Preservation Of Landmarks Research Articles

Adaptive reuse of modern heritage for cultural purpose: Hybridization strategies in Pier Luigi Nervi Hangar, Italy

The evolution of cities and urban landscapes has witnessed the rise of architectural complexes and urban areas adapting to new functions while leaving behind others deemed obsolete. This phenomenon has sparked a surge in research endeavours aimed at hybridizing land use, not only for urban planning but also for the revitalization of historical edifices. This resurgence often entails the requalification and adaptive reuse of architectural artifacts, harmonizing their historical significance with contemporary demands. This paper delves into a case study focusing on the hybridization project of a pivotal piece of Italian engineering history: the 1938 hangar designed by Pier Luigi Nervi in Salerno, Italy, a groundbreaking prefabricated reinforced concrete structure. The study faces the dual challenge of preserving the hangar’s cultural and technological heritage while seamlessly integrating contemporary cultural functions alongside its military roots. Through an interdisciplinary approach, this research navigates through the complexities of architectural hybridization, offering insights into the preservation and adaptation of historical landmarks for future generations.

Cultural preservation and digital heritage: challenges and opportunities

This research aims to examine the challenges and opportunities associated with the digitization of cultural heritage. It seeks to provide insights into the dynamic interplay between technological advancements and the preservation, documentation, and promotion of cultural landmarks. The study employs a comprehensive literature review, analyzing recent scholarly works and case studies to understand the evolving landscape of digital heritage preservation. The results highlights the multifaceted challenges encountered in the digitization process, including issues related to digital obsolescence, accessibility, copyright, data security, and resource constraints. Simultaneously, it identifies opportunities where digital tools contribute significantly to the documentation, archiving, and accessibility of cultural artifacts, traditions, and languages. The results suggest that, especially in the context of Russian-Ukrainian war, digital initiatives play a pivotal role in mitigating risks and ensuring the continued existence and appreciation of diverse cultural legacies. The findings underscore the intricate relationship between geopolitical events and the role of digital strategies in safeguarding and showcasing cultural heritage globally. To sum up the fusion of technology and cultural preservation efforts not only addresses immediate threats, but also provides a forward-looking approach to ensuring the resilience and accessibility of cultural treasures in an evolving world.

Defensive Development Against Disinvestment: Early Black Gentrification in the History of Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Studies of early gentrification have largely focused on cases of White gentrifiers in predominately White and Latinx low-income neighborhoods, which has overlooked the role of the Black middle-class and the presence of Black gentrifiers in early gentrification. In this article, we document the role of the Black middle-class in early gentrification in 1970s Fort Greene, Brooklyn, demonstrating their role in a “defensive development” strategy to protect the neighborhood from state-led demolition-style urban renewal. The Fort Greene Landmarks Preservation Committee, a Black, middle-class led coalition of multi-racial, middle-class residents pursued historic designation to preserve the multi-racial and predominately Black, mixed-income neighborhood from further demolition from urban renewal and disinvestment from redlining. Our findings confirm that early Black gentrification, like tract contemporary Black gentrification can both provide temporary protections for the Black community and lead to further gentrification.

ТУРИСТИЧНІ ШЛЯХИ ЯК ЗАСІБ ПОПУЛЯРИЗАЦІЇ КУЛЬТУРНОЇ СПАДЩИНИ

The article presents the results of research on the prospects for developing tourist routes. In the modern world, where globalization and rapid technological advancement significantly alter our way of life, the preservation and promotion of cultural heritage gain particular importance. A crucial task today is the preservation and promotion of national cultural heritage. One of the effective ways to achieve this goal is the development of tourist routes, which not only preserve historical and cultural sites but also make them accessible to a wide audience. Cultural heritage can serve as an important factor in the development of tourism and the economy. Tourist routes not only contribute to the preservation and promotion of historical and cultural landmarks but also foster regional economic growth by attracting tourists. Research on these routes helps create conditions for the sustainable development of tourism. This is especially important in the context of globalization and the growing interest in cultural tourism, which allows countries and regions to maintain their identity and cultural uniqueness. Research on tourist routes helps identify new opportunities for infrastructure development, the creation of new jobs, and the improvement of the quality of life for local residents. Cultural tourism is a form of tourism that focuses on the cultural aspects of a destination, including its history, heritage, arts, customs, and traditions. It involves visiting places of historical or cultural significance, such as museums, galleries, historical sites, and cultural festivals, with the intent to learn about and experience the local culture and lifestyle. Tourist routes are a powerful means of promoting cultural heritage. By providing structured and engaging ways for visitors to experience cultural sites, these routes help preserve and celebrate the unique cultural identities of different regions. They offer educational benefits, support local economies, and foster a deeper appreciation for cultural diversity and heritage. The article characterizes the main forms of tourist routes, highlighting their role in the preservation of cultural heritage.

Staged esthetic crown lengthening: Classification and guidelines for periodontal-restorative therapy.

This article presents technical guidelines for perio-restorative esthetic crown lengthening, along with a discussion of the biologic rationale. A classification system is proposed to assist in treatment planning and sequencing the surgical and restorative phases. When esthetic crown lengthening is performed as an adjunct to restorative therapy, the surgical approach must be determined by the anticipated position of the restorative margins. The removal of sufficient bone to achieve the desired clinical crown length and preserve the supracrestal gingival tissue dimensions is facilitated by the use of a surgical guide fabricated according to the design of the restorations. A staged approach allows sequencing the provisional restoration to minimize unesthetic sequelae during the healing period. Inadequate bone resection and/or alteration of the soft tissue dimensions results in delayed healing, leading to coronal gingival rebound and biologic width impingement. The identification and preservation of appropriate restorative and biologic landmarks is essential for success in pre-prosthetic esthetic crown lengthening treatment. A staged approach improves the esthetic management during the postsurgical healing and maturation period. A restorative driven classification system for sequencing and staging adjunctive esthetic crown lengthening procedures is presented. Technical guidelines to enhance gingival margin predictability are suggested, accompanied by relevant evidence. In addition, wound healing timelines following gingival and osseous resection are provided.

Association: A Testament to Women's Preservation Efforts and Social Reforms in the 19th Century

The Mount Vernon Ladies Association (MVLA), founded in 1853, stands as a testament to the pivotal role women played in the preservation of America's historical landmarks. This paper delves into the intricate history of MVLA's unwavering commitment to preserving President George Washington's historic home, Mount Vernon, amidst the broader backdrop of women's evolving roles and their increasing involvement in social reforms during the 19th century. By examining the association's preservation efforts, the paper highlights the intertwined narratives of historic conservation, women's empowerment, and the broader socio-political transformations of the era. Through a comprehensive analysis of the challenges faced by MVLA, the support from key figures like Edward Everett, and the innovative strategies employed to maintain Mount Vernon, this study underscores the significance of MVLA not just as a preservation entity but as a beacon of women's resilience, determination, and contribution to American history.

Economic valuation of industrial heritage: A choice experiment on Shanghai Baosteel industrial site

Industrial heritage has in recent years become an important component in land use and urban development policies. Yet, assessing the economic value associated with the preservation and reuse of industrial complexes remains an open question. In this paper, we apply a discrete choice experiment (DCE) method to assess the economic valuation of the Baosteel steel factory, an industrial brownfield in Shanghai planned to be transformed into an arts and entertainment hub. By eliciting the preferences of locals for the preservation and reuse of distinct attributes of the site, our findings suggest that the preservation of significant landmarks and the intangible component of the industrial site are the two most relevant attributes worth protection. Moreover, we add evidence on the relationship between respondents' economic preferences and their attitude toward the cultural value conveyed by industrial heritage by showing how distinct groups of respondents express different preferences for single attributes of the industrial heritage. The paper contributes to the heritage valuation literature by illustrating the implications and challenges of assessing the demand for industrial heritage rehabilitation projects.

Noonan Plaza Apartments. The recovery of an Art Deco landmark in the Bronx

The rehabilitation of the built heritage and its close relationship with the collective memory acquire a special dimension when it positively affects the availability of social housing. This has been the case of the intervention carried out in the Noonan Plaza Apartments complex, one of the first works developed in the Art Deco style in Highbridge, in the Bronx County, in New York. This work designed by Horace Ginsberg and Marvin Fine and whose construction was completed in 1931 has been restored by Danois Architects, P. C. This firm scrupulously followed the restoration criteria established by the Landmarks Preservation Commission, for which it was recognized in 2022 with the Lucy Moses Award granted by the New York Landmarks Conservancy. This high-density housing complex has a sophisticated architectural plan, an impressive interior garden courtyard and a carefully designed envelope, which make it an example of good design at low cost. The rehabilitation updated the building's infrastructure to improve its energy efficiency, universal accessibility, and livability conditions, while recovering the urban image of an Art Deco architectural landmark in the Bronx. The article describes and analyzes the work, its relevance as an architectural landmark in New York and the restoration process carried out.

Incorporating ideas of structure and meaning in interactive multi scale mapping environments

ABSTRACT Web based, slippy, scalable maps are common place. Interacting with such digital maps at varying levels of detail is key to interpretation, and exploration of different geographies. The process of abstraction remains key to the immediate and successful interpretation of their many structures and geographical associations found at any given scale. Meaning is derived from such recognisable structures and map generalisation plays a critical role in communicating an entity's most characteristic and salient qualities. But what are these structures? How (and why) do they change over scale? Why are such questions relevant to automated mapping? In this paper we reflect on the value of perceptual studies and reconsider the context in which map generalisation now takes place. We review developments in pattern recognition techniques and the role played by machine learning techniques in identifying high level structures in abstracted maps. The benefits of their application include derivation of ontological descriptions of landscape, identification and preservation of salient landmarks across scales. We argue that a 'structuralist based approach' provides a more meaningful basis for measuring success and achieving more meaningful outputs. Ultimately the ambition is greater levels of automation in map generalisation, particularly in the context of web based solutions.

The Thoughts and Comparison of Urban Renewal Strategies in Edinburgh, UK and Xi 'an, China

Urban renewal theory is one of the theoretical frameworks in supporting urban development, which begins with an increase in the number of buildings in the city to accommodate basic human needs, continuing with the preservation of historical landmarks, as well as the introduction of green plants and sustainable ecology. It indicates that people pay greater attention to the urban living environment and shape the quality standards for urban design and the building of the city's image. The aims of Global urban renewal are almost the same, although the techniques and tactics of urban growth and renewal in the West and East vary to some extent. To fulfill the developing demands of the times, the city needs to renovate and upgrade the city's older parts while also considering the city's overall expansion and progress. This article examines and contrasts the history, idea, and urban renewal approach in the United Kingdom and China, and also investigates the similarities and differences in the growth of western and eastern cities. The cities are selected for their long history and unique planning features. Edinburgh in the U.K. and Xi'an City in China are selected as examples for an in-depth analysis of urban planning sequences in regeneration. The study of the evolution of urban morphology and the urban regeneration strategies of British and Chinese cities is reflected in the modern urban renewal of Edinburgh and Xi'an, along with the relationship between urban morphology and urban history and culture. It also discusses the impact of green space and the ecological environment on these two cities, separately, which also offers inspiring ideas and references for future city governance and revitalization.

Quantitative characteristics of radiation-induced lung damage in oncological patients during radiotherapy based on RCT data

Objective. Comparison of the magnitude of the change in the density of lung tissue and the volume of these changes after radiation therapy over time based on the data obtained using the new method of quantitative analysis developed by us and with the usual visual assessment of the CT data.Materials and methods. We used the data of dynamic observation of 90 patients who underwent RT for the tumors of thoracic localization during the period from 2014 to 2021 at the Federal Institution “Russian Scientific Center of Roentgenoradiology”. These patients had CT examinations performed before and after RT. Control CT studies were performed 1–237 days after RT (mean control interval 96 ± 64.3 days). A total of 238 CT studies of these patients were analyzed, with an average number of RCT studies per patient of 2.6. Among the selected patients, there were 36 (40%) men and 54 (60%) women aged 23 to 86 years (the average age was 51.9 ± 15.6 years).Results. Radiation damage in the lungs using the method of quantitative analysis of CT data is detected starting from the value of ΔHU = 20 and volume from 3.2% for the early period (15–35 days) after the end of treatment. Starting from 15–25 to 50 days after the end of RT, quantitative analysis reveals primary changes in the lung tissue, incl. and undetectable visually (from 20 to 80 HU), and to suggest further dynamics of these changes depending on the characteristics of the performed RT. From 50 to 80 days – reveals the real volume of radiation pulmonitis by taking into account the changes invisible during visual analysis in the lung tissue irradiated at a dose of 20 Gy to 30 Gy. From 80 to 120 days – allows you to assess the presence and dynamics of changes in the lung tissue with the threshold radiation dose in the lung tissue 30–35 Gy. From 120 onwards, quantitative analysis of CT data, as well as visual assessment, reveals damage in areas of the lungs with the dose of more than 30–35 Gy, which is caused by post-radiation pneumofibrosis. On the basis of the obtained quantitative data on radiation lung damage, the mathematical regularities of the development of this process were calculated, taking into account the time and dose factors.Conclusions. Quantitative assessment of changes in lung density according to CT data in dynamics, carried out using the technique developed by us, is a radiomic indicator of their radiation damage during therapeutic irradiation in cancer patients, which, in combination with the presented mathematical model, can be used for diagnostic purposes to quantify the severity and predicting the dynamics of radiation damage to the lungs in general, as well as identifying individual radiosensitivity.The results obtained can be presented not only in the form of graphs, but also in the form of color maps with preservation of anatomical landmarks, which is convenient for use in clinical practice to support medical decision-making on patient management.

Digital Reconstruction and Restoration of Architectural Heritage: Samara House

Samara House, built in 1956 with its surrounding landscape, is one of the National Historic Landmarks for its unique Usonian architectural heritage. The house shows signs of aging and significant structural damage. This article presents a case study of the preservation of Samara House through a highly digitized reconstruction framework. The study presents an innovative digital reconstruction and restoration of the historic built heritage using advanced Terrestrial Laser Scanning (TLS) and Ground Penetration Radar (GPR) technologies to achieve accurate and fast documentation, modeling, and digital reconstruction. The research outputs build the basis of the restoration of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Samara house and the effects of structural degradation. The study creates a better understanding of structural degradation in historic architecture and changes how we approach landmark preservation and conservation. Finally, the project exposes architecture and engineering students at different levels to multidisciplinary learning through pragmatic and productive research to produce a new education model that prioritizes interdisciplinary collaboration with an attentive eye to the future of digital research in historic preservation and restoration design.

ЗБЕРЕЖЕННЯ ІСТОРИЧНОГО МІСЬКОГО СЕРЕДОВИЩА У ПОЛОНІ СТАРИХ ПОМИЛОК

The article is devoted to the analysis of the current situation with the preservation and regeneration of the historic urban environment. The means and procedures used for this are analyzed. It is concluded that this area has significantly degraded over the past 20 years. This manifested itself in the fact that now the historical and architectural reference plan remains in fact the only document that protects the traditional nature of the historic city environment. As a fixation document, not a regulatory one, the historical-architectural reference plan does not actually perform this function. There is a return to the archaic - to an inefficient and long-rejected discrete approach to the protection of each individual monument, which is a fundamental mistake. The most important practical measures are the development of historical and architectural reference plans and projects of protected areas. They have practical meaning only in a complex and in a single sequence, when the results of the historical and architectural reference plan are embodied in the design of protected areas and research and design documentation to determine the boundaries and modes of use of historic sites. Only a full set of these works, carried out consistently and in a short time (1-2 years), a single interdisciplinary group of experts, can ensure the effectiveness of urban protection of cultural heritage and traditional environment. In urban planning documentation - master plans and detailed plans of historical cities - historical and architectural reference plans, boundaries of historical areas and protection zones are a basis for project decisions to ensure the protection of immovable cultural heritage, planning and construction. The practice of urban planning in historic cities poses new challenges, to solve which it is necessary to update the regulatory framework. In this sense, the most difficult group of problems is the identification and preservation of landmarks, ie areas recognized as landscape monuments (so-called cultural landscape), as well as urban monuments. It is also necessary to develop separate regulations (or supplement existing ones) to ensure the preservation of architectural and urban heritage in rural areas and outside settlements, as this issue has its own specifics and today is effectively addressed only in the case of a state historical and cultural reserve. It is proposed to develop a comprehensive territorial approach to the preservation of the entire immovable cultural heritage of the city and the traditional nature of its environment as a single spatial system.

Postmodern Brodomerkur Office Building in Split by the Architect Danko Colnago, 1985-1990

This paper contributes to the knowledge of the postmodern architecture of the 1980s in the City of Split. It focuses on the Brodomerkur Office Building, which is an outstanding example of postmodern office space in the urban heart of Split. The study analyses the building's urban and architectural features, which are evaluated in both a local and global context. The Brodomerkur Office Building's unique design makes it an architectural gem worthy of landmark status and preservation.

Tricky Diagnosis and Robot-laparoscopic Surgical Approach to Disseminated Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis

To show the challenging diagnosis of, and safe robotic surgical approach to, a rare case of disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL). A clinical case shown by a sequential demonstration of investigation, diagnosis, and surgical approach, with narrated video footage. DPL is a rare disease, with only a little more than 150 cases reported in the literature [1]. It is defined by subperitoneal proliferation of benign smooth muscle cell nodules, macroscopically mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis [2]. The etiology remains unclear, but different hypotheses have been put forward, such as subperitoneal mesenchymal stem cell metaplasia and iatrogenic origin after myomectomy [3]. Despite its usual benign behavior, DPL can rarely present with malignant degeneration, and therefore a complete resection of multiple lesions is recommended [4]. This case involves a 45-year-old patient presenting with dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain, and major abnormal uterine bleeding, requiring previous blood transfusion and no response after 2 years of clinical treatment. She had a previous cesarean delivery, with no reproductive desire at present and no history of other pelvic surgeries. Pelvic examination showed an enlarged mobile uterus at the height of the pubic symphysis, and both ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed an enlarged uterus due to multiple myomas. (1) Diagnostic laparoscopy with implant biopsies and uterine curettage for investigation of DPL and its differential diagnoses, followed by robot-assisted laparoscopic approach, with key strategies for a safe performance. (2) Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and wide pelvic peritoneal resection were performed. (3) For this complex procedure, the identification and preservation of important landmarks and pelvic anatomy were mandatory, as well as removal of all surgical specimens in monobloc. Final pathology report: disseminated leiomyomatosis with no evidence of malignancy. The patient had no complications after surgery and was discharged on the second postoperative day with mild abdominal pain. DPL diagnosis can be tricky owing to its macroscopic similarity to peritoneal carcinomatosis and the difficulty of identification in imaging examinations. Moreover, the robotic platform can be a helpful and safe tool for the surgical treatment of DPL and complete resection of all peritoneal lesions.

Scribner’s Bookstore

Abstract In 1989, a literary landmark in New York City closed. Scribner’s Bookstore, 597 Fifth Avenue, stood at the epicentre of Manhattan’s retail district. The Scribner’s publishing company was then 153 years old. In the 1920s, driven by genius editor Max Perkins, Scribner’s published Fitzgerald, Hemingway, and Wolfe. Scribner’s Magazine was The New Yorker of its day. The bookshop and publisher occupied a 10-storey Beaux-Arts building, designed by Ernest Flagg, which eventually won protection from the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. Medallions honoured printers Benjamin Franklin, William Caxton, Johann Gutenberg, and Aldus Manutius. The ‘Byzantine cathedral of books’ offered deeply informed personal service. But the paperback revolution gained momentum, bookshop chains like Barnes & Noble and Brentano’s adopted extreme discounting, and the no-discounting Scribner’s business model became unsustainable. Real estate developers swooped in. The bookshop’s ignominious end came when Italian clothier Benetton took over its space.

Tricky Diagnosis and Robot-Laparoscopic Surgical Approach of Disseminated Peritoneal Leiomyomatosis

STUDY OBJECTIVE To show the challenging diagnosis of, and safe robotic surgical approach to, a rare case of disseminated peritoneal leiomyomatosis (DPL). DESIGN A clinical case shown by a sequential demonstration of investigation, diagnosis, and surgical approach, with narrated video footage. SETTING DPL is a rare disease, with only a little more than 150 cases reported in the literature [1]. It is defined by subperitoneal proliferation of benign smooth muscle cell nodules, macroscopically mimicking peritoneal carcinomatosis [2]. The etiology remains unclear, but different hypotheses have been put forward, such as subperitoneal mesenchymal stem cell metaplasia and iatrogenic origin after myomectomy [3]. Despite its usual benign behavior, DPL can rarely present with malignant degeneration, and therefore a complete resection of multiple lesions is recommended [4]. This case involves a 45-year-old patient presenting with dysmenorrhea, abdominal pain, and major abnormal uterine bleeding, requiring previous blood transfusion and no response after 2 years of clinical treatment. She had a previous cesarean delivery, with no reproductive desire at present and no history of other pelvic surgeries. Pelvic examination showed an enlarged mobile uterus at the height of the pubic symphysis, and both ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging confirmed an enlarged uterus due to multiple myomas. INTERVENTIONS (1) Diagnostic laparoscopy with implant biopsies and uterine curettage for investigation of DPL and its differential diagnoses, followed by robot-assisted laparoscopic approach, with key strategies for a safe performance. (2) Radical hysterectomy with bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, omentectomy, and wide pelvic peritoneal resection were performed. (3) For this complex procedure, the identification and preservation of important landmarks and pelvic anatomy were mandatory, as well as removal of all surgical specimens in monobloc. Final pathology report: disseminated leiomyomatosis with no evidence of malignancy. The patient had no complications after surgery and was discharged on the second postoperative day with mild abdominal pain. CONCLUSION DPL diagnosis can be tricky owing to its macroscopic similarity to peritoneal carcinomatosis and the difficulty of identification in imaging examinations. Moreover, the robotic platform can be a helpful and safe tool for the surgical treatment of DPL and complete resection of all peritoneal lesions.

Russian Harbin: architecture of the mansion of P. I. Gibello-Socco

The subject of this research is the architectural and style peculiarities of the mansion of P. I. Gibello-Socco. The object of this research is the private residence of P. I. Gibello-Socco build in 1919 in the area of a New City. The author examines the relevance topic – disappearance of the Russian architectural heritage (destruction, demolition, aggressive reconstruction) in Harbin, and possibilities of preservation of architectural landmarks in a large metropolis. Therefore, special attention is given to the questions of studying historical objects built in the early XX century (history, natural observations, measurements, current state) and their reconstructions via methods of stylistic and compositional environmental adaptation. This would allow preserving the Russian heritage abroad. The main conclusions lie in preservation of not only historical objects, reconstruction of interiors, but also restoration of their environment. The results of studying the architecture of disappeared objects of the Russian Harbin period allow conducting a fragmentary reproduction of an authentic historical environment of the city in the township “Sunny Island”. The author’s special contribution consists in examination of the objects of Russian culture, development of restoration projects, identification of disappeared constructs and their façade reconstruction. The novelty lies in description of architectural and style peculiarities of a historical object, which serves as the basis for reconstruction of P. I. Gibello-Socco’s mansion.

Planning Structure Analysis of Izium Town of the Kharkiv Region of XVII–XVIII Centuries Period in the Context of the Historical Town Planning Studies in 2018

A lot of cities located in Kharkiv oblast are in the Register of Historic Settlements of Ukraine. Among them, the town of Izium deserves special attention because of its rich history. However, Izium remains underexplored, which makes the historical research of its urban planning a relevant and important issue . Author presents his research findings of the Izium town area, which he made in 2018 being a member of the civil society organization “POG “Instytut Kulturnoi Spadshchyny” under All-Ukrainian Committee on Protection of Cultural Heritage of Ukraine, participating in the creation of the design and specifications for the Historical and Architectural Outline Plan of Izium in Kharkiv region. It defines the boundaries of the protected areas around historical monuments and historical sites and arrangements for their use. The purpose of the research was to study the historic and architectural processes that took place within the town area in the 17th-18th centuries and to determine the peculiarities of the local urban planning. The object of the research includs the area of Izium listed in the Register of Historic Settlements of Ukraine (dated 1639 (Serdyuk, Bobrovsky, & Kirilenko, 2011, p. 562)), the town plan and landscape. The urban space and structure of Izium became the subject of the research . The author followed the commonly used methodology of historical research on urban planning and historical landmarks preservation (Vecherskyi, 2011). The selected methodology of the research of the historical and architectural heritage of the town became the key success factor. The author examined the town area taking into account major historical milestones and key urban structure elements (industrial settlement, town, railway, town-forming enterprises, the historical center of the town, etc.) The author also used the methodology of historical and architectural evaluation of the city structure (the main criterion was chronological, the secondary criteria were composition and landscape), which helped to estimate the condition of the historical center planning. Based on the retrospective and geographic analysis of archival records, literary sources, maps dated 17th-18th centuries and on-site inspection the author studied the prerequisites of urban planning in the town of Izium and surrounding landscapes of the Siverskyi Donets river valley. The study of previously made research and analysis of historical maps helped to get a more comprehensive picture of the urban development processes occurring at different times within the area and dynamics of the town planning development. The originality of the research is in finding the laws of origin and evolution of Izium town planning patterns in the 17th-18th centuries and major peculiarities of the town’s history. The results and conclusions of the research contributed to the creation of historical and architectural outline plan of the city and the determination of the size and dimensions of conservation areas and specification of their use. The historical and architectural outline plan can be used during the design of the General Urban Growth and Development Plan and zoning of the town area.

Diagnostic imaging in chronic otitis media: does CT and MRI fusion aid therapeutic decision making? - a pilot study.

Despite the recent advances in otosurgery diagnosis of cholesteatoma and qualification for surgery remains an issue in contemporary laryngology. In cases of cholesteatoma recidivism, it is of utmost importance to properly locate the pathology in the middle ear to plan surgical approach. Magnetic Resonance imaging in diffusion-weighted non-echoplanar sequences (non-EPI DWI) enables cholesteatoma detection as small as 2 mm and could potentially prevent unnecessary second-look surgery. Computed Tomography of the temporal bone allows precise visualization of bony structures and topographical landmarks of the middle ear. A fusion of both imaging modalities combines the advantages of these techniques. Five patients treated in the Department of Otolaryngology, the Medical University of Lodz for probable cholesteatoma recidivism were included in this study. A high-resolution CT scan of the temporal bone and an MRI scan including non-EPI sequences was obtained in all patients. A fusion of CT and MRI studies was conducted using OsirixMD software. Fist, CT studies were fused with MRI BFFE sequences, then non-EPI sequences were added. Finally, if the patient qualified for surgical treatment histopathological diagnosis was compared with MRI results. CT scans were analyzed to establish the extent of previous surgical interventions and anatomical landmarks preservation. In all cases, MRI results were suspicious of cholesteatoma recidivism. Four cases were confirmed in postoperative histopathological evaluation, there was one false positive case when intraoperatively scar tissue was identified, which was later confirmed as connective tissue upon histopathological evaluation. CT and MRI fusion provides a helpful diagnostic tool in preparation for surgery in patients with suspected cholesteatoma recidivism.