Pharmaceutical supply chains are susceptible to disruptions which impact on the operational and financial performance of firms as well as patient safety. This study aimed to explore why the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain (PSC) in the UK is susceptible to the impact of dynamic disruptions and examine how resilience strategies have were employed to reduce the effects of these disruptions. The Complex Adaptive System (CAS) theory was used as a framework in an exploratory research design using mixed-methods. The qualitative data were gathered through 23 semi-structured interviews with key supply chain actors across the PSC in the UK to explore their experiences. The findings from these semi-structured interviews were used to develop a survey which was distributed to a broader spectrum of supply chain actors where the final sample from the survey was (n=106). The data were triangulated to discuss the research findings. The initial results revealed power, conflict and complexities as drivers of vulnerabilities in the PSC. Antecedents for building resilience strategies included visibility, flexibility and joint decision making as recovery strategies and resource sharing as the resistance strategy. CAS provided a systemic approach to understanding PSC resilience rather than in parts. In doing so, it took into consideration the various elements that make up the entire system. Thus, vulnerabilities and resilience strategies were outcomes of the interactions between supply chain actors. The findings demonstrated that CAS, as a theory, provided a framework that was beneficial in exploring and gaining insights into PSC resilience. Also, by combining the two datasets (interviews and survey), an original output was proposed -the Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Resilience Framework (PSCRF)- which was used to recommend resilience strategies suitable for mitigating disruptions in the PSC.

Yes

Yes / This briefing paper is the second in a series to be published during 2007 and 2008 as part of the Bradford Disarmament Research Centre¿s programme on Nuclear-Armed Britain: A Critical Examination of Trident Modernisation, Implications and Accountability.

The HIV pandemic has affected millions of people around the world both medically and socially, since there is a stigma associated with this disease. Common methods of transmission include sexual intercourse and sharing needles, but there are other lesser known methods through which people can contract this disease. One such way is mother-to-child transmission (MTCT), in which a mother could transmit the virus to her child either during pregnancy, childbirth, or through breastfeeding. This paper focuses on the role of breastfeeding in the transmission of HIV from mother to child. Many studies have investigated how breastfeeding results in the transmission of the virus, and effective common treatment methods have been established. However, the issue of MTCT of HIV still exists even though it can easily be eradicated with the proper techniques. This suggests that there are still factors that contribute to HIV transmission from mother to child that have yet to be eliminated. Thus, this paper reviews the breastfeeding rates and breastfeeding practices of three different countries: South Africa, India, and the United Kingdom. This paper analyzes epidemiological data, studies from medical journals, and studies from anthropology journals to determine what social influences surround breastfeeding practices in each of these countries to see how these may contribute to MTCT of HIV via breastfeeding. While there were no apparent trends between child HIV prevalence rates and breastfeeding rates in these countries, there were some social and cultural factors that were similar across all three nations. This information may be useful in creating more effective treatment plans that are conducive to the social environments in these countries.

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Syftet med uppsatsen är att fördjupa kunskapen om Yoko Shimomuras musikaliska kännetecken och hur hon gestaltar, urskiljer samt sammankopplar karaktärer i instrumental spelmusik, med särskilt fokus på några av spelserien Kingdom Hearts (2002-2020) bosskampssituationer. Detta görs genom analyser av sex bosskampsteman centrerat kring olika versioner av spelseriens centrala antagonist Xehanort. Versioner som inte enbart byter namn och utseende genom spelserien, utan även klonats, rest i tiden, kroppsligt besatt andra karaktärer eller som delats upp i två eller fler versioner av en och samma karaktär. Uppsatsen ämnar även att pröva och utforska Shimomuras kompositionstekniker i en egen musikalisk gestaltning, för att på så vis illustrera hur uppsatsens resultat praktiskt kan tillämpas och vara användbara för framtida kompositörer av spelmusik. Genom en egenutvecklad audiovisuell analysmodell visar resultaten på hur Shimomura använder sig av karaktärs-specifika ledmotiv, ackompanjemang och instrumenteringar för att identifiera de olika karaktärerna. Hon återanvänder även delar av ledmotiv eller andra rytmiska mönster och ackompanjemang i de olika bosskampstemana för att tydliggöra för karaktärernas relationer. Den musikaliska gestaltningen tillför även en audiell aspekt till uppsatsens resultat och ämnar att representera ett exempel på hur de teoretiska resultaten kan användas praktiskt.

By analyzing the corpus of administrative seals from the late Middle Kingdom, this study attempts to identify what type of administration was in practice. This was achieved mainly through the use of an observational and comparative approach in the analysis of institutional and title-seals from four late Middle Kingdom sites. It has been concluded that royal mortuary complexes and Nubian military installations were administered on both a local and a centralized level. On the one hand, individuals mentioned on title-seals could be linked to various local departments attested on institutional seals. In most cases, they were affiliated to certain areas of activity linked to a specific institution. Additionally, at all sites represented in the study, traces of the central administration remain – evident from the accumulation of title-seals belonging to royal officials and extra-local institutional seals coming from royal donations. While each site displayed a unique institutional structure, parallels could be made between them. Late Middle Kingdom administrative seals point to a societal structure which in some sense was rigid, particularly on a local level. However, local activities appear to have also been overseen and operated by a mobile class of higher officials. / Genom att analysera sena mellersta rikets administrativa sigillkorpus söker denna studie att utröna vilken typ av administration som bedrevs. Detta har genomförts framför allt genom att observationsstudier samt komparativa tillvägagångsätt har tillämpats i analysen av institutionella sigill samt titelsigill från fyra historiska platser daterade till det sena mellersta riket. Studien visar på att både kungliga gravkomplex samt nubiska militära installationer administrerades på en lokal och centraliserad nivå. Å ena sidan har individer som omnämns på titelsigill kunnat länkas samman till olika lokala institutioner som även attesterats på institutionella sigill. I de flesta fall var dessa individer anslutna till arbetsområden tillhörande en viss institution. Vid samtliga platser kvarstår dock spår av en centraladministration –vilket ter sig tydligt i förekommandet av titelsigill tillhörande kungliga ämbetsmän samt icke-lokala institutionella sigill från kungliga donationer. Även fastän varje enskild plats hade en distinkt institutionell uppbyggnad kunde paralleller dras mellan dem. Mellersta rikets administrativa sigill tyder på en samhällsstruktur som på ett antal plan, särskilt på en lokal nivå, var fast. Samtidigt styrdes dessa lokala verksamheter emellertid av en mer rörlig klass av högre tjänstemän.

In this study, Albanian migrants' choices to settle in the UK are addressed. The leading question is why they migrate from Albania and why they choose to enter the UK clandestinely instead of other European countries, where they can travel with a passport (do not need a Visa). The study also assesses their expectations of the UK and future intentions for residency. Data were gathered using a mixed-methods research design with a pragmatic approach by analyzing quantitative surveys, further supported by six qualitative follow-up interviews. The results indicated that the socioeconomic and political conditions in Albania were the primary factor pushing the migrants to migrate. The United Kingdom is chosen as a migration destination because of the general view of the country in terms of economic prospects and quality of life. The findings also revealed that social networks were an essential determinant in the decision of destination selection, shaping the image of the destination country. Thus, regardless of their undocumented status, most participants do not plan to return to their home country.