & Stangl, 2013). Across HIV stigma assessments, researchers measure enacted, perceived, and internalized stigma, suggesting that these are important factors in the conceptualization of HIV-related stigma (Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009). However, many measures conflate different constructs with HIV-related stigma and include it in a single scale or subscale (Herek et al., 2002; Kalichman et al., 2009; Visser, Kershaw, Makin, & Forsyth, 2008). This indicates that there still might be ambiguity in terms of how HIV-related stigma is operationalized.   One final limitation is that the high internal consistency of the HIV Stigma Scale (Berger et al., 2001) could be reflective of an attenuation paradox (Clark & Watson, 1995). For example, the factors of disclosure concern and concern with public attitudes toward people with HIV might be redundant. Both factors represent and can be recoded as aspects of perceived stigma (Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009). While the HIV Stigma Scale might be reliable and internally consistent, the high correlations between the items on the scale might compromise construct validity of Implications A common conceptualization of HIV stigma is fundamental for future research, assessment, and treatment (Deacon, 2006; Grossman & Stangl, 2013; Mahajan et al., 2008). Without a unified construct of stigma, progress in the field of HIV-related stigma will continue to be impeded by a lack of standardization and incremental validity. The absence of meta-analyses within the literature provides evidence of the difficulty in parsing through the heterogeneity of the HIV stigma construct (Grossman & Stangl, 2013). Future research, then, should prioritize reaching a working consensus on the conceptualization of HIV stigma and developing an agenda that ensures consistent application of that conceptualization across studies. From this common conceptualization of HIV-related stigma, current measures such as the HIV Stigma Scale should be refined (Berger et al., 2001). While convergent validity has been tested through correlations with related measures and constructs (Berger et al., 2001; Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009), more research should focus on the strengthening the discriminant validity of these measures. Specifically regarding the HIV Stigma Scale, given that several of the items load onto multiple scales of the measure (Berger et al., 2001; Rao et al., 2008), future revisions should work on improving item discrimination (Sayles et al., 2008). By refining the measures of HIV stigma in conjunction with the conceptualization of HIV stigma, the operationalization of the different HIV stigma types can be improved. In addition, it is necessary to develop complementary measures to assess HIV-related stigma at structural and institutional levels (Chan & Reidpath, 2005; Deacon, 2006; Mahajan et al., 2008). Research efforts within the field of mental illness and stigma could be leveraged to formulate these assessments (see structural stigma section). While it is important to understand the impact of HIV stigma across a variety of social contexts, it is impractical to begin efforts into this area simply by conducting a large number of studies in different environments. Initial efforts should focus on targeting a smaller range of institutions that have presented unique challenges towards PLWH in the past such as healthcare and then build additional measurements out from there if necessary (Chan & Reidpath, 2005). From a more practical perspective, interventions for HIV-related stigma need to address the discriminatory behaviors experienced by PLWH. Despite significant heterogeneity in the HIV stigma literature (Grossman & Stangl, 2013), enacted stigma is a factor that is seen across various measurements and operationalizations of the construct (Earnshaw & Chaudoir, 2009). In terms of treatment outcomes, reducing discrimination against PLWH could have important implications as enacted stigma is negatively correlated with indicators of physical health, including CD4 count and chronic illness comorbidity (Earnshaw, Smith, Chaudoir, Amico, & Copenhaver, 2013). Thus, future intervention research should work on addressing enacted stigma as a specific domain of HIV stigma, measuring enacted stigma consistently across studies, and testing its predictive validity for treatment, care, and prevention outcomes for PLWH (Grossman & Stangl, 2013).   Conclusion Based on the current nomological net, HIV-related stigma should not be differentiated from discrimination. However, there is a need to measure HIV-related stigma in structural and institutional contexts. HIV stigma is a social process that works at the individual level, but the stigmatized person may not be the most important determinant in the development of stigma. Several researchers have theorized that stigmatization is contingent on structural inequities (Link & Phelan, 2001; Mahajan et al., 2008; Parker & Aggleton, 2003) such that interventions that only target stigma and discrimination may ameliorate the negative physical and mental health outcomes associated with stigma, but not address the entire problem and construct (Chan & Reidpath, 2005). Ultimately, more research is required in order to measure HIV-related stigma across socio-ecological levels (Bronfenbrenner, 1977; Grossman & Stangl, 2013). Given the heterogeneity and lack of standardization within the HIV stigma literature, it is imperative that researchers in this field understand that science and test validity holds social power and influence. Measurement and psychometrics can drive change in social policy and ideology within society (Messick, 1995). While it is easy to rely on the eminence and eloquence associated with the label of science (Isaacs & Fitzgerald, 1999), researchers have an ethical commitment to follow rigorous standards of empiricism because their work can impact the lives of people. This commitment should be true for all people, but especially for groups like PLWH that continue to suffer from stigmatization. References Baugher, A. R., Beer, L., Fagan, J. L., Mattson, C. L., Freedman, M., Skarbinski, J., & Shouse, R. L. (2017). Prevalence of Internalized HIV-Related Stigma Among HIV-Infected Adults in Care, United States, 2011–2013. AIDS and behavior, 21(9), 2600-2608. doi:10.1007/s10461-017-1712-y Berger, B. E., Ferrans, C. E., & Lashley, F. R. (2001). Measuring stigma in people with HIV: psychometric assessment of the HIV stigma scale. Res Nurs Health, 24(6), 518-529. Biradavolu, M. R., Blankenship, K. M., Jena, A., & Dhungana, N. (2012). 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