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Conflict damage to heritage has been thrust into the global spotlight during recent conflict in the Middle East. While the use of social media has heightened and enhanced public awareness of this ‘cultural terrorism’, the occurrence of this type of vandalism is not new. In fact, as this study demonstrates, evidence of the active targeting of sites, as well as collateral damage when heritage is caught in crossfire, is widely visible around Europe and further afield. Using a variety of case studies ranging from the 1640s to the 1930s, we illustrate and quantify the changing impact of ballistics on heritage buildings as weaponry and ammunition have increased in both energy and energy density potential. In the first instance, this study highlights the increasing threats to heritage in conflict areas. Second, it argues for the pressing need to quantify and map damage to the stonework in order to respond to these challenges.

Harmonic displacement of a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator up to 50% of the static pull-in displacement has been achieved despite the non-linear voltage-to-displacement function using a driving voltage with a pre-distorted waveform. The microstructure is fabricated in an epi-poly process and the circuit is implemented in a CMOS process and designed for operation of the MEMS in a frequency range up to 1 kHz. The pre-distorted waveform is synthesized using 16 samples per period with 16 non-uniformly spaced quantization levels, using a ladder with accurately scaled resistors. Harmonic actuation has been demonstrated with 34 dB reduction of second-order distortion compared to systems with sinusoidal actuation. The residual second harmonic content in the harmonic displacement is typically −42 dB.

Harmonic displacement of a parallel-plate electrostatic actuator up to 50% of the static pull-in displacement has been achieved despite the non-linear voltage-to-displacement function using a driving voltage with a pre-distorted waveform. The microstructure is fabricated in an epi-poly process and the circuit is implemented in a CMOS process and designed for operation of the MEMS in a frequency range up to 1 kHz. The pre-distorted waveform is synthesized using 16 samples per period with 16 non-uniformly spaced quantization levels, using a ladder with accurately scaled resistors. Harmonic actuation has been demonstrated with 34 dB reduction of second-order distortion compared to systems with sinusoidal actuation. The residual second harmonic content in the harmonic displacement is typically ?42 dB.

Induction of germination of microsclerotia by exudates from plant roots may be important for the control ofV. dahliae. Laboratory experiments with root observation boxes were carried out to assess the influence of root tips of seven crop species and cultivars on the germination of microsclerotia ofVerticillium dahliae in soil under controlled conditions. The root density of crops was measured in a field experiment. The results of the laboratory experiments and the field experiment were combined to estimate the total effect of crops on the population of microsclerotia in the field. Germination of microsclerotia was stimulated by all crops compared to a control without a crop. Among crops, roots of potato cvs Element and Astarte had a larger stimulation effect on microsclerotia than that of potato ‘Ostara’, pea, flax, sugar beet or onion. The number of hyphae per microsclerotium decreased with distance from the root surface regardless of the crop species or cultivar. Differences in root densities, in the affected root zones and in the stimulation effect on germination of microsclerotia caused large differences among crops in the effect on the population of microsclerotia in the soil. However, growing a rop with the special purpose to reduce the level ofV. dahliae inoculum in the soil is an inefficient control measure, because only a small part of the total soil volume is affected by roots and the number of hyphae per microscleroium affected is too low.

A procedure for the quantification of microsclerotia ofVerticillium dahliae with an image analysis system was compared with counting by eye. Colonised potato plant material was used from plants grown in pathogen-free soil in a greenhouse and from twelve crops (including four potato cultivars) grown outdoors in pots filled with pathogen-free soil under natural conditions. The values obtained from the potato material from the greenhouse were comparable for both methods. Variation in the results mainly resulted from sampling errors. The numbers of microsclerotia in plants grown outdoors were overestimated by image analysis for most crops. The source of the error was related to the presence of plant and soil particles that did not discolour during boiling of the samples in sodium hydroxide. Image analysis was a suitable and reliable method for assessing the number of microsclerotia only in potato haulm samples from plants grown in pathogen-free soil in the greenhouse.

Root observation boxes were used to study the effects of hosts and non-hosts on the germination of microsclerotia ofV. dahliae. The effects of roots on microsclerotia were examined within a radius of 1 mm around the root tip. Host plants such as potato and field bean induced a higher percentage of germination of the microsclerotia than a non-host such as barley. A susceptible potato cultivar stimulated germination more than a resistant cultivar. The germination percentage and the number of hyphae per microsclerotium decreased with distance from the root surface regardless of the plant species or cultivar.

We reviewed eight children (ten shoulders) who had suffered neonatal sepsis, after a mean follow-up of 14 years (11 to 15). The delay between the onset of symptoms and diagnosis was one day in five patients, two days in three and seven days in one. All ten shoulders were treated by aspiration, followed by arthrotomy in two. At follow-up, five of the ten shoulders had a full range of movement and the others had minimal restriction of external rotation. Shortening of 10 cm was present in one patient, while two with bilateral involvement had disproportionally short humeri.Early diagnosis and treatment favour the outcome in septic arthritis of the shoulder. With late diagnosis, deformation of the humeral head and shortening of the humerus cause marked cosmetic abnormality but negligible functional loss.