Inventory management software is a software system for tracking inventory levels, orders, sales and deliveries. It can also be used in the manufacturing industry to create a work order, bill of materials and other production-related documents. Companies use inventory management software to avoid product overstock and outages. It is a tool for organizing inventory data that before was generally stored in hard-copy form or in spreadsheets.

Features
Inventory management software is made up of several key components working together to create a cohesive inventory of many organization's systems.  These features include:

Reorder point
Should inventory reach a specific threshold, a company's inventory management system can be programmed to tell managers to reorder that product. This helps companies avoid running out of products or tying up too much capital in inventory.

Asset tracking
When a product is in a warehouse or store, it can be tracked via its barcode and/or other tracking criteria, such as serial number, lot number or revision number. Systems. for Business, Encyclopedia of Business, 2nd ed.  Nowadays, inventory management software often utilizes barcode, radio-frequency identification (RFID), and/or wireless tracking technology.

Service management
Companies that are primarily service-oriented rather than product-oriented can use inventory management software to track the cost of the materials they use to provide services, such as cleaning supplies. This way, they can attach prices to their services that reflect the total cost of performing them.

Product identification
Barcodes are often the means whereby data on products and orders are inputted into inventory management software. A barcode reader is used to read barcodes and look up information on the products they represent. The Radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags and wireless methods of product identification are also growing in popularity.

Modern inventory software programs may use QR codes or NFC tags to identify inventory items and smartphones as scanners. This method provides an option for businesses to track inventory using barcode scanning without a need to purchase expensive scanning hardware.

Inventory optimization
A fully automated demand forecasting and inventory optimization system to attain key inventory optimization metrics such as:
 Reorder point: the number of units that should trigger a replenishment order
 Order quantity: the number of units that should be reordered, based on the reorder point, stock on hand and stock on order
 Lead demand: the number of units that will be sold during the lead time
 Stock cover: the number of days left before a stockout if no reorder is made
 Accuracy: the expected accuracy of the forecasts

History
The Universal Product Code (UPC) was adopted by the grocery industry in April 1973 as the standard barcode for all grocers, though it was not introduced at retailing locations until 1974. This helped drive down costs for inventory management because retailers in the United States and Canada didn't have to purchase multiple barcode readers to scan competing barcodes. There was now one primary barcode for grocers and other retailers to buy one type of reader for.

In the early 1980s, personal computers began to be popular. This further pushed down the cost of barcodes and readers. It also allowed the first versions of inventory management software to be put into place. One of the biggest hurdles in selling readers and barcodes to retailers was the fact that they didn't have a place to store the information they scanned. As computers became more common and affordable, this hurdle was overcome. Once barcodes and inventory management programs started spreading through grocery stores, inventory management by hand became less practical. Writing inventory data by hand on paper was replaced by scanning products and inputting information into a computer by hand.

Starting in the early 2000s, inventory management software progressed to the point where businesspeople no longer needed to input data by hand but could instantly update their database with barcode readers.

Also, the existence of cloud based business software and their increasing adoption by businesses mark a new era for inventory management software. Now they usually allow integrations with other business backend processes, like accounting and online sales.

Purpose
Companies often use inventory management software to reduce their carrying costs. The software is used to track products and parts as they are transported from a vendor to a warehouse, between warehouses, and finally to a retail location or directly to a customer.

Inventory management software is used for a variety of purposes, including:
 Maintaining a balance between too much and too little inventory.
 Tracking inventory as it is transported between locations.
 Receiving items into a warehouse or other location.
 Picking, packing and shipping items from a warehouse.
 Keeping track of product sales and inventory levels.
 Cutting down on product obsolescence and spoilage.
 Avoiding missing out on sales due to out-of-stock situations.

Manufacturing uses
Manufacturers primarily use inventory management software to create work orders and bills of materials. This facilitates the manufacturing process by helping manufacturers efficiently assemble the tools and parts they need to perform specific tasks. For more complex manufacturing jobs, manufacturers can create multilevel work orders and bills of materials, which have a timeline of processes that need to happen in the proper order to build a final product. Other work orders that can be created using inventory management software include reverse work orders and auto work orders. Manufacturers also use inventory management software for tracking assets, receiving new inventory and additional tasks businesses in other industries use it for.

Advantages of ERP inventory management software
There are several advantages to using inventory management software in a business setting.

Cost savings
A company's inventory represents one of its largest investments, along with its workforce and locations. Inventory management software helps companies cut expenses by minimizing the amount of unnecessary parts and products in storage. It also helps companies keep lost sales to a minimum by having enough stock on hand to meet demand.

Increased efficiency
Inventory management software often allows for automation of many inventory-related tasks.  For example, software can automatically collect data, conduct calculations, and create records.  This not only results in time savings, cost savings, but also increases business efficiency.

Warehouse organization
Inventory management software can help distributors, wholesalers, manufacturers and retailers optimize their warehouses. If certain products are often sold together or are more popular than others, those products can be grouped together or placed near the delivery area to speed up the process of picking.
By 2018, 66% of warehouses "are poised to undergo a seismic shift, moving from still prevalent pen and paper processes to automated and mechanized inventory solutions. With these new automated processes, cycle counts will be performed more often and with less effort, increasing inventory visibility, and leading to more accurate fulfillment, fewer out of stock situations and fewer lost sales. More confidence in inventory accuracy will lead to a new focus on optimizing mix, expanding a selection and accelerating inventory turns."

Updated data
Up-to-date, real-time data on inventory conditions and levels is another advantage inventory management software gives companies. Company executives can usually access the software through a mobile device, laptop or PC to check current inventory numbers.  This automatic updating of inventory records allows businesses to make informed decisions.

Data security
With the aid of restricted user rights, company managers can allow many employees to assist in inventory management. They can grant employees enough information access to receive products, make orders, transfer products and do other tasks without compromising company security. This can speed up the inventory management process and save managers' time.

Insight into trends
Tracking where products are stocked, which suppliers they come from, and the length of time they are stored is made possible with inventory management software. By analysing such data, companies can control inventory levels and maximize the use of warehouse space. Furthermore, firms are more prepared for the demands and supplies of the market, especially during special circumstances such as a peak season on a particular month. Through the reports generated by the inventory management software, firms are also able to gather important data that may be put in a model for it to be analyzed.

Disadvantages of ERP inventory management software
The main disadvantages of inventory management software are its cost and complexity.

Expense
Cost can be a major disadvantage of inventory management software.  Many large companies use an ERP as inventory management software, but small businesses can find it difficult to afford it. Barcode readers and other hardware can compound this problem by adding even more cost to companies. The advantage of allowing multiple employees to perform inventory management tasks is tempered by the cost of additional barcode readers. Use of smartphones as QR code readers has been a way that smaller companies avoid the high expense of custom hardware for inventory management.

Complexity
Inventory management software is not necessarily simple or easy to learn. A company's management team must dedicate a certain amount of time to learning a new system, including both software and hardware, in order to put it to use. Most inventory management software includes training manuals and other information available to users. Despite its apparent complexity, inventory management software offers a degree of stability to companies. For example, if an IT employee in charge of the system leaves the company, a replacement can be comparatively inexpensive to train compared to if the company used multiple programs to store inventory data.

Benefits of cloud inventory management software
The main benefits of a cloud inventory management software include:

Real-time tracking of inventory
For startups and SMBs, tracking inventory in real time is very important. Not only can business owners track and collect data but also generate reports. At the same time, entrepreneurs can access cloud-based inventory data from a wide range of internet-enabled devices, including smartphones, tablets, laptops, as well as traditional desktop PCs. In addition, users do not have to be inside business premises to use web-based inventory program and can access the inventory software while on the road.

Cut down hardware expenses
Because the software resides in the cloud, business owners do not have to purchase and maintain expensive hardware. Instead, SMBs and startups can direct capital and profits towards expanding the business to reach a wider audience. Cloud-based solutions also eliminate the need to hire a large IT workforce. The service provider will take care of maintaining the inventory software.

Fast deployment
Deploying web based inventory software is quite easy. All business owners have to do is sign up for a monthly or yearly subscription and start using the inventory management software via the internet. Such flexibility allows businesses to scale up relatively quickly without spending a large amount of money.

Easy integration
Cloud inventory management software offers ease of integration with current systems for business owners. For example, business owners can integrate the inventory software with their eCommerce store or cloud-based accounting software. The rise in popularity of 3rd party marketplaces prompted cloud-based inventory management companies to include the integration of such sites with the rest of a business owner's retail business, allowing one to view and control stock across all channels.

Enhanced efficiency
Cloud inventory systems increase efficiency in a number of ways. One is real-time inventory monitoring. A single change can replicate itself company-wide instantaneously. As a result, businesses can have greater confidence in the accuracy of the information in the system, and management can more easily track the flow of supplies and products – and generate reports. In addition, cloud-based solutions offer greater accessibility.

Improved coordination
Cloud inventory programs also allow departments within a company to work together more efficiently. Department A can pull information about Department B's inventory directly from the software without needing to contact Department B's staff for the information. This inter-departmental communication also makes it easier to know when to restock and which customer orders have been shipped, etc. Operations can run more smoothly and efficiently, enhancing customer experience. Accurate inventory information can also have a huge impact on a company's bottom line. It allows you to see where the bottlenecks and workflow issues are – and to calculate break-even points as well as profit margins.

Disadvantages of cloud inventory management software

Security and privacy
Using the cloud means that data is managed by a third party provider and there can be a risk of data being accessed by unauthorized users.

Dependency
Since maintenance is managed by the vendor, users are essentially fully dependent on the provider.

Decreased flexibility
Depending on the cloud service provider, system and software upgrades will be performed based on their schedule, hence businesses may experience some limitations in flexibility in the process.

Integration
Not all on-premises systems or service providers can be synced with the cloud software used.

See also

References

Inventory
Logistics
Manufacturing software

Inventory management software


Giv'at Ha'Em () is a hill named for Henrietta Szold, known as the mother (em, ) of Youth Aliya. The hill lies in the Galilee Panhandle in northern Israel, 196 m above sea level, 1 km east of the Route 918 and 2 km north of Kfar Szold.

History

Givat AeEm, like other basalt hills in the eastern Hula Valley, was formed by a spurt of basalt stone during the formation of the Jordan Rift Valley.

Israeli soldiers built a border outpost on Giv'at Ha'Em after the War of Independence. It was located directly across from Syrian positions on the slopes of the Golan Heights. Israeli troops on the hill were frequently involved in fire exchanges with Syrian troops who were shelling the farmers in the Hula valley.

Givat HaEm was the site of combat during the Six-Day War. The 8th Brigade, which was brought from the Sinai, and the Golani Brigade were deployed near Giv'at Ha'Em. The topographical conditions were very difficult: the steep, rugged and rocky slopes of the Golan prevented an easy build of a transportation line, while the Syrian army sat in well fortified strongholds and could fire easily from above. Nevertheless, it was from Giv'at Ha'em that Israel made its first advances into Syria.

After two days of heavy bombardment by the Israeli Air Force, the breakthrough came at 10:00 on the morning of 9 June 1967. It was commanded by Albert Mandler's tank brigade 8, which showered the Syrian posts to the north, on the top of the Heights. In a complex engineering operation, soldiers from the Engineering Corps cleared the way of mines. They were followed by bulldozers which leveled a route for the tanks on the rocky face.

During the battle, the 8th Brigade advanced toward the direction of Zaura and Qela, while traversing difficult terrain and meeting Syrian resistance; at the end of the battle, only two functioning tanks reached Qela. A force consisting of infantry, Nahal and paratroopers defeated a series of other posts overlooking the Hula valley in the southern sector of the Heights and enables the passage of tanks deep into enemy territory. The Golani brigade under the command of Colonel Yona Efrat advanced and captured the posts in Burj Babil, Tel Azaziat and Tel Faher.

At Burj Babil, Syrian officers fled after the first Israeli shots were fired, prompting their men to do the same. By contrast, the number of Syrian units that fought on in their positions even long after the Israelis had gained the upper hand was at least as great and probably greater, than those instances of units breaking at first contact. At Tel Azaziat, the officers tried to surrender their position to the Israelis but their men refused, firing on their officers and fighting the Israelis tooth and nail before being overwhelmed by tank fire and the flanking attack. On the night of June 9–10, the 8th brigade advanced toward the Banias region and captured it on the morning of the 10th of June.

Today, Givat HaEm is a Jewish National Fund overlook.

References

Landforms of Northern District (Israel)
Hills of Israel

Givat HaEm


Kaʻiminaʻauao (November 7, 1845 – November 10, 1848) was a Hawaiian high chiefess who was given in adoption to Queen Kalama and King Kamehameha III. She died of the measles at the age of three, during an epidemic of measles, whooping cough and influenza that killed more than 10,000 Native Hawaiians. Her elder brother and sister became King Kalākaua (who reigned from 1874 to 1891), and Queen Liliʻuokalani (who reigned as Hawaii's last monarch from 1891 to 1893).

Name
Her name has been traditionally spelled Kaiminaauao or Kaʻiminaʻauao with the two ʻokina, which are phonemic glottal stop, as it is used in many Polynesian languages. It is alternatively spelled as Kaiminiaauao. Her name means "the search for knowledge" in the Hawaiian language. According to Hawaiian linguist Mary Kawena Pukui, ʻimi naʻau ao means "to seek knowledge or education; ambitious to learn; one seeking education or learning, research, learning".

Family

Kaʻiminaʻauao was born on November 7, 1845. Born into the aliʻi class of Hawaiian nobility, her father High Chief Caesar Kapaʻakea and mother High Chiefess Analea Keohokālole were advisors to the reigning king Kamehameha III. Her mother was the daughter of ʻAikanaka and Kamaʻeokalani while her father was the son of Kamanawa II (half-brother of ʻAikanaka) and Kamokuiki. From her parents, she descended from Keaweaheulu and Kameʻeiamoku, the royal counselors of Kamehameha I during his conquest of the Kingdom of Hawaii. Kameʻeiamoku, the grandfather of both her mother and father, was one of the royal twins alongside Kamanawa depicted on the Hawaiian coat of arms. Kaʻiminaʻauao's family were collateral relations of the House of Kamehameha. Another relative of the family was the High Chiefess Kapiʻolani who plucked the sacred ʻōhelo berries and openly defied the goddess Pele as a dramatic demonstration of her new faith in Christianity.

The fifth child and third daughter of a large family, her sibling included James Kaliokalani, David Kalākaua (who reigned as king from 1874 to 1891), Lydia Kamakaʻeha (who reigned as Hawaii's last monarch, Queen Liliʻuokalani from 1891 to 1893), Anna Kaʻiulani, Miriam Likelike, and William Pitt Leleiohoku II. All her siblings were given away in hānai to other family members and friends. The Hawaiian custom of hānai is an informal form of adoption between extended families practiced by Hawaiian royals and commoners alike. She was adopted by Queen Kalama, the wife of King Kamehameha III. The royal couple were childless at the time because two sons born to Kalama (both named Keaweaweʻulaokalani) had died during infancy. Kamehameha III had previously adopted his half-sister Kīnaʻu's son Alexander Liholiho (the future Kamehameha IV) as his heir and successor. Contemporary English sources referred to Kaʻiminaʻauao as the ward of the queen.

Death and funeral
The measles epidemic of 1848-49 was brought to Hilo by an American warship. During this short period, a combination of measles and whooping cough and influenza epidemics killed 10,000 people, mostly Native Hawaiians. Among the high chiefs who died were Moses Kekūāiwa (son of Kīnaʻu and Kekūanaōʻa), William Pitt Leleiohoku I (husband of Ruth Keʻelikōlani) and the three-year-old Kaʻiminaʻauao, who died on November 10, 1848. The bodies of the deceased were embalmed with alcohol in lead coffins and placed inside wooden coffins.

Initially buried in the Pohukaina Tomb, located on grounds of ʻIolani Palace, her remains were left behind when the coffins of other royals were moved to the newly constructed Royal Mausoleum at Mauna ʻAla in the Nuʻuanu Valley in 1865. This changed after the accession of her brother as king. On the evening of November 30, 1875, her remains and the remains of her parents, buried at the cemetery of Kawaiahaʻo Church, were transported to the Royal Mausoleum followed by torchlight under a military escort led by John Owen Dominis.
In a ceremony officiated by her sister Liliʻuokalani on June 24, 1910, her remains, and those of her family, were transferred for a final time to the underground Kalākaua Crypt after the main mausoleum building had been converted into a chapel.

Kaʻiminaʻauao's three elder siblings were educated at the Chiefs' Children's School (later renamed the Royal School) founded in 1839 by the American missionary couple Amos Starr Cooke and Juliette Montague Cooke to provide a Western-style education to the Hawaiian royal children. The children at the school were chosen by Kamehameha III to be eligible for the throne of the Kingdom of Hawaii. It was intended that Kaʻiminaʻauao would join the school. However, her early death and the death of other aliʻi children in the epidemic prevented the addition of new scholars to the school. This deficit of scholars would lead to the closure of the school in 1850. Juliette Montague Cooke wrote: "A little girl, sister of three of our scholars, adopted by the Queen, and who was expecting to enter our family, died on 10th inst. aged three years and two days."

Ancestry

References

Bibliography

1845 births
1848 deaths
Royalty of the Hawaiian Kingdom
House of Kalākaua
Infectious disease deaths in Hawaii
Burials at the Royal Mausoleum (Mauna ʻAla)
Hawaiian adoptees (hānai)
Deaths from measles
Royalty who died as children

Kaʻiminaʻauao


The Marine Raider Regiment (MRR), formerly known as the Marine Special Operations Regiment (MSOR), is a special operations forces of the United States Marine Corps, which is a part of Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC). Renamed for its predecessor, the World War II Marine Raiders, this unit is the principal combat component of MARSOC, which is the Marine Corps' contribution to the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM).

History

Origins
Today's Raiders can trace their roots back to their World War II predecessors the Marine Raiders. The Marine Raiders were units established by the United States Marine Corps to conduct special amphibious light infantry warfare, particularly in landing in rubber boats and operating behind the lines. "Edson's" Raiders of 1st Marine Raiders Battalion and "Carlson's" Raiders of 2nd Marine Raiders Battalion are said to be the first United States special operations forces to form and see combat in World War II.

MCSOCOM Detachment One
Today's Marine Raiders first saw the light through a pilot program called the Marine Corps Special Operations Command Detachment One, also known as Det 1. In order to first assess the value of Marine special operations forces permanently detached to the United States Special Operations Command, a small unit of 86 men commanded by Col. Robert J. Coates, former commanding officer of 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, was activated on 19 June 2003 and had its headquarters at Camp Del Mar Boat Basin. In 2006 it was disbanded and succeeded by the permanent Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC). Det 1 deployed to Iraq with Navy SEALs from Naval Special Warfare Group 1 in 2004, marines from the detachment took part in the Second Battle of Fallujah.

Marine Special Operations Regiment
In February 2006, the Marine Corps Special Operations Command (MARSOC) was created at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. The 1st and 2nd Marine Special Operations Battalions were created along with the Marine Special Operations Advisor Group (MSOAG). The majority of the combat personnel assigned to the two battalions were drawn from the Marine Corps Force Reconnaissance community. In April 2009, the MSOAG was redesignated the Marine Special Operations Regiment which then built in a new level of command by making 1st and 2nd MSOB subordinate, and redesignated MSOAG's operational marines the 3rd Marine Special Operations Battalion.

The first deployment for Marine Raiders was in Afghanistan in 2007. This initial deployment was marked with controversy when elements from Fox Company, 2nd MSOB were involved in a shooting incident. The incident, that resulted in as many as 19 civilians killed, involved a complex ambush by insurgents that included a suicide VBIED and small arms fire. It was alleged that the MARSOC operators killed the civilians while attempting to suppress the enemy firing points. The marines were relieved from their operational charter in the country and their commander removed from duty by an Army General from USSOCOM after claims were made that the marines reacted inappropriately and caused excessive civilian casualties. The marines were later found by a military tribunal to be cleared of wrongdoing. Shortly after a deal was struck to send 2nd MSOB to Helmand province in lieu of the eastern provinces; in late 2007, Golf Company 2nd MSOB was sent to Helmand Province in Support of NATO operations.

In September 2009 the 1st MSOB returned to Afghanistan, this time in command of a joint special operations task force in the northwest of the country. On 10 November 2009, a marine from 1st MSOB was awarded a Bronze Star with "V" device for his actions during a battle in Farah province. When the remote weapon on his vehicle was destroyed, he climbed on top to man its MK19 grenade launcher, according to his medal citation. As enemy rounds whipped by, Price stayed put—holding his position for four hours and killing "numerous" insurgents in the process.

Following General Petraeus's take over of command in Afghanistan in 2010, in support of the ALP/VSO programme (Afghan Local Police/Village Stability Operations), SOF in Afghanistan were task-organized into battalion level SOTF (Special Operations Task Forces), each with a geographic area of responsibility; for MARSOC, this was western Afghanistan and Helmand Province. In March 2012, Marine Raiders suffered several casualties to Green on Blue attacks. On 29 July 2012, a patrol of Afghan Army Commandos was ambushed by insurgents from a number of buildings in Badghis Province, three Afghans were wounded by small arms fire, Gunnery Sergeants Jonathan Gifford of 2nd MSOB and Daniel Price of 1st MSOB raced forward on an ATV to retrieve the wounded under direct fire from the enemy. After evacuating the wounded to an emergency HLZ (Helicopter Landing Zone) from where they were safely medevaced, they returned to the firefight and assaulted the enemy positions in a fierce close-quarter battle. While throwing grenades down the chimney of an insurgent-occupied building, they were struck and killed by PKM fire, for his actions that day Price was awarded the Silver Star.

The Marine Raiders were deployed supporting the Global War on Terrorism in December 2013 alongside the 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable) where they conducted various special operations missions, ranging from direct action, reconnaissance and other mission sets.

Marine Raider Regiment
In 2014, it was announced that the Marine Special Operations Regiment and its subordinate units would be renamed Marine Raiders. However, due to administrative delays the renaming did not become official until 19 June 2015.

A Raider from the 3rd Marine Raider Battalion was awarded the Silver Star for his actions during the terrorist attack, on Radisson Blu hotel in Bamako, Mali in November 2015. The Raider led a team that rescued nearly 150 people being held hostage by members of AQIM.

Marine Corps Times reported that during Operation Inherent Resolve, Marine Raiders participated in the campaign to liberate Mosul in Iraq from ISIL. On 20 October 2016, after receiving small arms fire, a team of Raiders from the 2nd Marine Raider Battalion decided to occupy a point between two enemy controlled villages, later they were attacked by roughly 25 militants and an armored vehicle-borne improvised explosive device. A raider Staff Sergeant engaged and suppressed the dismounted enemy force with a sniper rifle, then exposed himself to enemy fire by climbing atop a vehicle to acquire an FGM-148 Javelin anti-tank missile and eventually destroyed the explosive-laden armored vehicle. For his actions during the engagement, the raider was awarded the Silver Star. On 30 December 2016, a marine from the 2nd Raider Battalion was wounded as a result of enemy action in Iraq.

Marine Corps Times reported that during 2017, Raiders assisted in liberating Marawi in Philippines from ISIS-P militants.

In February 2019, Marine Corps Times reported that since the formation of MARSOC 13 years before, it had conducted 300 operational deployments across 13 countries, awarded more than 300 valor awards, and that 43 Raiders, including two multipurpose canines, had been killed in training and combat operations.

A Marine Raider Master Sergeant from 2nd Marine Raider Battalion was awarded the Silver Star for his actions in a firefight while leading a joint US-Afghan team during a raid on a Taliban stronghold in southern Afghanistan in 2019. Three other Raiders were awarded the Bronze Star for their actions during the firefight.

Organization

1st Marine Raider Regiment
Headquarters Company
 1st Marine Raider Battalion
 2d Marine Raider Battalion
 3d Marine Raider Battalion

The Marine Raider Regiment is made up of a Headquarters Company and three Marine Raider Battalions (MRB). Each MRB consists of four Marine Special Operations Companies (MSOC) and each company consists of four fourteen-man Marine Special Operations Teams (MSOT).

The base unit of the Raiders is the fourteen-man Marine Special Operations Team (MSOT). Each 14-man MSOT is organized into three elements: a Headquarters (HQ) and two identical Tactical Squads. The HQ element consists of a Special Operations Officer Team Leader (SOO/Captain), Team Chief (Master Sergeant CSO), Operations SNCO (Gunnery Sergeant CSO), and a communication SNCO. Each Tactical Element consists of an Element Leader (Staff Sergeant CSO), three Critical Skills Operators (Sergeant/Corporal CSOs), and a Navy Special Amphibious Reconnaissance Corpsman (SARC). The organization allows a Team to operate on its own if needed but maintains the ability to operate as part of a bigger unit such as an MSOC or SOTF (Special Operations Task Force), similar to Army Special Forces ODA/B.

References

External links

 Marine Raider Regiment homepage
 MARSOC homepage
 https://www.marsoc.com
 ShadowSpear Special Operations MSOR Page
 http://www.military.com/special-operations/joining-marsoc-faq.html
 http://www.americanspecialops.com/marsoc/marsoc-selection-training.php
 http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=1102

Marine Raiders
Military special forces regiments
Regiments of the United States Marine Corps
Military counterterrorist organizations
Special operations units and formations of the United States Marine Corps
Military units and formations established in 2006

Marine Raider Regiment


Edwin Harrison McHenry (January 25, 1859 – August 21, 1931) was the fourth vice-president of the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad and first vice-president of the Consolidated Railway of  Hartford, Connecticut. Prior to joining the New Haven, McHenry had been chief engineer and a receiver of the Northern Pacific Railway and later the chief engineer of the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Biography
He was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, on January 25, 1859. He attended the Pennsylvania Military College at Chester, Pennsylvania.

He first started working on the railroad in 1883 as a rodman doing surveying on the Black Hills branch of the Northern Pacific Railroad. He progressed from rodman to chainman, draftsman, leveler, transitman, assistant engineer, division engineer, principal assistant engineer, and from November 1, 1893, to January 1, 1896, he was the chief engineer.

Starting on October 1, 1904, he was the first vice-president of the Consolidated Railway. He was also in charge of construction, operation and maintenance of the trolley lines owned by the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad. He was the fourth vice-president, New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad, in charge of the electrical department.

While working for the Northern Pacific, McHenry performed two notable engineering feats, and made one memorable marketing suggestion:

 In the 1880s McHenry was the principal assistant engineer on Stampede Pass during the construction of Stampede Tunnel, linking western Washington and especially the Puget Sound ports of Seattle and Tacoma to the East by rail.
 In the early 1890s McHenry was tasked with locating a line from the vicinity of Logan westward to Butte, Montana. During the course of this work McHenry discovered Homestake Pass, the pass which Interstate 90 now crosses the Continental Divide in Montana.
 In 1893, McHenry was in Chicago visiting the Columbian Exposition. While there, he visited the Korean display and noticed the prominent ying-yang symbol (or Monad) in the Korean flag. He suggested the suitability of this symbol to the Northern Pacific General Passenger Agent Charles S. Fee and  the symbol was adopted as the logotype of the newly reorganized Northern Pacific Railway.

McHenry died on August 21, 1931, in Ardmore, Pennsylvania.

Legacy
McHenry, North Dakota, was named by the Northern Pacific for him. Frances, Washington, was named by McHenry for his wife, whose middle name was Frances.

Engineering
 In the 1880s on the Northern Pacific, McHenry was the principal assistant engineer on Stampede Pass during the construction of Stampede Tunnel, linking western Washington and especially the Puget Sound ports of Seattle and Tacoma to the East by rail.
 In the early 1890s McHenry was tasked with locating a line from the vicinity of Logan westward to Butte, Montana. During the course of this work McHenry discovered Homestake Pass, the pass which Interstate 90 now crosses the Continental Divide in Montana.

References

Publications and papers
 McHenry, Edwin H. Rules for Railway Location and Construction Used on the Northern Pacific Railway [with a chapter on] Estimating Overhaul in Earthwork. New York: Engineering News Publishing, 1901.
 McHenry's papers as chief engineer of the Northern Pacific are held by the Minnesota Historical Society in St. Paul, Minnesota. Some additional papers and correspondence are held by the University of Montana's K. Ross Toole Archives in Missoula, Montana.

Further reading
 Biographical Directory of the Railway Officials of America, 1906 edition, pp. 381–82.
 Dakota Dateboook, May 26, 2006, "Moving Date." The story of McHenry and the Northern Pacific moving a massive bridge pier for the railway's crossing of the Missouri River at Bismarck, North Dakota. Available on the Web at: www.prairiepublic.org/programs/datebook/bydate/06/0506/052906.jsp.
 Frances, Washington, history, available on the Web at: visit.willapabay.org/pages/communities/frances.html.
 Krapp, Connie Allen. "The Loop That Has No End." North Dakota Horizons, Spring, 2000. Available on the Web at: www.ndhorizons.com/default.cfm?page=arc_spring00.

Northern Pacific Railway people
New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad
Widener University alumni
1859 births
1931 deaths
American civil engineers
Explorers of Montana

Edwin Harrison McHenry


Mevasa is a town and former princely state on Saurashtra peninsula in Gujarat, western India.

History
The minor princely state in Jhalawar prant, ruled by Kathi Chieftains, comprised the town and five other villages. It had a combined population of 619 in 1901, yielding a state revenue of 6,796 Rupees (1903-4, mostly from land) and a paying a tribute of 559 Rupees, to the British and Sukhdi State.mevasa Prince of Darbar shri merubapu surigbapu khachar, mevasa(chotila) state village of 2village mota haraniya(chotila) and naniyani(chotila) land of darbar gadh 1400 Acer in the Darbar shri merubapu khachar of the son darbar shri ramkubapu khachar & darbar shri manubapu khachar

See also
There are two other villages, Mevasa Khadiya and Mevasa Kamribaina, in Junagadh taluka (Sorath prant).

External links
 Imperial Gazetteer, on dsal.uchicago.edu

Princely states of Gujarat

Mevasa


Several factors complicate the diagnosis of Asperger syndrome (AS), an autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Like other ASD forms, Asperger syndrome is characterized by impairment in social interaction accompanied by restricted and repetitive interests and behavior; it differs from the other ASDs by having no general delay in language or cognitive development. Problems in diagnosis include disagreement among diagnostic criteria, the controversy over the distinction between AS and other ASD forms or even whether AS exists as a separate syndrome, and over- and under-diagnosis for non-technical reasons. As with other ASD forms, early diagnosis is important, and differential diagnosis must consider several other conditions.

Criteria

Asperger syndrome is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV-TR) as a pervasive developmental disorder that is distinguished by a pattern of symptoms rather than a single symptom. It is characterized by impairment in social interaction, by stereotyped and restricted patterns of behavior, activities and interests, and by no clinically significant delay in cognitive development or general delay in language. Impairments must be significant, and must affect important areas of function, and the diagnosis is excluded if criteria are also met for autism. Intense preoccupation with a narrow subject, one-sided verbosity, restricted prosody, and physical clumsiness are typical of the condition, but are not required for diagnosis.

The World Health Organization ICD-10 criteria are almost identical to DSM-IV: ICD-10 adds the statement that motor clumsiness is usual (although not necessarily a diagnostic feature); ICD-10 adds the statement that isolated special skills, often related to abnormal preoccupations, are common but are not required for diagnosis; and the DSM-IV requirement for clinically significant impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning is not included in ICD-10.

Diagnosis of Asperger syndrome can be tricky as there is a lack of standardized diagnostic screening for the disorder. According to the US National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, physicians look for the presence of a primary group of behaviors to make a diagnosis such as abnormal eye contact, aloofness, failure to respond when called by name, failure to use gestures to point or show, lack of interactive play with others, and a lack of interest in peers.

Reliability

The diagnoses of AS or high-functioning autism (HFA) are sometimes used interchangeably; the same child can receive different diagnoses depending on the screening tool and the individual administering the test. Diagnoses may be influenced by non-technical issues, such as the availability of government benefits for one condition but not the other.  Advocacy and parent support organizations have proliferated around the concept of AS, and there are indications that this has resulted in more frequent diagnoses of AS, which may be given as a "residual diagnosis" to children of normal intelligence who do not meet diagnostic criteria for autism but have some social difficulties.
Conversely, the cost of screening and diagnosis and the challenge of obtaining payment can inhibit or delay diagnosis.

Procedure

Developmental screening during a routine check-up by a general practitioner or pediatrician may identify signs that warrant further investigation. This will require a comprehensive team evaluation to either confirm or exclude a diagnosis of AS. This team usually includes a psychologist, neurologist, psychiatrist, speech and language pathologist, occupational therapist and other professionals with expertise in diagnosing children with AS.  Observation occurs across multiple settings; the social disability in AS may be more evident during periods when social expectations are unclear and children are free of adult direction. A comprehensive evaluation includes neurological and genetic assessment, with in-depth cognitive and language testing to establish IQ and evaluate psychomotor function, verbal and nonverbal strengths and weaknesses, style of learning, and skills for independent living. An assessment of communication strengths and weaknesses includes the evaluation of nonverbal forms of communication (gaze and gestures); the use of non-literal language (metaphor, irony, absurdities and humor); patterns of speech inflection, stress and volume; pragmatics (turn-taking and sensitivity to verbal cues); and the content, clarity and coherence of conversation.  Testing may include an audiological referral to exclude hearing impairment. The determination of whether there is a family history of autism spectrum conditions is important.  A medical practitioner will diagnose on the basis of the test results and the person's developmental history and current symptoms. Because multiple domains of functioning are involved, a multidisciplinary team approach is critical; an accurate assessment of the individual's strengths and weaknesses is more useful than a diagnostic label. Delayed or mistaken diagnosis is a serious problem that can be traumatic for individuals and families; diagnosis based solely on neurological, speech and language, or educational attainment may yield only a partial diagnosis.

Advances in genetic technology allow clinical geneticists to link an estimated 40% of ASD cases to genetic causes; in one study the diagnostic yield for AS, PDD-NOS and atypical autism was similar to that for classic autism. Genetic diagnosis is relatively expensive, and genetic screening is generally impractical. As genetic tests are developed several ethical, legal, and social issues will emerge. Commercial availability of tests may precede adequate understanding of how to use test results, given the complexity of the genetics.

Early diagnosis

Parents of children with AS can typically trace differences in their children's development to as early as 30 months of age, although diagnosis is not made on average until the age of 11.  By definition, children with AS develop language and self-help skills on schedule, so early signs may not be apparent and the condition may not be diagnosed until later childhood or adulthood.  Impairment in social interaction is sometimes not in evidence until a child attains an age at which these behaviors become important; social disabilities are often first noticed when children encounter peers in daycare or preschool.  Diagnosis is most commonly made between the ages of four and eleven, and one study suggests that diagnosis cannot be rendered reliably before age four.

Differential diagnosis

Asperger syndrome can be misdiagnosed as a number of other conditions, leading to medications that are unnecessary or even worsen behavior; the condition may be at the root of treatment-resistant mental illness in adults.  Diagnostic confusion burdens individuals and families and may cause them to seek unhelpful therapies.  Conditions that must be considered in a differential diagnosis include other pervasive developmental disorders (autism, PDD-NOS, childhood disintegrative disorder, Rett disorder), schizophrenia spectrum disorders (schizophrenia, schizotypal disorder, schizoid personality disorder), attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, obsessive compulsive disorder, depression, semantic pragmatic disorder, multiple complex developmental disorder and nonverbal learning disorder (NLD).

Differentiating between AS and other ASDs relies on the judgment of experienced clinicians. There is much overlap between AS and NLD: both have symptoms of precocious reading, verbosity, and clumsiness, but they differ in that children with AS have restricted interests, repetitive behaviors, and less-typical social interactions. Tourette syndrome (TS) should also be considered in differential diagnosis:  "It is in nonretarded, rigid individuals on the autistic spectrum, especially those with so-called Asperger syndrome, that differences with less severely affected individuals with TS and obsessive compulsive disorder may become blurred, or that both disorders may coexist."
Other problems to be considered in the differential diagnosis include selective mutism, stereotypic movement disorder and bipolar disorder as well as traumatic brain injury or birth trauma, conduct disorder, Cornelia De Lange syndrome, fetal alcohol syndrome, fragile X syndrome, dyslexia, Fahr syndrome, hyperlexia, leukodystrophy, multiple sclerosis and Triple X syndrome.

Multiple sets of diagnostic criteria
The diagnosis of AS is complicated by the use of several different screening instruments.  In addition to the DSM-IV and the ICD-10 criteria, other sets of diagnostic criteria for AS are the Szatmari et al. criteria and the Gillberg and Gillberg criteria.

Compared with the DSM-IV and ICD-10 criteria, the requirements of normal early language and cognitive development are not mentioned by Szatmari et al., whereas language delay is allowed in the Gillberg and Gillberg criteria. Szatmari et al. emphasize solitariness, and both Gillberg and Szatmari include "odd speech" and "language" in their criteria.  Although Szatmari does not mention stereotyped behaviors, one of four described stereotyped functions is required by DSM-IV and ICD-10, and two are required by Gillberg and Gillberg.  Abnormal responses to sensory stimuli are not mentioned in any diagnostic scheme, although they have been associated with AS. Because DSM-IV and ICD-10 exclude speech and language difficulties, these definitions exclude some of the original cases described by Hans Asperger. According to one researcher, the majority of individuals with AS do have speech and language abnormalities, and the DSM-IV-TR says that "the occurrence of 'no clinically significant delays in language does not imply that individuals with Asperger Disorder have no problems with communication' (American Psychiatric Association, 2000, p. 80)". The Gillberg and Gillberg criteria are considered closest to Asperger's original description of the syndrome; the aggression and abnormal prosody that other authors say defined Asperger's patients are not mentioned in any criteria.

The DSM-IV and ICD-10 diagnostic criteria have been criticized for being too broad and inadequate for assessing adults, overly narrow (particularly in relation to Hans Asperger's original description of individuals with AS), and vague; results of a large study in 2007 comparing the four sets of criteria point to a "huge need to reconsider the diagnostic criteria of AS".  The study found complete overlap across all sets of diagnostic criteria in the impairment of social interaction with the exception of four cases not diagnosed by the Szatmari et al. criteria because of its emphasis on social solitariness.  Lack of overlap was strongest in the language delay and odd speech requirements of the Gillberg and the Szatmari requirements relative to DSM-IV and ICD-10, and in the differing requirements regarding general delays. A small 2008 study of children referred with a tentative diagnosis of AS found poor agreement among the four sets of criteria, with one overlap being only 39%. In 2007 Szatmari et al. suggested a new classification system of ASD based on familial traits found by genetic epidemiology.

Differences from high-functioning autism

The distinction between Asperger's and other ASD forms is to some extent an artefact of how autism was discovered. Although individuals with Asperger's tend to perform better cognitively than those with autism, the extent of the overlap between Asperger's and high-functioning autism is unclear.
Overall, relatively few differences are reported between Asperger's and autism on parameters related to causation. A standard assumption is that Asperger's and autism have a common cause, and are variable expressions of the same underlying disorder. A 2008 review of classification studies found that results largely did not support differences between the diagnoses, and that the most salient group characteristics came from IQ characterizations. The current ASD classification may not reflect the true nature of the conditions. A panel session at a 2008 diagnosis-related autism research planning conference noted problems with the classification of AS as a distinct subgroup of ASD, and two of three breakout groups recommended eliminating AS as a separate diagnosis.

A neuropsychological profile has been proposed for AS; if verified, it could differentiate between AS and HFA and aid in differential diagnosis. Relative to HFA, people with AS have deficits in nonverbal skills such as visual-spatial problem solving and visual-motor coordination, along with stronger verbal abilities. Several studies have found AS with a neuropsychologic profile of assets and deficits consistent with a nonverbal learning disability, but several other studies have failed to replicate this. The literature review did not reveal consistent findings of "nonverbal weaknesses or increased spatial or motor problems relative to individuals with HFA", leading some researchers to argue that increased cognitive ability is evidenced in AS relative to HFA regardless of differences in verbal and nonverbal ability.

DSM-5 changes

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) which was published in May 2013 canceled Asperger's disorder as a separate diagnosis and homogenized it under autism spectrum disorder, with severity measures within the broader diagnosis. The DSM 5 noted that "Individuals with a well-established DSM-IV diagnosis of [...] Asperger's disorder [...] should be given the diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder."

The removal of Asperger's Disorder from the DSM has been controversial as it is commonly used by health insurers, researchers, state agencies, schools, and individuals with the disorder. Experts are concerned that eliminating the Asperger's label will prevent mildly affected people from being evaluated for Autism. A meta-analysis of 14 studies published The Columbia University school of nursing in early 2014 showed that there was a pooled 30% decrease in Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnoses following the publication of the DSM 5.

References

Further reading

Asperger syndrome
Psychiatric assessment

Diagnosis of Asperger syndrome


Guglielmo Borghetti (born 25 March 1954) is an Italian ordinary of the Catholic Church and the current Bishop of Albenga-Imperia. He is the former Bishop of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello.

Biography

Early life and education
Guglielmo Borghetti was born on 25 March 1954 in the frazione of Avenza, a hamlet of Carrara, which is a comune of Tuscany, Italy. After attending the Liceo Classico Emanuele Repetti in Carrara, he studied at the University of Pisa where he earned a degree in philosophy and at the Salesian Pontifical University where he earned a bachelor of arts in psychology. Following this, he entered the seminary and studied theology.

Priestly ministry
Borghetti was ordained a priest on 17 October 1982 in the Massa Cathedral by Bishop Aldo Forzoni.

Borghetti eventually became the vice chancellor and then rector of the diocesan seminary of the Diocese of Massa-Carrara-Pontremoli and a parish priest of the Massa Cathedral. By 1993, he was the spiritual director of the seminary and the director of the diocese's office for vocations. From 1993 to 1996, he served as the episcopal vicar. In 1997, he became a priest in the parish of Santa Maria della Rosa in Montignoso. He then became the dean of the Msgr. Enrico Bartoletti Inter-diocesan Theological Study () in Camaiore.

On 1 March 1996, Borghetti was bestowed by Pope John Paul II the title Chaplain of His Holiness, which grants the pre-nominal honorific of "Monsignor."

With the support and authorization of the bishops of the Inter-diocesan Theological Study, he founded in 2002 the Institute for the Study and Research of Pastoral Counseling (). The institute, in addition to providing a counseling service to those in consecrated life, it operates a three-year training school in pastoral counseling for pastoral workers. Its headquarters and operations are in Camaiore.

Borghetti also served as chaplain to Catholic physicians of the Diocese of Massa-Carrara-Pontremoli, as canon of the Cathedral Basilica of Massa, and has authored several articles in Catholic magazines. He has also served as a lecturer in psychology of personality at the Edith Stein School in Savona, whose purpose is the formation of educators in the ecclesiastical community.

On 13 June 2009, Borghetti received his investiture as a knight into the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem. At the same time, he became the chaplain of the Diocese of Massa-Carrara-Pontremoli delegation.

Episcopal ministry
On 25 June 2010, Pope Benedict XVI appointed Borghetti Bishop of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello. He succeeded Mario Meini, who was previously named Bishop of Fiesole. He received his episcopal consecration on 15 September 2010 in the Massa Cathedral and took the Latin motto "evangelium servire pro mundi spe," which translates to "serve the Gospel for the hope of the world." The principal consecrator was Mario Meini and the co-consecrators were Bishops Giovanni Santucci and Eugenio Binini. He was installed on 26 September of that year. His appointment as bishop elevated him to the rank of Grand Officer of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre.

From 19 November 2012 to 10 August 2013 Borghetti also served as apostolic administrator of the Diocese of Grosseto.

On 10 January 2015, Pope Francis appointed him Coadjutor Bishop of Albenga-Imperia, granting him upon entrance into the diocese in accordance with canon 381 of the Code of Canon Law the powers as diocesan ordinary of the full and effective leadership of the diocese in place of Bishop Mario Oliveri; Oliveri retained the title of Bishop of Albenga-Imperia but without any ordinary powers. On 25 March, Borghetti was installed in his office in the chapel of the Albenga Episcopal Seminary.

On 21 November 2015, he acted as principal co-consecrator of Giovanni Roncari, who succeeded him as Bishop of Pitigliano-Sovana-Orbetello. Borghetti officially became Bishop of Albenga-Imperia on 1 September 2016.

Honors

Knight of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (13 June 2009)
Grand Officer of the Equestrian Order of the Holy Sepulchre of Jerusalem (25 June 2010)

Works

References

External links

Diocese of Albenga-Imperia
Educare. Per una pienzza di vita.

21st-century Italian Roman Catholic bishops
Living people
1954 births
People from Carrara
Bishops of Albenga

Guglielmo Borghetti


Sir Henry Thomas Godwin KCB (1784–1853) was a British officer. He fought in the British Army in the Peninsular War and in the First Anglo-Burmese War before joining the Bengal Army, in which he served as commander in chief of British and Indian forces in the Second Anglo-Burmese War of 1852 and 1853.

Military career
Godwin was commissioned as an ensign into the 9th Foot on 30 October 1799. He served with the regiment at Ferrol in 1800 and was promoted Lieutenant on 9 August 1803. In an expedition to Hanover in 1805 he served as adjutant of his battalion. In 1808, at the outset of the Peninsular War, Godwin was in Portugal and was promoted Captain on 28 March 1808. The next year he took part in operations on the Douro and in the advance to Porto, then marched with his battalion to Gibraltar and later to Tarifa. He volunteered to follow Blayney in an attack on Fuengirola and later commanded two companies at the Siege of Cadiz. He fought at the defence of Tarifa in 1811, was severely wounded at the Battle of Barrosa on 5 March 1811, and ended the war as a brevet Major and a Companion of the Order of the Bath.

In 1814 Godwin received a major's commission in the 5th West India Regiment. On 26 July 1821 he took up an appointment as lieutenant-colonel of the 41st Foot. In 1822 he led the regiment to India and in 1824 took it into Burma. In the second half of 1824 he was part of an expeditionary force which conquered Martaban, and following that Godwin saw active service in all battles of the First Anglo-Burmese War up to the Treaty of Yandaboo of 1826. In 1827 he was transferred to half pay. In 1837 was promoted colonel and on 9 November 1846 Major General.

Godwin joined the General Staff of the Bombay Army in 1850, and with effect from November 1851 he took command of the army's Sirhind Division. In 1852, during the Second Anglo-Burmese War, Godwin was commander in chief of the British expeditionary force into Burma, known as the "Army of Ava", as well as commanding the force's Bengal Division.

Godwin, with his expeditionary force, set sail from Bombay on 28 March 1852, aiming for the mouth of the Irrawaddy River, where he was to be joined by forces sent from Madras. There, he found a naval force led by Admiral Austen on board HMS Rattler, with ships of both the Royal Navy and the Indian Navy. On 5 April 1852 the naval forces began to bombard Martaban. Godwin moved to capture Rangoon the same month.

On 12 April 1852, after a further naval bombardment, Godwin went ashore at Rangoon, leading a force comprising the 51st Light Infantry, the 18th Royal Irish, the 40th Bengal Native Infantry, and some artillery. Fighting continued until the 14th, when the capture of Rangoon was completed with the storming of the Great Dagon Pagoda.

On 21 November 1852, Godwin captured Pegu, with a force numbering four thousand men. He wrote the next day to the secretary of Lord Dalhousie, Governor General of India,

In December 1852 Dalhousie proclaimed the annexation of the province of Pegu to British India. After more fighting at Prome and elsewhere, the Army of Ava was broken up on 1 July 1853 and Godwin returned to India.

On his arrival in India, Godwin again took up command of the Bengal Army's Sirhind Division. However, on 26 October 1853, after a brief illness, he died at Simla, while staying with Sir William Gomm, the Commander-in-Chief, India, with whom he had served in the 9th Foot. An obituary in The Gentleman's Magazine stated that "it was by overheating himself with exercise that his fatal malady was originated". After Godwin's death, news came from London that he had been appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and as colonel of the 20th Foot.

Family
Godwin was married with one daughter, Maria Elizabeth, who was his heiress. She was interested in natural history and was a good musician and amateur artist. In 1833, at Teignmouth, Maria Elizabeth married the geologist Robert Austen. In 1854, by the royal licence of Queen Victoria, Austen took the surname of Godwin-Austen.

Maria Elizabeth's eldest son, Henry Haversham Godwin-Austen, retired from the army as a lieutenant-colonel in 1877 after service on the Trigonometrical Survey of India and was a notable geologist. Another of her sons, A. G. Godwin-Austen, also followed his grandfather into the army and retired as a lieutenant colonel, while his son Sir Alfred Godwin-Austen (1889-1963) became a full general.

Notes

1784 births
1853 deaths
British Army personnel of the Second Anglo-Burmese War
British Army personnel of the Napoleonic Wars
British Army major generals
British people in colonial India

Henry Godwin (Army officer)


Kenyatta Cornelius Lucas (born January 23, 1979) is a former American football cornerback. He was drafted by the Seahawks in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He played college football at Mississippi. In 2004 he was the NFC co-leader in interceptions.

Lucas has also played for the Carolina Panthers.

Early years
Lucas attended East Side High School in Cleveland, Mississippi, where he garnered first-team all-district honors at wide receiver and kick returner and all-county recognition at wide receiver and cornerback playing alongside former Seattle Seahawks offensive lineman Floyd "Pork Chop" Womack. He was selected the district rookie of the year as a freshman and named the team's most outstanding player as a junior and most valuable player as a senior. Lucas also lettered four times in baseball, finishing with a .395 career batting average. He graduated from East Side in 1997.

College career
Lucas began playing at the University of Mississippi as a wide receiver before moving to defensive back late in his sophomore season. He finished his college career with 87 tackles, seven interceptions and 33 passes defensed on defense; in addition, he totaled 23 catches for 292 yards and one touchdown and four carries for 73 yards on offense. Lucas returned 20 kickoffs for 383 yards and one punt for 17 yards, had nine tackles and blocked two punts on special teams.

Professional career

First stint with Seahawks
Lucas was drafted by the Seattle Seahawks in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft. He started in his first game as a rookie against the Cleveland Browns, managing to deflect a crucial late game pass that allowed Seattle to preserve their lead and win the game. Lucas would go on to continue his defensive prowess by recording his first NFL interception against the esteemed San Diego Chargers' quarterback, Doug Flutie.

During the 2002 NFL season, Lucas earned nationwide attention after recording two interceptions against Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick, earning him the NFL's "NFC Defensive Player of the Week" award. After an impressive display of athletic ability, Lucas finished the season with a career-high 82 tackles.

During the 2004 NFL season, Lucas again earned the title of "NFC Defensive Player of the Week" after recording two interceptions against St. Louis Rams' quarterback Marc Bulger. He would finish the season with six interceptions, including one which was returned for his first NFL touchdown.

Carolina Panthers
Lucas was signed by the Panthers prior to the 2005 NFL season as an unrestricted free agent. He started fifteen games in his first season with the Panthers, and once more closed the season with six interceptions. Lucas would continue his superb work in the playoffs, recording two interceptions in three games, although he ended that season with a loss in the NFC Championship against his old team, the eventual 2005 NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks. During training camp for the 2008 season, Lucas was involved in an altercation with Panthers star receiver Steve Smith. Smith blackened Lucas' eye and broke his nose during the scuffle. Ken Lucas was praised by numerous people for forgiving Smith completely.

Lucas was released by the Panthers on March 11, 2009 to clear about $2.3 million in salary cap space.

Second stint with Seahawks
After four seasons in Carolina, Lucas re-signed with the Seattle Seahawks on April 27, 2009.

References

External links
Seattle Seahawks bio

1979 births
Living people
People from Cleveland, Mississippi
American football wide receivers
American football cornerbacks
Ole Miss Rebels football players
Seattle Seahawks players
Carolina Panthers players

Ken Lucas (American football)


"Old Money" is the seventeenth episode of The Simpsons second season. It first started on the Fox network in the United States on March 28, 1991. In this episode, Grampa's new girlfriend at the "Retirement Castle" dies and leaves him with $106,000. He heads for a casino to spend the money but is stopped by Homer, so he decides to spend the money on renovating the retirement home instead.

Other websites

1991 television episodes
The Simpsons (season 2) episodes

Old Money


is a maze chase arcade video game developed in Japan and Germany by Namco and released in 1980. In North America, it was distributed by Midway Manufacturing and in Europe by Karateco. Players drive a blue Formula One race car through a multidirectional scrolling maze to collect yellow flags. Boulders block some paths and must be avoided. Red enemy cars pursue the player in an attempt to collide with them. Red cars can be temporarily stunned by laying down smoke screens at the cost of fuel. Rally-X is one of the first games with bonus stages and continuously-playing background music.

Rally-X was designed as a successor to Sega's Head On (1979), an earlier maze chase game with cars. It was a commercial success in Japan, where it was the sixth highest-grossing game of 1980, but Midway Manufacturing released the game in North America to largely underwhelming results. An often-repeated, though untrue, story involving its demonstration at the 1980 Amusement & Music Operators Association trade show, where the attending press believed Rally-X was of superior quality than the other games presented, specifically Pac-Man. Though it was well-received by attendees, Rally-X failed to attract much attention during its presentation.

Reception for Rally-X, both at release and retrospectively, has highlighted its technological accomplishments and high difficulty. Some reviewers have found it to be influential and ahead of its time. Rally-X received several remakes and sequels, beginning with the slightly tweaked New Rally-X in 1981. It is also included in several Namco compilations.

Gameplay

Rally-X is a maze chase game where the player controls a blue Formula One racecar. The objective is to collect yellow flags that are scattered around an enclosed maze while avoiding collision with red-colored cars that pursue the player. Mazes scroll in the four cardinal directions and are clustered with dead ends, long corridors, and stationary boulders that are harmful to the player. Each level contains ten flags that increase their point value when collected in succession. One of the flags is a "Special Flag", indicated by an S next to it, which doubles the value of each flag collected thereafter. The player can temporarily stun the red cars with smoke screens, which depletes a portion of their fuel meter at the right of the screen. The meter constantly depletes the longer the player takes in a level, and acts as a timer. As the game progresses, more red cars are added and become more aggressive.

The player has a radar beneath their fuel meter, which displays their current position on the map as well as the location of the flags and red cars. The third level and every fourth thereafter is a bonus round (called a "Charanging Stage"), where the objective is to collect the flags in a certain amount of time. In these bonus rounds, the red cars remain idle and will not chase the player unless their fuel is empty.

Development and release
Rally-X was created by Namco and designed by Hirohito Ito, with hardware developed by Kouichi Tashiro. It was produced as a successor to Head On (1979), an older arcade game from Sega that similarly involved collecting items in a maze while avoiding enemy cars that pursued the player. Head On was a popular title in Japanese arcades, which gave Namco the idea of creating a game that built on its mechanics. Rally-X was created on a version of the Pac-Man arcade system board that supports multi-directional scrolling. The programming was done by Kazuo Kurosu, who went on to design the multi-directional shooter Bosconian (1981), and featured music from Pac-Man composer Toshio Kai.

Rally-X was first demonstrated in Japan in January 1980, before receiving a wide release on October 3, 1980. When preparing to release the game overseas, Namco believed Rally-X had more foreign appeal than Pac-Man with its audiovisual presentation and challenge, which it believed American audiences would prefer to the simplicity and "cuteness" present in Pac-Man. Namco presented Rally-X at the 1980 Amusement & Music Operators Union (AMOA) tradeshow in Chicago, Illinois, alongside Pac-Man, King & Balloon, and Tank Battalion. An often-repeated story is that out of the games presented, specifically Pac-Man, the attending industry analysists believed Rally-X was the stand-out and the one destined to be successful. Though it received praise from the press, Rally-X did not attract much attention during the event. According to Play Meter magazine, both Pac-Man and Rally-X received mild attention at the show. Midway Manufacturing, the video game division of Bally Manufacturing, agreed to distribute Rally-X and Pac-Man in North America. Dave Marofske, the president of Midway, believed the two had the most potential out of the four Namco games presented. Midway released Rally-X in North America in February 1981 in upright, tabletop, and cabaret cabinet variations.

Conversions
A home conversion of Rally-X was released for the VIC-20 in Japan in 1981. The port was developed by HAL Laboratory and published by the Japanese division of Commodore International. Due to licensing restrictions, HAL changed the game's characters to mice and cats and released it in North America as Radar Rat Race. Namco released a port for the MSX in 1984 that adopted the gameplay of New Rally-X, which was released in Europe by Argus Press Software under the Bug-Byte name. Dempa Shinbun developed versions for the Fujitsu FM-7, MZ-1500, and Sharp X1 computers in Japan the same year.

Rally-X remained relatively obscure for many years until 1995, when it was included in the PlayStation compilation Namco Museum Vol. 1 along with six other Namco arcade games. The port uses a JAMMA emulator running the source code of the original, making it a near-perfect conversion. Rally-X has been included in several Namco compilations including Namco History Vol. 2 (1997), Microsoft Revenge of Arcade (1998), Namco Museum Battle Collection (2005), Namco Museum 50th Anniversary (2005), Namco Museum Virtual Arcade (2008), and Namco Museum Megamix (2010). In 1996, Rally-X was re-released for arcades as part of Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2. It has also appeared in several Namco "plug'n play" game controllers from Jakks Pacific. Rally-X is also included in both Pac-Man's Arcade Party (2010) and Pac-Man's Pixel Bash (2019). In 2021, Rally-X saw a digital release under the Arcade Archives label for the Nintendo Switch and PlayStation 4.

Reception

The game was a commercial success in Japan, where it became the sixth highest-grossing arcade game of 1980, and Namco's third highest that year below Pac-Man and Galaxian. In contrast, the game was not as successful in North America. By July 1981, Midway had sold 2,500 Rally-X arcade machines, significantly less than the company's other releases at the time. Dick Pearson of RePlay highlighted its colorful visuals and sound effects in a preview from the tradeshow, comparing its gameplay favorably to Pac-Man and writing that it "shows promise as an entertaining maze video game". A writer for Cash Box provided similar comments, further applauding its scoring system and layer of strategy. In 1991, Gamest listed it as being a "masterpiece" alongside New Rally-X, and believed its underwhelming critical and commercial reception was attributed to it being ahead of its time. Staff considered it a successor to Head On, as well as being influential for the maze genre.

In his review of Namco Museum Vol. 1, Computer and Video Games Ed Lomas said Rally-X was fun at first, but quickly became repetitive and suffered from poor movement controls. Brett Alan Weiss of AllGame was similarly mixed in his review from 1998, where he claimed its only noteworthy aspects were the "merciless" difficulty and smoke screen weapon. Weiss found its visuals and sounds to only be "merely functional", and secondary to the difficult level. IGN staff contrasted their statements, and believed Rally-X, like the other games in Vol. 1, holds up well today. It was listed among the greatest arcade games by Gamest readers in 1998, being selected for its innovation and evolution on the traditional gameplay of maze chase action games.

Rally-X has continued to earn praise in retrospective commentary. Writing for Eurogamer in 2007, Sir Clive believed the game was unique enough to discern it from Pac-Man and similar maze-chasers. He identified its high difficulty and design, and that it gave an adrenaline rush to players. Clive commented: "When you are playing the game, just imaging a yellow circle where your car is and repeat the mantra 'wakawakawakawaka' as you play and you will start to see just how huge this game could have been". Retro Gamer staff were positive towards its colorful graphics, smooth scrolling, and increasing level of difficulty, writing it makes for a unique derivative of Pac-Man and was worth playing in its own right. Phosphor Dot Fossilss Earl Green found its gameplay addictive and commented on its similarities to Pac-Man. Green believes Rally-X failed to catch on as it lacked Pac-Mans abstract characters and design, and was too similar to other driving games from the era.

Legacy
Rally-X is credited as being one of the first games to feature continuous background music and a bonus round, predating Sega's Carnival, which was released in June 1980.

In response to player feedback from the original, Namco released a sequel named New Rally-X in 1981, which was designed to improve on the original's flaws and make it easier for newcomers. It also adds a "Lucky Flag" that awards bonus points based on how much fuel remains. New Rally-X has been seen as an improvement over the original and has been ported to several consoles and compilations, such as mobile phones and the Xbox 360. Rally-X Arrangement, included in Namco Classic Collection Vol. 2 (1996), is a remake of the original that implements power-ups and new enemy types. A similar game titled New Rally-X Arrangement is included in Namco Museum Battle Collection (2005). The 2007 Wii game Namco Museum Remix and its 2010 update Namco Museum Megamix include a 3D remake named Rally-X Remix, which replaces the player's car with Pac-Man. Namco Bandai Games released a sequel for iOS in 2011, Rally-X Rumble, that uses a neon-inspired graphical motif in the style of Pac-Man Championship Edition DX (2010) and is designed as a multiplayer battle royale game.

The Special Flag has become a symbol for Namco and has made frequent appearances in games, usually as an item that awards an extra life. It has appeared in games such as Xevious (1983), Gaplus (1984), Tinkle Pit (1994), Tales of Phantasia (1995), Xevious Resurrection (2009), Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS & Wii U (2014), and Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (2018). Namco Bandai's "game consulting" service, which provides insight on the company's design philosophies to clients, is named Special Flag, as are its indoor restaurants located in its VR Zone amusement centers. Merchandise such as enamel pins and keychains featuring the Special Flag have also been produced.

Notes

References

External links

Rally-X at the Arcade History database

1980 video games
Arcade video games
Bandai Namco Entertainment franchises
FM-7 games
Hamster Corporation games
Karateco games
Maze games
Midway video games
MSX games
Multiplayer and single-player video games
Namco arcade games
Nintendo Switch games
PlayStation 4 games
Sharp X1 games
Video games developed in Japan

Rally-X


Pycniospores are a type of spore found in certain species of rust fungi. They are produced in special cup-like structures called pycnia or pynidia. Almost all fungi reproduce asexually with the production of spores.  Spores may be colorless, green, yellow, orange, red, brown or black.

Other types of spore

Sporangiospores
Sporangiospores (spore:spore, angion:sac) are spores formed inside the sporangium which is a spore sac.

Conidia
Conidia (singular: conidium) are spores produced at the tip of special branches called conidiophores.

Oidia
Oidia (singular: oidium).  In several fungi, the hyphae is often divided into a large number of short pieces by transverse walls.  Each piece is able to germinate into a new body.  These pieces are called oidia (small egg).

Chlamydospores
Chlamydospores (chlymus: mantle) are produced like oidia but differ from oidia in being thick walled.  They are either terminal or intercalary.

References

Fungal morphology and anatomy
Mycology

Pycniospore


An antependium (from Latin ante- and pendēre "to hang before"; pl: antependia), also known as a pulpit fall, parament or hanging, or, when speaking specifically of the hanging for the altar, an altar frontal (Latin: pallium altaris), is a decorative piece, usually of textile, but also metalwork, stone or other material that can adorn a Christian altar.

Specifically, and as the etymology of the word suggests, an antependium hangs down in front of whatever it covers, and is to be distinguished from the altar linens  which are used in the service of the Eucharist, and an altar cloth which covers the top of the altar table (mensa).

The true liturgical decoration of the altar and its oldest adornment is the frontal (pallium,palla,paramentum,frontale,antependium)."

Types of antependia

Western Christianity
"Antependium" is the word used for elaborate fixed altar frontals, which, in large churches and especially in the Ottonian art of the Early Medieval period, were sometimes of gold studded with gems, enamels and ivories, and in other periods and churches often carved stone, painted wood panel, stucco, or other materials, such as azulejo tiling in Portugal.

When the front of an altar is elaborately carved or painted, the additional cloth altar frontal normally reaches down only a few inches from the top of the altar table; this is called a "frontlet". In other cases it may reach to the floor (the "frontal", properly so called). In both situations, it will usually cover the entire width of the altar. A "Jacobean frontal" will cover the entire altar, reaching down to the floor on all four sides.

The Anglican Canons of 1603 order that the Lord's Table should be "covered, in time of Divine Service, with a carpet of silk or other decent stuff, thought meet by the Ordinary of the place" (can. 82).

Covers for lecterns and pulpits are generally similar to a frontlet, normally covering the "desk" of the lectern or pulpit and handing down about a foot or longer in front (visible from the congregation).

There is little information about the decoration of Christian altars in the first four centuries, however, from the 5th century onward there is evidence for the use of altar frontals. Palladius, writing in 421 CE, states that Roman ladies gave their silk dresses to form coverings for the altar.

Eastern Christianity

In the Orthodox Church, the Holy Table (altar) may be covered with one or two coverings. There is always an outer frontal, covering the top of the Holy Table and hanging down several inches on all four sides. This kind is used alone if the front of the Holy Table is elaborately carved or decorated. For a "fully vested" Holy Table, a second, inner hanging is used. This covers the Holy Table fully on the top and hangs down to the floor on all four sides.

The analogia (icon stands) are covered with a covering known as a proskynitarion. As with the coverings used on the Holy Table, there may, again, be only one outer covering or also a second, inner covering that hangs to the floor (though, in this case, sometimes only in the front and back).

Construction
A cloth antependium is normally of the same colour and often of the same fabric and similar style as the vestments worn by the clergy. The fabric may vary from very simple material, such as cotton or wool, to exquisitely wrought damasks, fine watermarked silk, velvet, or satin. Embellishment is commonly by means of decorative bands of material called orphreys, embroidery (sometimes in gold or silver thread, or making use of pearls and semi-precious stones) or appliqués, fringes and tassels, all of a complementary colour to the fabric. The most frequently used symbol on both vestments and hangings is the cross. The antependium is normally lined in satin, using a matching hue.

By the 7th to 8th century rich materials were customary in the fabrication of an antependiums, particularly gold embroideries. From the 8th century onward antependia were often made from a variety of materials including metal, gold, silver, gilt, and enamels.

Italian Antependia

The earliest extant painted wooden antependium in Italian art is the one attributed to the Maestro di Tressa in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena, Italy.  It is dated 1215 and is tempera and gold on panel, embellished with pastiglia decoration to mimic metalwork. It is generally called "Il Paliotto del Salvatore" or the Antependium of the Savior.

The upper frame bears the inscription: " Anno D[omi]ni Millesimo CCXV: mense Novembri: hec tabula facta est ". "In the year of the Lord, One thousand two hundred fifteen: in the month of November: this table was made."

Colours

The colours used tend to be suggested by the liturgical tradition of each denomination. Most Western Christian churches that observe a developed liturgical tradition use white, gold, red, green, violet and black, with each being used on specified occasions. A rose colour may be employed for the fourth Sunday (Laetare Sunday) in Lent and the third Sunday (Gaudete Sunday) in Advent. In Anglican circles, blue is sometimes prescribed for feasts of the Blessed Virgin Mary (see liturgical colours), although it is also used, unofficially, in some areas of the Roman Catholic Church. Among Eastern Christians, there tend to be two types of vestments: somber (dark) ones and festal (bright) ones. Beyond that, no specific colours are officially required. Among groups such as the Russian Orthodox Church, a pattern of fixed colours has developed, somewhat similar to that used in the West, although they are not, strictly speaking, required.

Other usages
Antependium can also be used to describe the front of the altar itself, especially if it is elaborately carved or gilded. The famous Pala d'Oro in St. Mark's Basilica in Venice originated as an antependium, although it is used as a reredos now.

See also
Altar cloth
Liturgical colours

References

External links
Altar Frontal article from the Catholic Encyclopedia
Orthodox altar with red frontal
Jacobean Frontal St. John's Church, Edinburgh, Scotland

Christian religious objects
Eastern Christian vestments
Altar frontal

Antependium


Bowbridge Crossing Halt was opened on 1 May 1905 on what is now the Golden Valley Line between Kemble and . This line was opened in 1845 as the Cheltenham and Great Western Union Railway from Swindon to Gloucester and this was one of many small stations and halts built on this line for the local passenger service. This halt opened with the introduction of the GWR steam railmotor services between Stonehouse and Chalford.

The halt was between Brimscombe and Stroud, on the minor road "Butterow Hill" between Bowbridge and Rodborough Common. The halt originally consisted of a pair of ground level platforms and a wooden crossing, but the platforms were subsequently replaced by standard height platforms. GWR pagoda style shelters were provided but these were later replaced by rectangular metal shelters. Access to the halt was from the adjacent level crossing, and Electric treadles and bells were provided warning passengers and other pedestrians of trains approaching.

Closure of the halt came in November 1964 following the withdrawal of local stopping passenger services on the line. No trace of the halt remains today, but the wooden crossing still exists, approached with steps made from old railway sleepers.

Services
This halt was served by the Gloucester to Chalford local passenger services, known as the Chalford Auto.

References

Stroud District
Disused railway stations in Gloucestershire
Former Great Western Railway stations
Railway stations in Great Britain opened in 1905
Railway stations in Great Britain closed in 1964
Beeching closures in England

Bowbridge Crossing Halt railway station


Smilax jamesii is a species of flowering plant in the greenbriar family known by the common name English Peak greenbriar. It is to northern California, where it is known from the Klamath Mountains and the southernmost peaks of the Cascade Range. It has also been reported from nearby locations in southwestern Oregon. It grows in moist areas such as lakesides and streambanks in mountain coniferous forest habitat. It was discovered to be a new species when herbarium specimens thought to be Smilax californica were reexamined.

This is a rhizomatous perennial herb taking the form of a vine, climbing and branching to maximum lengths of 2 to 3 meters. The dark green leaves have blades up to 8 centimeters long by 7 wide, triangular to pointed oval in shape. There are numerous tendrils. The inflorescence is an umbel-shaped cluster of flowers blooming from the leaf axils. Male inflorescences contain up to 20 flowers, and the larger female inflorescences may have 40. The male and female flowers have similar petals but the female flower has a spherical ovary in the center. The mature fruit is a blue berry just under a centimeter wide which turns maroon in color as it dries.

References

External links
Photo gallery

Smilacaceae
Flora of California
Flora of Oregon
Plants described in 1979

Smilax jamesii


A class traitor is someone who is thought to be working against the interests of the particular social class. The term is often used by socialists to describe members of the proletariat class who work for the bourgeoisie. Some examples of those who are seen as class traitors are: soldiers, police officers, strikebreakers, and those who help keep things the way things are right now, instead of working for change. However, some people think that anyone, including the bourgeois, can become class traitors.

The motives behind becoming a traitor to one's class can include: survival (taking up whatever wage is available), the belief that the person is of a higher class and so has political views that work against the working class, the pressure to follow rules and laws, or disagreeing with the view that society is divided up into classes that are fighting each other.

Karl Kautsky, a Marxist philosopher, first used the term.

Bourgeois Class Traitors
"Class traitor" can also be used to describe members of the upper class who believe in socialism.

Such people sacrifice their ability to be part of the capitalist upper-class for the sake of who they see as the oppressed, even if it hurts their status in the process.

References

Socialism
Marxism

Class traitor


Motor Manufacturing Company Limited, incorporated 1902 following companies of the same name formed in 1898 and 1900 was the third and final revival of H. J. Lawson's The Great Horseless Carriage Company.

In 1904 Lawson and business partner E. T. Hooley were indicted for "an ingenious system of fraud carried out over a long period". Lawson, who defended himself, was found guilty and sentenced to a year's hard labour. MMC went out of business.

Production
Voiturette

Prizes
In The 1000-Mile Trial of Motor-Cars, their Iveagh phaeton completed the entire trial. In class D—the most expensive for which a prize was given—first prize went to Daimler and second to MMC. The gold medal for the most meritorious competitor was given to the Panhard of Hon C S Rolls.

Liquidation
The following report appeared on page 30 of The Automotor Journal of 7 January 1905:

"Motor Manufacturing Company Limited In Liquidation

Under the compulsory winding up order made last October against this company Mr H M Winearls (Assistant Receiver) has now issued his report to the creditors and shareholders. The statement of affairs shows total liabilities £41,125 and assets valued at sufficient to yield a surplus of £20,775 after payment of the debt. The account with the contributories discloses a deficiency of £42,453.

Mr Winearls reports that the company was formed in June 1902 to acquire and carry on the business which had been successively been carried on by the Great Horseless Carriage Company Limited registered in May 1896, Motor Manufacturing Company Limited registered January 1898 and a company of the same name registered March 1900.

The capital of £80,000 was divided into 320,000 shares of 5s each. The consideration for the sale was the undertaking by the new company  to satisfy the liablilities of the old company amounting to £38,000 and to pay the costs of liquidation of the old company and of forming the new company and to issue to the liquidator of the old company or his nominee 252, 966 shares of 5s each with 3s credited as paid. Only 136,562 of those shares were applied for but the remaining 116,404 were taken up in consideration of a payment of £2,500 by the liquidator of the old company.

During the first year the business was successful and several prizes were obtained by the company's cars. A dividend of 5 per cent was paid out of the first year's profits but during the following year the company was in need of working capital and issued debentures with the result that in June last Mr Frank E Beadle was appointed receiver and manager on behalf of the debenture holders. The failure of the company is attributed to want of working capital and pressure of creditors."

Disposal
Shortly afterwards The Daimler Company reported that they had acquired at Coventry MMC's adjoining lease together with its plant and machinery.

References

Car manufacturers of the United Kingdom
Defunct motor vehicle manufacturers of the United Kingdom
British brands
Coventry motor companies
Defunct companies based in the West Midlands (county)
Companies formerly listed on the London Stock Exchange
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1898
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1900
Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1902
Veteran vehicles
British companies established in 1900

Motor Manufacturing Company


A plasmid is a DNA molecule that is separate from the chromosomal DNA and that can replicate (copy itself) independently.

The term plasmid was first introduced by the American molecular biologist Joshua Lederberg in 1952.

Plasmids are double stranded and, in many cases, circular. Plasmids usually occur naturally in bacteria, but are sometimes found in eukaryotic organisms (e.g., the 2-micrometre-ring in Saccharomyces cerevisiae).

Plasmid size varies from 1 to over 1,000 kilobase pairs (kbp). The number of identical plasmids within a single cell can range from one to thousands. Plasmids are often associated with conjugation, a mechanism of horizontal gene transfer.

Plasmids are transferable genetic elements, or "replicons", capable of independent self copying in a suitable host. Plasmids can be found in all three major domains, Archaea, Bacteria and Eukarya. Similar to viruses, plasmids are not considered a form of "life" as it is currently defined. Unlike viruses, plasmids are "naked" DNA and do not encode genes necessary to encase the genetic material for transfer to a new host.

Plasmid host-to-host transfer requires direct, mechanical transfer by conjugation or changes in host gene expression allowing the intentional uptake of the genetic element by transformation.

Microbial transformation with plasmid DNA is neither parasitic nor symbiotic in nature, since each implies the presence of an independent species living in a commensal or detrimental state with the host organism. Rather, plasmids provide a mechanism for horizontal gene transfer within a population of microbes and may provide a selective advantage under a given environmental state.

Plasmids may carry genes that provide resistance to naturally occurring antibiotics in a competitive environmental niche, or alternatively the proteins produced may act as toxins under similar circumstances. Plasmids also can provide bacteria with an ability to fix elemental nitrogen or to degrade difficult organic compounds. This may provide an advantage under conditions of nutrient deprivation.

The construction of first recombinant DNA emerged from linking of a gene encoding antibiotic resistance with a native plasmid.

References

Cell biology
Bacteria
DNA

Plasmid


Alexander Rankin (December 31, 1788 – April 3, 1852) was a Scottish-born merchant and political figure in New Brunswick. He represented Northumberland County in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1827 to 1852.

He was born and educated in Mearns parish, the brother of Robert Rankin, and son of James Rankin and Helen Ferguson. His uncles, John Pollok and Arthur Pollok, were cofounders of Pollok, Gilmour and Company.

At the age of 18, he was hired as a clerk by Pollok, Gilmour and Company, a Glasgow firm that dealt in timber, and was sent with James Gilmour to New Brunswick to establish a branch of the firm (Gilmour, Rankin and Company) on the Miramichi River. They established a small community called Gretna Green (later Douglastown) as well as stores, wharves and a sawmill. Besides exporting timber, they also sold goods supplied from Scotland. In 1825, the operation suffered extensive damage in the Miramichi Fire. However, they were able to rebuild quickly with the help of the parent company. Rankin also became involved in timber operations at Bathurst (Ferguson, Rankin and Company), Dalhousie and Campbellton (Arthur Ritchie and Company).

In politics as well as in his timber operations, Rankin frequently found himself competing with Joseph Cunard. In elections in 1837 and 1843, Rankin supported John Ambrose Street against candidates supported by Cunard. Gilmour retired from the business in 1842, selling his interest to Rankin. Rankin was named to the province's Executive Council in 1847. With Cunard, he was a commissioner for lights in the Gulf of Saint Lawrence and served on the board of health for the region. For many years, he also served as justice of the peace.

Rankin died unexpectedly in Liverpool during a visit to England at the age of 63.

References

Biography at the Dictionary of Canadian Biography Online

Bibliography
John Rankin, A history of our firm: being some account of the firm of Pollok, Gilmour and Co. and its offshoots and connections, 1804-1920, publ. 1921]

1788 births
1852 deaths
Members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
People from Miramichi, New Brunswick
Colony of New Brunswick people
Scottish emigrants to pre-Confederation New Brunswick
People from Renfrewshire
Canadian businesspeople in timber
Canadian justices of the peace
Alexander

Alexander Rankin