Journal articles on the topic 'Pharmaceutical industry – Greece'

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1

Armataki, Eleni, Eleftheria Karampli, John Kyriopoulos, and Elpida Pavi. "HEALTH TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT OF MEDICINES IN GREECE: PHARMACEUTICAL INDUSTRY EXECUTIVES' VIEWS." International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care 30, no. 2 (April 2014): 226–32. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0266462314000130.

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Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate originator pharmaceutical companies’ practices in relation to health technology assessment (HTA) and the views and perceptions of their executives on the importance of HTA in pricing and reimbursement of medicines in Greece.Methods: A qualitative study was performed, using individual semi-structured interviews based on an interview schedule with open-ended questions. The target population was market access departments’ executives of originator pharmaceutical companies. Our target sample consisted of sixteen executives, of whom ten agreed to participate. Saturation point was reached after eight interviews. Data were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using content analysis.Results: Participants considered HTA as a very important complementary tool for decision making in health policy, particularly in the field of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. They believed that, in Greece, HTA could be institutionalized for the reimbursement mechanism of medicines under certain conditions relating to current health policy-making attitudes and conditions pertaining in the country. They considered that there are many constraints which must be overcome as well as opportunities to be exploited.Conclusions: Decisions in pharmaceutical policy should be scientifically substantiated and HTA should be institutionalized primarily for reimbursement decisions. Development of guidelines for conducting pharmaco-economic evaluation, change in health policy goals, recording of cost and epidemiological data, and broader participation of all stakeholders in HTA decision-making processes are suggested as prerequisites for a successful implementation of HTA in Greece.
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Sapuric, Svetlana, Petros Lois, and Theodoros Pagonidis. "Assessing the implementation of serialisation in pharmaceutical industry in Greece: a qualitative approach." J. for Global Business Advancement 13, no. 1 (2020): 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/jgba.2020.10031514.

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Pagonidis, Theodoros, Svetlana Sapuric, and Petros Lois. "Assessing the implementation of serialisation in pharmaceutical industry in Greece: a qualitative approach." J. for Global Business Advancement 13, no. 1 (2020): 4. http://dx.doi.org/10.1504/jgba.2020.109144.

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4

Triantafillidou, Eleni, and Theodore Koutroukis. "Human Resource Management, Employee Participation and European Works Councils: The Case of Pharmaceutical Industry in Greece." Societies 12, no. 6 (November 21, 2022): 167. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/soc12060167.

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Employee participation is a broad notion that encompasses sets of practices that enable employees to participate in the decision-making process on issues affecting them leading to a committed workforce. According to the 2009/38/EC Directive, a European Workers’ Council (EWC) is established in all undertakings and all community-scale groups of undertakings for the purpose of informing and consulting employees. This study investigates the impact of employee participation on employees and organizations and more specifically the potential benefits and the added value of participation for employees and organizations, the potential costs and threats of employee participation and the added value of EWCs in multinational subsidiaries in the pharmaceutical industry in Greece. The data gathering was carried out through in-depth semi-structured interviews with management, HR executives, trade union representatives and EWC representatives using a semi-structured questionnaire based on the state-of-the-art literature review. Organizations participating in the study are subsidiaries of multinational companies with an active European Works Council in the pharmaceutical industry in Greece. Findings suggest that there are potential benefits of employee participation practices for the employees and added value for the pharmaceutical companies and provide a useful perspective for managers and researchers in the field of labor relations and human resource management.
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PAPASTYLIANOU, Panayiota, George STAVROPOULOS, Iordanis SAMANIDIS, and Dimitrios BILALIS. "Effect of Organic Fertilization and AMF Inoculation on Yield and Floral Quality Parameters of Common Marigold." Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca. Horticulture 74, no. 1 (May 19, 2017): 68. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/buasvmcn-hort:12640.

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In Greece common marigold is one of the major medicinal plants widely used in cosmetics, perfumes and the pharmaceutical industry. A field experiment was conducted at Komotini, Greece, to compare the effect of organic and conventional fertilization combined with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi inoculation on yield and floral qualitative characteristics of the common marigold during the 2015 growing season. The experiment was set up as a split plot design with three replicates, three main plots (fertilization treatments, inorganic, organic and untreated) and two sub-plots (addition/non-addition of commercial mycorrhiza of the genus Glomus spp.). Floral fresh and dry weight as well as total phenolic and flavonoid content of the dried flowers were recorded. Data analysis confirmed no significant correlation between fresh/dry floral yield, total phenolic and flavonoid content of the dried flowers and type of fertilization. The results also demonstrate a tendency of increase of the fresh or dry weight of the flowers when the commercial mycorrhiza is applied but it is not statistically significant.
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Jurkowski, Joseph Henry, and Dion D. Daly. "MINTS The Next Economic Frontier for Investment – A Financial Analysis of the Pharmaceutical Industry." International Journal for Innovation Education and Research 4, no. 8 (August 31, 2016): 132–45. http://dx.doi.org/10.31686/ijier.vol4.iss8.581.

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We have heard a great deal recently of the BRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China), and the PIGS (Portugal, Italy, Greece, Spain) but now the focus seems to be on the MINT countries, (Malaysia, Indonesia, Nigeria, and Turkey) as the leading emerging economies in the world. Rising labor and other costs now have companies looking for new opportunities in rapid growth markets. But not without specific risks that companies must be willing to take. Corruption, rampant communicable disease, drug abuse and criminal activity, religious issues and disagreements are a few of the challenges companies must face in the new frontier. This paper will attempt to look at four pharmaceutical companies in each of the MINT countries to determine their potential profitability as an investment opportunity. This industry is especially unique since these countries have a growing population which will increase the labor force and also create a need for pharmaceutical products. Each of these countries is located in an advantageous geographical location which will provide an advantage in growing their economies. Mexico is next to the U.S. and the rest of Latin America. Indonesia is located in the heart of Southeast Asia with strong ties to China. Turkey has positioned itself to have both Eastern and Western influences. Nigeria is in a prime spot as it ls located in the prime economic powerhouse of a continent, Africa. If they get their acts together, solve their problems of corruption, energy, and infrastructure, these four countries could potentially overtake China as a leading economy of the world.
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Beteinakis, Stavros, Anastasia Papachristodoulou, Peter Kolb, Paul Rösch, Stephan Schwarzinger, Emmanuel Mikros, and Maria Halabalaki. "NMR-Based Metabolite Profiling and the Application of STOCSY toward the Quality and Authentication Assessment of European EVOOs." Molecules 28, no. 4 (February 11, 2023): 1738. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules28041738.

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Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) possesses a high-value rank in the food industry, thus making it a common target for adulteration. Hence, several methods have been essentially made available over the years. However, the issue of authentication remains unresolved with national and food safety organizations globally struggling to regulate and control its market. Over the course of this study, the aim was to determine the origin of EVOOs suggesting a high-throughput, state-of-the-art method that could be easily adopted. A rapid, NMR-based untargeted metabolite profiling method was applied and complemented by multivariate analysis (MVA) and statistical total correlation spectroscopy (STOCSY). STOCSY is a valuable statistical tool contributing to the biomarker identification process and was employed for the first time in EVOO analysis. Market samples from three Mediterranean countries of Spain, Italy, and Greece, blended samples from these countries, as well as monocultivar samples from Greece were analyzed. The NMR spectra were collected, with the help of chemometrics acting as “fingerprints” leading to the discovery of certain chemical classes and single biomarkers that were related to the classification of the samples into groups based on their origin.
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GRIGORIADOU, Katerina, Nikos KRIGAS, Virginia SARROPOULOU, Eleni MALOUPA, and Georgios TSOKTOURIDIS. "Propagation and ex-situ conservation of Lomelosia minoana subsp. minoana and Scutellaria hirta - two ornamental and medicinal Cretan endemics (Greece)." Notulae Botanicae Horti Agrobotanici Cluj-Napoca 49, no. 1 (February 22, 2021): 12168. http://dx.doi.org/10.15835/nbha49112168.

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Human needs and concomitant commercial trade to date trigger the demand of new ornamental plants and new natural medicinal products. The current study includes preliminary seed germination trials and presents the development of effective vegetative propagation protocols for Lomelosia minoana subsp. minoana (Dipsacaceae) and Scutellaria hirta (Lamiaceae), both globally rare, local endemics of Crete (Greece) with potential ornamental and medicinal value. Based on material collected directly from the wild, seed germination was succeeded (38%, T50: 10.74) only for L. minoana subsp. minoana. The optimal indole-3-butyric acid concentrations for effective rooting of cuttings were 2000 mg L-1 for L. minoana subsp. minoana (85%) and 4000 mg L-1 for S. hirta (50%). Seasonal differences were observed in respective rooting rates of the studied taxa. The detected rooting rates for L. minoana subsp. minoana cuttings are above standards to allow possible commercial application in the ornamental industry. Although the detected rooting rate (50%) for S. hirta was adequate for its ex situ conservation, it seems almost marginal for future commercial application and further investigation is needed. The sustainable utilization of these Cretan endemics studied herein provides new input for the ornamental-horticultural and cosmetic-pharmaceutical industries. This study shows how rare and endemic wild plant species can be progressively domesticated and introduced into sustainable cultivation systems in order to avoid the depletion of unique phytogenetic resources.
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Boukovinas, I., G. Lypas, M. Liontos, C. Andreadis, C. Papandreou, P. Papakotoulas, G. Aravantinos, et al. "Access to Genetic Testing Impacts Oncologists´ Decisions on Ovarian Cancer Personalized Treatment: Lessons Learned From a National Program in Greece." Journal of Global Oncology 4, Supplement 2 (October 1, 2018): 74s. http://dx.doi.org/10.1200/jgo.18.55800.

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Background: State health insurance authorities in Greece do not reimburse genetic testing for cancer predisposition. The Hellenic Society of Medical Oncology has launched and carries out a national program covering genetic testing for BRCA1/2 mutations detection, with the financial support of pharmaceutical industry. Aim: This analysis evaluates how, during this program, access to genetic testing transformed the oncologists' therapeutic approach toward their ovarian cancer patients and how the results impacted treatment decisions concerning PARP inhibitors. Adoption of testing by healthy relatives and timing of testing in the disease continuum were also evaluated. Methods: Adult patients with high-grade epithelial ovarian carcinoma, irrespectively of family history or age at diagnosis were eligible for this program. Genetic counseling was recommended before testing, and both were offered at no financial cost. First degree family members of pathogenic mutation carriers were also offered free counseling and testing. Results: From March 2015 through January 2018, 708 patients were enrolled and tested. One hundred and forty seven (20.7%) mutation carriers were identified, 102 (14.4%) in BRCA1 and 45 (6.3%) in BRCA2 gene. Testing was more often pursued at initial diagnosis (61%) than at recurrence (39%), as recorded for 409 patients with available relevant information. During the 1st year of the program, average monthly tests performed were 25.1, while during the 3rd year this number increased to 34.3 tests per month. Among patients who tested positive for deleterious BRCA1/2 mutations, relapse was reported in 58 patients, 94.8% of which (n= 55) received treatment with the PARP inhibitor olaparib as per its indication. Family members of 21 patients (14.3%), out of the 147 who tested positive, received genetic counseling and testing for the mutation identified in the context of the program. Conclusion: Free access to genetic testing for BRCA1/2 for ovarian cancer patients and genetic consultation facilitates testing uptake, affects common clinical practice & has major impact on patients and their families. Still, diffusion of genetic information and broader testing of family members require further efforts by the oncological community.
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10

Kampasakali, Elli, Alexandros Nakas, Dimitrios Mertzanidis, Stella Kokkini, Andreana N. Assimopoulou, and Dimitrios Christofilos. "μ-Raman Determination of Essential Oils’ Constituents from Distillates and Leaf Glands of Origanum Plants." Molecules 28, no. 3 (January 26, 2023): 1221. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules28031221.

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A novel, inexpensive and simple experimental setup for collecting μ-Raman spectra of volatile liquids in very small quantities was developed. It takes advantage of capillary forces to detain minute volatile liquid volumes. Spectra of volatile and even scattering or absorbing media can be measured more effectively. The method is used to facilitate the collection of intensity-consistent Raman spectra from a series of reference compounds present in Origanum essential oils, in order to quantify their constituents by multiple linear regression. Wild grown Origanum plants, collected from five different regions in Greece and taxonomically identified as O. onites, O. vulgare subsp. hirtum and O. vulgare subsp. vulgare, were appropriately distilled to acquire their essential oils. Comparison of the Raman results with those from headspace gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS GC-MS) confirmed the successful relative quantification of the most abundant essential oil constituents, highlighting the similarities and differences of the three Origanum taxa examined. Finally, it is demonstrated that directly measuring the leaf peltate glandular hairs yields exploitable results to identify the main components of the essential oil they contain, underlining the potential of in situ (field or industry) measurements utilizing microscope-equipped portable Raman spectrometers.
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11

Bevec, Eva. "Developing a User-focused Standardised Design System for Prescription Medicine Packaging in Slovenia." International Journal of Pharmacy Practice 29, Supplement_1 (March 26, 2021): i45. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ijpp/riab015.055.

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Abstract Introduction In my thesis I am exploring the role of pharmaceutical packaging design in relation to the user. This topic is becoming increasingly relevant as the number of issued prescriptions in Slovenia is rising every year, treatment with prescription medicine is experienced by almost everyone. Medicine packaging must therefore provide essential information effectively and efficiently. Aim The purpose of this thesis is to improve current heterogeneous conditions by developing a standardized design system for all prescription drugs by taking into account users’ needs at each stage of the process. The final goal is a simpler and more effective use of products for everyone involved. Methods Research was conducted in three stages. In the first stage, the existing condition in packaging design was analysed: information hierarchy/arrangement on 8 significant manufacturers’ products considering 1 - the type of information and 2 - different user groups. Second stage consisted of conducting surveys with 2 focus groups representing two main user groups who use the packaging differently - medicine consumers and healthcare professionals.(1) Consumer focus group consisted of 81 participants, recruited randomly from various age groups (age 10 to 89). They were asked closed-ended questions. Healthcare professionals focus group consisted of 5 pharmacists with extensive experience. They were asked open-ended questions. The collected data from both research stages was statistically and qualitatively analysed in order to define the main problems with medicine packaging design and use. Identified problems were then addressed through the design process. The third stage included development of a standardised design system in accordance with information design theory and cognitive psychology findings.(2) These helped establish the system building blocks/rules: information hierarchy and organization, use of colour, shape and typography. Results Analysis of existing conditions clearly exposed the heterogeneity and unsuitability of the majority of medicine packaging design. These caused similar problems to both user groups: trouble finding information (73 %), lack/redundancy of information (47 %/17 %), illegible, unreadable typography (39 %), distracting visual elements (26 %), unclear distinction between medicines (17 %). These lead to various consequences: incorrect route of administration (39 %), consuming/prescribing expired (30 %) or incorrect product (8 %), time loss (8 %). Each of these problems was addressed through establishment of new, highly precise rules in packaging design: regulating hierarchy and typography, introducing visual categorization through symbols and illustrations (information category, pharmaceutical form, ATC group) and color-coding medicine strength. The rules form a standardised system which provides unity, consistency and quality regulation, improving the everyday experience of many people. Conclusion The research was carried out as a part of a BA thesis. The execution of the project would require a change in the legislation on state level. It therefore serves as a speculative proposal, aiming to raise questions that are currently not being addressed properly within the industry. The possibility of implementation could be recognized through gradual transformation of individual rules/building blocks of the system into new state regulations or guidelines. Discussion with the industry and the profession has not yet been carried out due to the Covid-19 crisis. References 1. Heinio RL, RUSKO E, Van der Waarde K. Challenges to read and understand information on pharmaceutical packages [Internet]. 2012 Jun [cited 2020 May 24]; 79 - 85. Available from: https://www.vttresearch.com/sites/default/files/julkaisut/muut/2012/Rusko IAPRI_2012_Manuscript_final.pdf 2. Černe Oven P, Požar C. On Information Design [Internet]. Ljubljana: Muzej za arhitekturo in oblikovanje; 2016. 149 p. Available from: http://www.mao.si/Upload/file/Oninformation-design_e-book-spread.pdfEvaluation of the first pharmacy-led weight management programme in Greece.
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Vanti, Giulia, Ekaterina-Michaela Tomou, Dejan Stojković, Ana Ćirić, Anna Rita Bilia, and Helen Skaltsa. "Nanovesicles Loaded with Origanum onites and Satureja thymbra Essential Oils and Their Activity against Food-Borne Pathogens and Spoilage Microorganisms." Molecules 26, no. 8 (April 7, 2021): 2124. http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/molecules26082124.

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Food poisoning is a common cause of illness and death in developing countries. Essential oils (EOs) could be effective and safe natural preservatives to prevent and control bacterial contamination of foods. However, their high sensitivity and strong flavor limit their application and biological effectiveness. The aim of this study was firstly the chemical analysis and the antimicrobial evaluation of the EOs of Origanum onites L. and Satureja thymbra L. obtained from Symi island (Greece), and, secondly, the formulation of propylene glycol-nanovesicles loaded with these EOs to improve their antimicrobial properties. The EOs were analyzed by GC-MS and their chemical contents are presented herein. Different nanovesicles were formulated with small average sizes, high homogeneity, and optimal ζ-potential. Microscopic observation confirmed their small and spherical shape. Antibacterial and antifungal activities of the formulated EOs were evaluated against food-borne pathogens and spoilage microorganisms compared to pure EOs. Propylene glycol-nanovesicles loaded with O. onites EO were found to be the most active formulation against all tested strains. Additionally, in vitro studies on the HaCaT cell line showed that nanovesicles encapsulated with EOs had no toxic effect. The present study revealed that both EOs can be used as alternative sanitizers and preservatives in the food industry, and that their formulation in nanovesicles can provide a suitable approach as food-grade delivery system.
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El-Gohary, F. A., S. I. Abou-Elela, and H. I. Aly. "Evaluation of biological technologies for wastewater treatment in the pharmaceutical industry." Water Science and Technology 32, no. 11 (December 1, 1995): 13–20. http://dx.doi.org/10.2166/wst.1995.0389.

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Wastewater from a pharmaceutical and chemical company provides the material of this study. The company produces drugs, diuretics, laboratory chemicals and others. The company is located 30 km north of Cairo, and discharges both industrial (1050 m3/d) and human wastewater (8400 m3/d) without treatment into a near-by evaporation pond. Reduction of pollutants in the wastewater down to permissible concentrations is necessary for the protection of ground water and the environment. Analysis of the combined wastes indicated that it is very acidic and contains high concentrations of organic compounds and total solids. Combined wastes were subjected to different treatment processes for final disposal into surface water, or reuse for irrigation purposes. Biological treatment of the combined wastes was carried out using both batch and continuous flow systems. The biological treatments included activated sludge process, fixed film reactor, and fixed film reactor followed by activated sludge process. Technical feasibility studies indicated that good quality effluent could be obtained using either extended aeration (20 hr aeration) or a fixed film reactor followed by activated sludge (11 hr detention time). Residual BOD5, COD, oil and grease concentrations in the treated effluent were complying with the National Regularity Standards. When constructional cost was considered, extended aeration was the first choice. Engineering designs of the proposed treatment options are included.
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Assrorudin, Assrorudin, Refid Ruhibnur, Rosmalinda Rosmalinda, Tardi Kurniawan, and Anto Susanto. "Karakteristik Mutu Food Grade Grease Ramah Lingkungan Berbahan Baku Minyak Bekas Penggorengan." Jurnal Teknologi Agro-Industri 7, no. 2 (December 12, 2020): 101–11. http://dx.doi.org/10.34128/jtai.v7i2.93.

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Food grade grease is a lubricant based on vegetable oils, in its safe use for health, does not pollute the environment so it is very beneficial for the pharmaceutical, animal feed, cosmetics and food industry industries in particular. This study aims to obtain a basic formulation of natural antioxidant ingredients and optimum long storage periods that can produce good and long lasting food grade grease, according to quality standards including: corrosion resistance, dropping point, lubricant texture, and pH . The purpose is more detailed, namely to know (1) the treatment of the percentage of activated charcoal (b / b) on the weight of the material as bleaching material at a temperature of 1050C for 1 hour; (2) the effect of increasing the concentration of natural antioxidant ingredients on food grade grease quality; (3) the best storage period for maintaining quality food grade grease quality; and (4) the interaction between the addition of the concentration of anti-corosit chemicals with the treatment period of storage for 5 days, 10 days and 15 days against the quality of food grade grease. The results of the study show (1). 5% activated charcoal is the best treatment, because it produces FFA values, low water content values ​​and visual appearance (color) with values ​​of 0.22%, 0.12%, and bright yellow, and (2). The treatment of the concentration of natural antioxidant material as much as 10% (A3) and treatment of 10 days storage period (T2) is the best treatment to produce food grade grease quality including corocyte test value, melting point, lubricant texture, and pH respectively: 7.99 ; 83.99; 2.49; and 6.99.
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Mączyńska, Elżbieta. "The economy of excess versus doctrine of quality." Kwartalnik Nauk o Przedsiębiorstwie 42, no. 1 (March 29, 2017): 9–15. http://dx.doi.org/10.5604/01.3001.0010.0142.

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A review article devoted to the book of Andrzej Blikle – Doktryna jakości. Rzecz o skutecznym zarządzaniu. As pointed out by the Author, the book is a case of a work rare on the Polish publishing market, written by an outstanding scientist, who successfully runs a business activity. The combination of practical experience with theoretical knowledge gave a result that may be satisfying both for practitioners as well as theorists, and also those who want to get to know the ins and outs of an effective and efficient business management. The Author of the review believes that it is an important voice for shaping an inclusive socio-economic system, which constitutes a value in itself. Although the book is mainly concerned with business management, its message has a much wider dimension and is concerned with real measures of wealth, money and people’s lives. The book was awarded The SGH Collegium of Business Administration Award “For the best scientific work in the field of business administration in the years 2014-2015”. Andrzej Jacek Blikle Doktryna jakości. Rzecz o skutecznym zarządzaniu (The Doctrine of Quality. On Effective Management) Gliwice, Helion Publishing Company, 2014, p. 546 Introduction One of the distinctive features of the contemporary economy and contemporary world is a kind of obsession of quantity which is related to thoughtless consumerism, unfavourable to the care for the quality of the work and the quality of the produced and consumed goods and services. It is accompanied by culture (or rather non-culture) of singleness. Therefore, the book The Doctrine of Quality by Andrzej Blikle is like a breath of fresh air. It is a different perspective on the economy and the model of operation of enterprises, on the model of work and life of people. A. Blikle proves that it can be done otherwise. He proves it on the basis of careful studies of the source literature – as expected from a professor of mathematics and an economist, but also on the basis of his own experience gained during the scientific and educational work, and most of all through the economic practice. In the world governed by the obsession of quantity, characterised by fragility, shortness of human relationships, including the relationship of the entrepreneur – employee, A. Blikle chooses durability of these relations, creativity, responsibility, quality of work and production, and ethics. The Doctrine of Quality is a rare example of the work on the Polish publishing market, whose author is a prominent scientist, successfully conducting a business activity for more than two decades, which has contributed to the development of the family company – a known confectionery brand “A. Blikle”. The combination of practical experience with theoretical knowledge gave a result that may be satisfying both for practitioners as well as theorists, and also those who want to get to know the ins and outs of an effective and efficient business management, or develop the knowledge on this topic. In an attractive, clear narrative form, the author comprehensively presents the complexities of business management, indicating the sources of success, but also the reasons and the foundations of failures. At the same time, he presents these issues with an interdisciplinary approach, which contributes to thoroughness of the arguments and deeper reflections. Holism, typical to this book, is also expressed in the focus of A. Blikle not only on the economic, but also on social and ecological issues. Here, the author points to the possibility and need of reconciliation of the economic interests with social interests, and the care for the public good. Analyses of this subject are presented using the achievements of many areas of studies, in addition to economic sciences, including mathematics, sociology, psychology, medicine, and others. This gives a comprehensive picture of the complexity of business management – taking into account its close and distant environment. There are no longueurs in the book, although extensive (over 500 pages), or lengthy, or even unnecessary reasoning overwhelming the reader, as the text is illustrated with a number of examples from practice, and coloured with anecdotes. At the same time, the author does not avoid using expressions popular in the world of (not only) business. He proves that a motivational system which is not based on the approach of “carrot and stick” and without a devastating competition of a “rat race” is possible. The author supports his arguments with references not only to the interdisciplinary scientific achievements, but also to the economic historical experiences and to a variety of older and newer business models. There is a clear fascination with the reserves of creativity and productivity in the humanization of work. In fact, the author strongly exposes the potential of productivity and creativity in creating the conditions and atmosphere of work fostering elimination of fear of the future. He shows that such fear destroys creativity. It is not a coincidence that A. Blikle refers to the Fordist principles, including the warning that manufacturing and business do not consist of cheap buying and expensive selling. He reminds that Henry Ford, a legendary creator of the development of the automotive industry in the United States, put serving the public before the profit. The Doctrine of Quality is at the same time a book – proof that one of the most dangerous misconceptions or errors in the contemporary understanding of economics is finding that it is a science of making money, chremastics. Edmund Phelps and others warned against this in the year of the outbreak of the financial crisis in the USA in 2008, reminding that economics is not a science of making money but a science of relations between the economy and social life [Phelps, 2008]. Economics is a science of people in the process of management. Therefore, by definition, it applies to social values and ethos. Ethos is a general set of values, standards and models of proceedings adopted by a particular group of people. In this sense, ethos and economics as a science of people in the process of management are inseparable. Detaching economics from morality is in contradiction to the classical Smithian concept of economics, as Adam Smith combined the idea of the free market with morality. He treated his first work, The Theory of Moral Sentiments, as an inseparable basis for deliberations on the nature and causes of the wealth of nations, which was the subject of the subsequent work of this thinker [Smith, 1989; Smith, 2012]. Identifying economics with chremastics would then mean that all actions are acceptable and desired, if their outcome is earnings, profit, money. The book of A. Blikle denies it. It contains a number of case studies, which also stimulate broader reflections. Therefore, and also due to the features indicated above, it can be a very useful teaching aid in teaching entrepreneurship and management. The appearance of a book promoting the doctrine of quality and exposing the meaning of ethos of work is especially important because today the phenomenon of product adulteration becomes increasingly widespread, which is ironically referred to in literature as the “gold-plating” of products [Sennett, 2010, pp. 115-118], and the trend as “antifeatures”, that is intentionally limiting the efficiency and durability of products of daily use to create demand for new products. A model example of antifeature is a sim-lock installed in some telephones which makes it impossible to use SIM cards of foreign operators [Rohwetter, 2011, p. 48; Miszewski, 2013]. These types of negative phenomena are also promoted by the development of systemic solutions aiming at the diffusion of responsibility [Sennett, 2010]. This issue is presented among others by Nassim N.N. Taleb, in the book with a meaningful title Antifragile: How to Live in a World We Don’t Understand? The author proves that the economy and society lose their natural durability as a result of the introduction of numerous tools and methods of insurance against risks, but mostly by shifting the burden of risks on other entities [Taleb, 2012]. N.N. Taleb illustrates his arguments with numerous convincing examples and references to history, recalling, inter alia, that in ancient times there was no building control, but the constructors, e.g. of bridges had to sleep under them for some time after their construction, and the ancient aqueducts are still working well until today. So, he shows that a contemporary world, focused on quantitative effects, does not create a sound base for ethical behaviours and the care for the quality of work and manufacturing. Andrzej Blikle points to the need and possibility of opposing this, and opposing to what the Noble Price Winner for Economics, Joseph Stiglitz described as avarice triumphs over prudence [Stiglitz, 2015, p. 277]. The phrase emphasised in the book “Live and work with a purpose” is the opposition to the dangerous phenomena listed above, such as for example antifeatures. convincing that although the business activity is essentially focused on profits, making money, limited to this, it would be led to the syndrome of King Midas, who wanted to turn everything he touched into gold, but he soon realised that he was at risk of dying of starvation, as even the food turned into gold. What distinguishes this book is that almost every part of it forces in-depth reflections on the social and economic relations and brings to mind the works of other authors, but at the same time, creates a new context for them. So, A. Blikle clearly proves that both the economy and businesses need social rooting. This corresponds to the theses of the Hungarian intellectual Karl Polanyi, who in his renowned work The Great Transformation, already in 1944 argued that the economy is not rooted in the social relations [Polanyi, 2010, p. 70]. He pointed to the risk resulting from commodification of everything, and warned that allowing the market mechanism and competition to control the human life and environment would result in disintegration of society. Although K. Polanyi’s warnings were concerned with the industrial civilization, they are still valid, even now – when the digital revolution brings fundamental changes, among others, on the labour market – they strengthen it. The dynamics of these changes is so high that it seems that the thesis of Jeremy Rifkin on the end of work [Rifkin, 2003] becomes more plausible. It is also confirmed by recent analyses included in the book of this author, concerning the society of zero marginal cost and sharing economy [Rifkin, 2016], and the analyses concerning uberisation [Uberworld, 2016]. The book of Andrzej Blikle also evokes one of the basic asymmetries of the contemporary world, which is the inadequacy of the dynamics and sizes of the supply of products and services to the dynamics and sizes of the demand for them. Insufficient demand collides with the rapidly increasing, as a result of technological changes, possibilities of growth of production and services. This leads to overproduction and related therewith large negative implications, with features of wasteful economy of excess [Kornai, 2014]. It is accompanied by phenomena with features of some kind of market bulimia, sick consumerism, detrimental both to people and the environment [Rist, 2015]. One of the more compromising signs of the economy of excess and wasting of resources is wasting of food by rich countries, when simultaneously, there are areas of hunger in some parts of the world [Stuart, 2009]. At the same time, the economy of excess does not translate to the comfort of the buyers of goods – as in theory attributed to the consumer market. It is indicated in the publication of Janos Kornai concerning a comparative analysis of the features of socio-economic systems. While exposing his deep critical evaluation of socialist non-market systems, as economies of constant deficiency, he does not spare critical opinions on the capitalist economy of excess, with its quest for the growth of the gross domestic product (GDP) and profits. As an example of the economy of excess, he indicates the pharmaceutical industry, with strong monopolistic competition, dynamic innovativeness, wide selection for the buyers, flood of advertisements, manipulation of customers, and often bribing the doctors prescribing products [Kornai 2014, p. 202]. This type of abnormalities is not alien to other industries. Although J. Konrai appreciates that in the economy of excess, including the excess of production capacities, the excess is “grease” calming down and soothing clashes that occur in the mechanisms of adaptation, he also sees that those who claim that in the economy of excess (or more generally in the market economy), sovereignty of consumers dominates, exaggerate [Kornai, 2014, pp. 171-172], as the manufacturers, creating the supply, manipulate the consumers. Thus, there is an excess of supply – both of values as well as junk [Kornai, 2014, p. 176]. Analysing the economy of excess, J. Kornai brings this issue to the question of domination and subordination. It corresponds with the opinion of Jerzy Wilkin, according to whom, the free market can also enslave, so take away individual freedom; on the other hand, the lack of the free market can lead to enslavement as well. Economists willingly talk about the free market, and less about the free man [Wilkin, 2014, p. 4]. The economy of excess is one of the consequences of making a fetish of the economic growth and its measure, which is the gross domestic product (GDP) and treating it as the basis of social and economic activity. In such a system, the pressure of growth is created, so you must grow to avoid death! The system is thus comparable to a cyclist, who has to move forwards to keep his balance [Rist, 2015, p. 181]. It corresponds with the known, unflattering to economists, saying of Kenneth E. Boulding [1956], criticising the focus of economics on the economic growth, while ignoring social implications and consequences to the environment: Anyone who believes in indefinite growth in anything physical, on a physically finite planet, is either mad or an economist. [from: Rist, 2015, p. 268]. GDP is a very much needed or even indispensable measure for evaluation of the material level of the economies of individual countries and for comparing their economic health. However, it is insufficient for evaluation of the real level of welfare and quality of life. It requires supplementation with other measures, as it takes into account only the values created by the market purchase and sale transactions. It reflects only the market results of the activity of enterprises and households. Additionally, the GDP account threats the socially desirable and not desirable activities equally. Thus, the market activity related to social pathologies (e.g. functioning of prisons, prostitution, and drug dealing) also increase the GDP. It was accurately expressed already in 1968 by Robert Kennedy, who concluded the discussion on this issue saying that: the gross national product does not allow for the health of our children, the quality of their education or the joy of their play. It does not include the beauty of our poetry or the strength of our marriages, the intelligence of our public debate or the integrity of our public officials. It measures neither our wit nor our courage, neither our wisdom nor our learning, neither our compassion nor our devotion to our country, it measures everything in short, except that which makes life worthwhile [The Guardian, 2012]. While Grzegorz W. Kołodko even states that it should be surprising how it is possible that despite a number of alternative measures of social and economic progress, we are still in the corset of narrow measure of the gross product, which completely omits many significant aspects of the social process of reproduction [Kołodko, 2013, p. 44]. In this context he points to the necessity of triple sustainable growth – economic, social, and ecological [Kołodko, 2013, p. 377]. Transition from the industrial civilisation model to the new model of economy, to the age of information, causes a kind of cultural regression, a phenomenon of cultural anchoring in the old system. This type of lock-in effect - described in the source literature, that is the effect of locking in the existing frames and systemic solutions, is a barrier to development. The practice more and more often and clearer demonstrates that in the conditions of the new economy, the tools and traditional solutions turn out to be not only ineffective, but they even increase the risk of wrong social and economic decisions, made at different institutional levels. All this proves that new development models must be searched for and implemented, to allow counteraction to dysfunctions of the contemporary economy and wasting the development potential, resulting from a variety of maladjustments generated by the crisis of civilisation. Polish authors who devote much of their work to these issues include G.W. Kołodko, Jerzy Kleer, or Maciej Bałtowski. Studies confirm that there is a need for a new pragmatism, new, proinclusive model of shaping the social and economic reality, a model which is more socially rooted, aiming at reconciling social, economic and ecological objectives, with simultaneous optimisation of the use of the social and economic potential [Kołodko, 2013; Bałtowski, 2016; Kleer, 2015]. There is more and more evidence that the barriers to economic development growing in the global economy are closely related with the rooting of the economy in social relations. The book of A. Blikle becomes a part of this trend in a new and original manner. Although the author concentrates on the analyses of social relations mainly at the level of an enterprise, at the same time, he comments them at a macroeconomic, sociological and ethical level, and interdisciplinary contexts constitute an original value of the book. Conclusion I treat the book of Andrzej Blike as an important voice in favour of shaping an inclusive social and economic system, in favour of shaping inclusive enterprises, that is oriented on an optimal absorption of knowledge, innovation and effective reconciliation of the interests of entrepreneurs with the interests of employees and the interests of society. Inclusiveness is indeed a value in itself. It is understood as a mechanism/system limiting wasting of material resources and human capital, and counteracting environmental degradation. An inclusive social and economic system is a system oriented on optimisation of the production resources and reducing the span between the actual and potential level of economic growth and social development [Reforma, 2015]. And this is the system addressed by Andrzej Blikle in his book. At least this is how I see it. Although the book is mainly concerned with business management, its message has a much wider dimension and is concerned with real measures of wealth, money and people’s lives. null
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Stamouli, Eirini, Margarita Gasparinatou, and Christos Kouroutzas. "Corruption and Public Procurement in Health Sector: The Challenges of Pandemic Era in Greece." Journal of White Collar and Corporate Crime, February 22, 2023, 2631309X2311578. http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/2631309x231157846.

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The health sector in Greece is considered as one of the most vulnerable sectors with high levels of corruption and appears to be particularly problematic in the provision of health services and in medical supplies procurement processes carried out by public hospitals. Viewed from a systemic-structural perspective, corruption is examined as a phenomenon emerging from the interactions and interconnections between the organized structures of venture capital and the state apparatus. This paper argues that the COVID-19 crisis has produced a breeding ground for potential corruption practices and seem to intensify the unlawful practices especially in procurement processes. The state of exception and the implementation of emergency measures manufacture the conditions that permit the lack of transparency in the transactions between the health care system and the pharmaceutical industry. Applying an integrated theoretical model of state-corporate crime and critical health criminology and drawing on empirical qualitative research, this paper highlights the procurement corruption risks in the health sector during the pandemic era.
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Comar, Caroline Galego, Edinara Maria Barbosa, Vanusa Souza Rocha Pereira, Julliane Destro de Lima, Thiago Teodoro Santana, and Hélida Mara Magalhães. "Zinc as promoter of growth and biochemical activity in basil cultivars under in vitro conditions." Scientia Agraria Paranaensis, December 15, 2019, 342. http://dx.doi.org/10.18188/sap.v18i4.21909.

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In vitro cultivation of basil allows the manipulation of the concentration of certain micronutrients, commonly neglected by the micropropagation protocols. It is a plant of great economic importance for the cosmetic and pharmaceutical industry, due to the components present in its essential oil. In view of the above, the objective of this study was to evaluate zinc (Zn) concentrations in the micropropagation of basil, in addition to antioxidant activity and total phenolic compounds. Basil seeds, cultivars Manolo and Grecco Palla were oxygenated for 4 h, passed through asepsis and placed in test tubes with MS medium supplemented with 30 g L-1 sucrose and 6.5 g L-1 agar and pH adjusted to 5.8. The treatments were composed by the addition or not of 25 μM of zinc sulfate (ZnSO4) and arranged in a completely randomized design. The tubes containing the seeds and the culture medium were kept in a growth chamber for 90 days. The cultivar Manolo was more sensitive to the addition of ZnSO4 due to the increase in the number of leaves and in the antioxidant activity, however, the addition of this component in the culture medium did not influence the production of phenolic compounds or the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD, CAT and APX.
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Zanin, Sandra Maria W., Marilis Dallarmi Miguel, Jane M. Budel, and Ana Claudia Dalmaz. "DESENVOLVIMENTO DE SABÃO BASE TRANSPARENTE." Visão Acadêmica 2, no. 1 (June 30, 2001). http://dx.doi.org/10.5380/acd.v2i1.483.

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O sabão é obtido a partir da reação de um álcali com uma matéria graxa. Existem inúmeros usos para os sabões nos diferentes ramos industriais, sendo de especial interesse a sua utilidade na indústria farmacêutica, atuando como veículo para incorporação de substâncias ativas tanto naturais quanto sintéticas. O presente trabalho tem como objetivo o desenvolvimento de uma base de sabão transparente estável para fins farmacêuticos. Utilizando-se ácido esteárico, gordura de coco, óleo de rícino, hidróxido de sódio e álcool etílico promoveu-se a saponificação das matérias graxas com o álcali a quente, tendo como agente de transparência o álcool etílico. Durante a formação do sabão várias formas cristalinas polimórficas se fazem presentes e suas propriedades determinam as diversas características para um mesmo sabão sólido e são influenciadas pela composição e quantidade de gorduras, umidade e eletrólitos bem como pelo modo de processamento adotado para a produção do sabão. Obteve-se um sabão base claro, transparente, com odor suave, espuma estável e boa estabilidade, trabalhando-se com a fase polimórfica adequada (fase beta) para o objetivo desejado. Abstract The soap is a product formed during the reaction between an alkali and a grease (vegetable oil, animal fat and fatty acids) product. It is used for home and personal care. In pharmaceutical industry it is used as detergent, emulsifying and wetting agent. The soap is an anionic surfactant employed in a wide range of nonparenteral pharmaceutical formulations and cosmetics. It is a detergent and wetting agent effective in both alkaline and light acidic conditions. The soap is largely used in skin cleanser in topical applications. During the fabrication process the soap presents different polymorphic structures, liquid crystals in four phases (a, b, w, d) distinguished by X ray crystallography. This phases present characteristic crystalline forms that are responsible for the soap properties. The product obtained was predominantly in beta phase, clear, transparent, with light odor and stable spume.
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"Production and Application of Biosurfactants in Biotechnology." Biointerface Research in Applied Chemistry 11, no. 3 (October 26, 2020): 10446–60. http://dx.doi.org/10.33263/briac113.1044610460.

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Biosurfactants possess both hydrophilic and hydrophobic areas and are generated on the microbial membrane or excreted over the outer membrane. Amphipathicity leads to reduce strength and interfacial tension between the individual molecules on the surface and the two-state immiscible sector. Regarding the low critical micelle concentration (CMC) and high surface activity, biosurfactants can be effective alternatives to their synthetic equal one. Plant-based oils and fats are used in biosurfactants production. Many wastes are produced by the oil and grease industries, tallow, residual oils, marine oils, soapstock, burnt oils, and Manipura. The operation of industrial fatty acid excesses is promising for expansion and transformation. Via making various substances like olive oil mill, acid, whey, and molasses, the agro-industry can ease biosurfactant creation. Biosurfactants have many advantages over chemical production, involving capable of decomposition higher by bacteria or living organisms, less poison, environmental concordance, higher foaming, and the rate of its selection is higher. They can also adjust to the highest salinity, pH, and temperatures and can be produced out of renewable materials, resulting in an increased demand for biosurfactants. Bioemulsifiers and biosurfactants (BSs) have various applications and are a considerable character in many industrial fields, as well as biotechnological features, including pollutant biodegradation, microbial enhanced oil recovery (MEOR), and pharmaceutics. This review the latest information and improvement in biosurfactant application and development for more output and future applicability.
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Miletic, Sasa. "Acting Out: "Cage Rage" and the Morning After." M/C Journal 22, no. 1 (March 13, 2019). http://dx.doi.org/10.5204/mcj.1494.

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Introduction“Cage rage” is one of the most famous Internet memes (Figure 1) which made Nicolas Cage's stylised and sometimes excessive acting style very popular. His outbursts became a subject of many Youtube videos, supercuts (see for instance Hanrahan) and analyses, which turned his rage into a pop-cultural phenomenon. Cage’s outbursts of rage and (over)acting are, according to him (Freeman), inspired by German expressionism as in films like The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920). How should this style of acting and its position within the context of the Hollywood industry today be read in societal and political sense? Is “Cage rage” a symptom of our times? Rage might be a correct reaction to events such the financial crisis or the election of Donald Trump, but the question should also be posed, what comes after the rage, or as Slavoj Žižek often puts it, what comes the “morning after” (the revolution, the protests)?Fig. 1: One of the “Cage Rage” MemesDo we need “Cage rage” as a pop cultural reminder that, to paraphrase Gordon Gekko in Wall Street (1987), rage, for a lack of a better word, is good, or is it here to remind us, that it is a sort of an empty signifier that can only serve for catharsis on an individual level? Žižek, in a talk he gave in Vienna, speaks about rage in the context of revolutions:Rage, rebellion, new power, is a kind of a basic triad of every revolutionary process. First there is chaotic rage, people are not satisfied, they show it in a more or less violent way, without any clear goal and organisation. Then, when this rage gets articulated, organised, we get rebellion, with a minimal organisation and more or less clear awareness of who the enemy is. Finally, if rebellion succeeds, the new power confronts the immense task of organising the new society. The problem is that we almost never get this triad in its logical progression. Chaotic rage gets diluted or turns into rightist populism, rebellion succeeds but loses steam. (“Rage, Rebellion, New Power”)This means that, on the one hand, that rage could be effective. If we look at current events, we can witness the French president Emanuel Macron (if only partially) giving in to some of the demands of the gilets jaunes (yellow vests) protesters. In the recent past, the events of “Arab spring” are reminders of a watershed moment in the history of the participating nations; going back to the year 2000, Slobodan Milošević's regime in Serbia was toppled by the rage of the people who could not put up with his oligarchic rule — alongside international military intervention.On the other hand, all the outrage on the streets and in the media cannot simply “un-elect” or impeach Donald Trump from his position as the American President. It appears that President Trump seems to thrive on the liberal outrage against him, at the same time perpetuating outrage among his supporters against liberals and progressives in general. If we look back at the financial crisis of 2008 and the Occupy Wall Street movement, despite the outrage on the streets, the banks were bailed out and almost no one went to prison (Shephard). Finally, in post-Milošević Serbia, instead of true progressive changes taking place, the society continues to follow similar nationalistic patterns.It seems that many movements fail after expressing rage/aggression, a reaction against something or someone. Another recent example is Greece, where after the 2015 referendum, the left-wing coalition SYRIZA complied to the austerity measures of the Eurozone, thereby ignoring the will of the people, prompting its leaders Varoufakis and Tsipras falling out and the latter even being called a ‘traitor.’ Once more it turned out that, as Žižek states, “rage is not the beginning but also the outcome of failed emancipatory projects” ("Rage, Rebellion, New Power").Rage and IndividualismHollywood, as a part of the "cultural industry" (Adorno and Horkheimer), focuses almost exclusively on the individual’s rage, and even when it nears a critique of capitalism, the culprit always seems to be, like Gordon Gekko, an individual, a greedy or somehow depraved villain, and not the system. To illustrate this point, Žižek uses an example of The Fugitive (1993), where a doctor falsifies medical data for a big pharmaceutical company. Instead of making his character,a sincere and privately honest doctor who, because of the financial difficulties of the hospital in which he works, was lured into swallowing the bait of the pharmaceutical company, [the doctor is] transformed into a vicious, sneering, pathological character, as if psychological depravity […] somehow replaces and displaces the anonymous, utterly non-psychological drive of capital. (Violence 175)The violence that ensues–the hero confronting and beating up the bad guy–is according to Žižek mere passage a l’acte, an acting out, which at the same time, “serves as a lure, the very vehicle of ideological displacement” (Violence 175). The film, instead of pointing to the real culprit, in this case the capitalist pharmaceutical company diverts our gaze to the individual, psychotic villain.Other ‘progressive’ films that Hollywood has to offer chose individual rage, like in Tarantino's Kill Bill Volume I and II (2003/2004), with the story centred around a very personal revenge of a woman against her former husband. It is noted here that most of Nicholas Cage’s films, including his big budget movies and his many B-movies, remain outside the so-called ethos of “liberal Hollywood” (Powers, Rothman and Rothman). Conservative in nature, they support radical individualism, somewhat paradoxically combined with family values. This composite functions well values that go hand-in-hand with neoliberal capitalism. Surprisingly, this was pointed out by the guru of (neo)liberalism in global economy, by Milton Friedman: “as liberals, we take freedom of the individual, or perhaps the family, as our ultimate goal in judging social arrangements” (12). The explicit connections between capitalism, family and commercial film was noted earlier by Rudolf Arnheim (168). Family and traditional male/female roles therefore play an important role in Cage's films, by his daughter's murder in Tokarev (2014, alternative title: Rage); the rape of a young woman and Cage’s love interest in Vengeance: A Love Story (2017); the murder of his wife in Mandy (2018).The audience is supposed to identify with the plight of the father/husband plight, but in the case of Tokarev, it is precisely Cage's exaggerated acting that opens up a new possibility, inviting a different viewpoint on rage/revenge within the context of that film.Tokarev/RageAmong Cage's revenge films, Tokarev/Rage has a special storyline since it has a twist ending – it is not the Russian mafia, as he first suspected, but Cage’s own past that leads to the death of his daughter, as she and her friends find a gun (a Russian-made gun called ‘Tokarev’) in his house. He kept the gun as a trophy from his days as a criminal, and the girls start fooling around with it. The gun eventually goes off and his daughter gets shot in the head by her prospective boyfriend. After tracking down Russian mobsters and killing some of them, Cage’s character realises that his daughter’s death is in fact his own fault and it is his troubled past that came back to haunt him. Revenge therefore does not make any sense, rage turns into despair and his violence acts were literally meaningless – just acting out.Fig. 2: Acting Out – Cage in Tokarev/RageBut within the conservative framework of the film: the very excess of Cage’s acting, especially in the case of Tokarev/Rage, can be read as a critique of the way Hollywood treats these kinds of stories. Cage’s character development points out the absurdity of the exploitative way B-grade movies deal with such subjects, especially the way family is used in order to emotionally manipulate the audience. His explicit and deliberate overacting in certain scenes spits in the face of nuanced performances that are considered as “good acting.” Here, a more subdued performance that delivered a ‘genuine’ character portrayal in conflict, would bring an ideological view into play. “Cage Rage” seems to (perhaps without knowing it) unmask the film’s exploitation of violence. This author finds that Cage’s performance suffices to tear through the wall of the screen and he takes giant steps, crossing over boundaries by his embarrassing and awkward moments. Thus, his overacting and the way rage/revenge-storyline evolves, becomes as a sort of a “parapraxis”, the Freudian slip of the tongue, a term borrowed by Elsaesser and Wedel (131). In other words, parapraxis, as employed in film analysis means that a film can be ambiguous – or can be read ambiguously. Here, contradictory meanings can be localised within one particular film, but also open up a space for alternate interpretations of meanings and events in other movies of a similar genre.Hollywood’s celebration of rugged individualism is at its core ideology and usually overly obvious; but the impact this could on society and our understanding of rage and outrage is not to be underestimated. If Cage's “excess of acting” does function here as parapraxis this indicates firstly, the excessive individualism that these movies promote, but also the futility of rage.Rage and the Death DriveWhat are the origins of Nicholas Cage’s acting style? He has made claims to his connection to the silent film era, as expressive overstating, and melodrama was the norm without spoken dialogue to carry the story (see Gledhill). Cage also states that he wanted to be the “California Klaus Kinski” (“Nicolas Cage Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters”). This author could imagine him in a role similar to Klaus Kinski’s in Werner Herzog's Nosferatu the Vampire (1979), a homage remake of the silent film masterpiece Nosferatu (1922). There remain outstanding differences between Cage and Kinski. It seems that Kinski was truly “crazy”, witnessed by his actions in the documentary My Best Fiend (1999), where he attacks his director and friend/fiend Werner Herzog with a machete. Kinski was constantly surrounded by the air of excessiveness, to this viewer, and his facial expressions appeared unbearably too expressive for the camera, whether in fiction or documentary films. Cage, despite also working with Herzog, does mostly act according to the traditional, method acting norms of the Hollywood cinema. Often he appears cool and subdued, perhaps merely present on screen and seemingly disinterested (as in the aforementioned Vengeance). His switching off between these two extremes can also be seen in Face/Off (1997), where he plays the drug crazed criminal Castor Troy, alongside the role of John Travolta’s ‘normal’ cop Sean Archer, his enemy. In Mandy, in the beginning of the film, before he goes on his revenge killing spree, he presents as a stoic and reserved character.So, phenomena like ‘Cage Rage’, connected to revenge and aggression and are displayed as violent acts, can serve as a stark reminder of the cataclysmic aspect of individual rage as integrated with the death drive – following Freud’s concept that aggression/death drive was significant for self-preservation (Nagera 48).As this author has observed, in fact Cage’s acting only occasionally has outbursts of stylised overacting, which is exactly what makes those outbursts so outstanding and excessive. Here, his acting is an excess itself, a sort of a “surplus” type of acting which recalls Žižek's interpretation of Freud's notion of the death drive:The Freudian death drive has nothing whatsoever to do with the craving for self-annihilation, for the return to the inorganic absence of any life-tension; it is, on the contrary, the very opposite of dying – a name for the “undead” eternal life itself, for the horrible fate of being caught in the endless repetitive cycle of wandering around in guilt and pain. (Parallax 62)Žižek continues to say that “humans are not simply alive, they are possessed by the strange drive to enjoy life in excess, passionately attached to a surplus which sticks out and derails the ordinary run of things” (Parallax 62). This is very similar to the mode of enjoyment detected in Cage’s over-acting.ViolenceRevenge and vigilantism are the staple themes of mass-audience Hollywood cinema and apart from Cage’s films previously mentioned. As Žižek reports, he views the violence depicted in films such as Death Wish (1974) to John Wick (2014) as “one of the key topics of American culture and ideology” (Parallax 343). But these outbursts of violence are simply, again, ‘acting out’ the passage a l’acte, which “enable us to discern the hidden obverse of the much-praised American individualism and self-reliance: the secret awareness that we are all helplessly thrown around by forces out of our control” (Parallax 343f.).Nicholas Cage’s performances express the epitome of being “thrown around by forces out of our control.” This author reads his expressionistic outbursts appear “possessed” by some strange, undead force. Rather than the radical individualism that is trumpeted in Hollywood films, this undead force takes over. The differences between his form of “Cage Rage” and others who are involved in revenge scenarios, are his iconic outbursts of rage/overacting. In his case, vengeance in his case is never a ‘dish best served cold,’ as the Klingon proverb expresses at the beginning of Kill Bill. But, paradoxically, this coldness might be exactly what one needs in the age of the resurgence of the right in politics which can be witnessed in America and Europe, and the outrage it continuously provokes. ConclusionRage has the potential to be positive; it can serve as a wake-up call to the injustices within society, and inspire reform as well as revolution. But rage is defined here as primarily an urge, a drive, something primordial, as an integral expression of the Lacanian Real (Žižek). This philosophic stance contends that in the process of symbolisation, or rage’s translation into language, this articulation tends to open up inconsistencies in a society, and causes the impetus to lose its power. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, the cycle of rage and the “morning after” which inevitably follows, seems to have a problematic sobering effect. (This effect is well known to anyone who was ever hungover and who therefore professed to ‘never drink again’ where feelings of guilt prevail, which erase the night before from existence.) The excess of rage before followed, this author contends, by the excess of rationality after the revolution are therefore at odds, indicating that a reconciliation between these two should happen, a negotiation, providing a passage from the primordial emotion of rage to the more rational awakening.‘Cage Rage’ and its many commentators and critics serve to remind us that reflection is required, and Žižek’s explication of filmic rage allows us to resist the temptation of enacting our rage that merely digresses to an ’acting out’ or a l'acte. In a way, Cage takes on our responsibility here, so we do not have to — not only because a catharsis is ‘achieved’ by watching his films, but as this argument suggests, we are shocked into reason by the very excessiveness of his acting out.Solutions may appear, this author notes, by divisive actors in society working towards generating a ‘sustained rage’ and to learn how to rationally protest. This call to protest need not happen only in an explosive, orgasmic way, but seek a sustainable method that does not exhaust itself after the ‘party’ is over. This reading of Nicholas Cage offers both models to learn from: if his rage could have positive effects, then Cage in his ‘stoic mode’, as in the first act of Mandy (Figure 3), should become a new meme which could provoke us to a potentially new revolutionary act–taking the time to think.Fig. 3: Mandy ReferencesAdorno, Theodor W., and Max Horkheimer. Dialektik der Aufklärung: Philosophische Fragmente. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer Verlag, 2006.Arnheim, Rudolf. Film als Kunst. Frankfurt am Main: Suhrkamp, 2002.Cage, Nicolas. “Nicolas Cage Breaks Down His Most Iconic Characters.” 18 Sep. 2018. 19 Dec. 2018 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_WDLsLnOSM>. Death Wish. Dir. Michael Winner. Paramount Pictures/Universal International. 1974.Elsaesser, Thomas, and Michael Wedel. Körper, Tod und Technik: Metamorphosen des Kriegsfilms. Paderborn: Konstanz University Press, 2016.Freeman, Hadley. “Nicolas Cage: ‘If I Don't Have a Job to Do, I Can Be Very Self-Destructive.” The Guardian 1 Oct. 2018. 22 Nov. 2018 <https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/oct/01/nicolas-cage-if-i-dont-have-a-job-to-do-it-can-be-very-self-destructive>.Friedman, Milton. Capitalism and Freedom. Chicago: U of Chicago P, 1982.Gledhill, Christie. “Dialogue.” Cinema Journal 25.4 (1986): 44-8.Hanrahan, Harry. “Nicolas Cage Losing His Shit.” 1 Mar. 2011. 19 Dec. 2018 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kOCF0BLf-BM>.John Wick. Dir. Chad Stahelski. Thunder Road Films. 2014.Kill Bill Vol I & II. Dir. Quentin Tarantino. Miramax. 2003/2004.Mandy. Dir. Panos Cosmatos. SpectreVision. 2018.My Best Fiend. Dir. Werner Herzog. Werner Herzog Filmproduktion. 1999.Nagera, Humberto, ed. Psychoanalytische Grundbegriffe: Eine Einführung in Sigmund Freuds Terminologie und Theoriebildung. Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1998.Powers, Stephen, David J. Rothman, and Stanley Rothman. Hollywood’s America: Social and Political Themes in Motion Pictures. Boulder: Westview Press, 1996.Shephard, Alex. “What Occupy Wall Street Got Wrong.” The New Republic 14 Sep. 2016. 26 Feb. 2019 <https://newrepublic.com/article/136315/occupy-wall-street-got-wrong>.Tokarev/Rage. Dir. Paco Cabezas. Patriot Pictures. 2014.Vengeance: A Love Story. Dir. Johnny Martin. Patriot Pictures. 2017.Wall Street. Dir. Oliver Stone. 20th Century Fox. 1987. Žižek, Slavoj. The Parallax View. Cambridge: MIT Press, 2009.———. “Rage, Rebellion, New Power.” Talk given at the Wiener Festwochen Theatre Festival, Mosse Lectures, 8 Nov. 2016. 19 Dec. 2018 <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbmvCBFUsZ0&t=3482s>. ———. Violence: Six Sideways Reflections. London: Profile Books, 2009.
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