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Background: Despite the discordance in the literature concerning the effect of columellar strut grafts on nasal tip rotation, this method is often used when an increase in nasolabial angle or nasal tip projection is desired. Objectives: We aimed to elucidate the change in nasolabial angles and nasal tip projections after exclusive columellar strut graft implantations and in addition to other surgical steps. Furthermore, differences in these parameters between patients with conchal and septal columellar strut grafts were investigated. Methods: A monocentric retrospective cohort study of 173 open septorhinoplasties with columellar strut graft technique, between 2006 and 2016, was conducted. The pre- and postoperative nasal tip projection, nasolabial and nasofrontal angle and interalar distance were determined and the Goode-ratio was calculated. Results: In cases where uprotation was not specifically desired, neither nasolabial angles nor tip projections changed significantly, irrespective of whether a columellar strut graft was used alone or with additional surgical steps. If an uprotation through surgery was desired, a significant mean increase in nasolabial angle of 4.4° was achieved. Furthermore, conchal instead of septal columellar strut grafts showed significantly better results. Conclusion: In our study, a columellar strut graft—without any additional surgical step—does only have an improving impact on nasal tip rotations and projections, if specifically intended to by the surgeon. In other words, if the strut graft was not chosen for an uprotational intention, it did not relevantly impact on the nasolabial angle or nasal tip projection. However, in patients where an uprotation is desired, the columellar strut graft still represents a meaningful tool. Since conchal instead of septal columellar strut grafts showed better results, we suggest using them for these patients. Level of evidence: 2b. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The competitiveness of 41 European countries, based on the global competitiveness index, is analyzed for the period 2014-2016, proving that this indicator is primarily determined not by any one factor or by several factors but by all of those included in the index. The author evaluates the contribution of each factor to the value of the global competitiveness index using various statistical methods, as well as additional data from the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Reports 2014-2016. The analysis of the competitiveness of the European countries in line with the global competitiveness index helps reveal the specifics of the existing regional socioeconomic differentiation compared to averaged European data. These characteristics should be considered when building the national competitive strategy of each state of the region. The study reveals a high correlation between a country's rating for the global competitiveness index and the human development index, the gross domestic product per capita, the level of gender inequality, and the competitiveness of the travel and tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The age structure of a population is an important factor of progressive economic growth. Population ageing is associated with the demographic characteristics of the population; when we evaluate population ageing, we evaluate population processes and indicators that are typically interconnected and interrelated. Two main factors contribute to the ageing of a population, namely, declines in mortality and fertility. Our study aims at describing population ageing in the Russian Federation by the last census of 2010. The purpose of the present paper is also to highlight selected indicators of population ageing in 83 federal subjects of Russia, showing a significant spatial differentiation of population ageing, depending on gender and urban-rural habitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the microstructures of BC/Ni coatings by cold spray with blends or chemical vapor deposited (CVD) Ni-coated powders were investigated and compared. Powder blends with Ni powder and fine or coarse BC powders were prepared for various BC content ranging from 54 to 87 vol.% (equal to 25-65 wt.%). Three CVD Ni-coated BC powder batches were also synthesized with various BC content using the fine BC as core particles. Ni-coated powders and both types of cold sprayed coating microstructures with blends or coated powders were investigated by optical and scanning electron microscopy. Further quantitative image analysis was carried out on scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images to measure the BC content within the coating regarding the influence of the nominal content in the feedstock for each coating type. Both types exhibited fine fragments and unfragmented BC, but coatings with CVD-coated powders had many more unfragmented particles. Moreover, the higher levels for both BC (44.0 ± 4.1 vol.%) and coating microhardness (429 ± 41 HV) were obtained in case of the CVD-coated powders. However, it was assessed that the highest microhardness was not obtained for the highest BC content. This questionable result is discussed with regard to the fully original composite microstructure obtained from CVD Ni-coated BC powder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]