Aspendus \as-'pen-d9s\ Ancient city, Pamphylia (now southwestern Turkey). It was a wealthy city by the 5th century bc. Occupied by Alex¬ ander the Great in 333 bc, it was taken by the Romans in 133 bc. It is noted for its Roman ruins, including a huge theatre designed by the archi¬ tect Zeno in honour of the emperor Marcus Aurelius.
Aspergillus \ l as-por-'jil-3s\ Any fungus of the genus Aspergillus of the Fungi Imperfecti (form-class Deuteromycetes). Species for which the sexual phase is known are placed in the order Eurotiales. A. niger causes black mold on some foods; A. niger, A. flavus, and A. fumigatus cause aspergillosis in humans. A. oryzae is used to ferment SAKE, and A. wentii to process soybeans.
asphalt Black or brown petroleum-like material that has a consistency varying from viscous liquid to glassy solid. It is obtained either as a resi¬ due from the distillation of petroleum or from natural deposits. Asphalt consists of compounds of hydrogen and carbon with minor proportions of nitrogen, sulfur, and oxygen. It softens when heated and is elastic under certain conditions. Used principally in road surfacing, asphalt is also used for roofs, coatings, floor tilings, and waterproofing, and in industrial prod¬ ucts.
asphodel Vas-f9-,del\ Any of several flowering plants belonging to the lily family. This common name is variously applied and thus much misun¬ derstood. The asphodel of the poets is often a narcissus; that of the ancients is either of two genera, Asphodeline or Asphodelus. Asphodels are hardy herbaceous perennials with narrow leaves and an elongated stem bearing a handsome spike of white, pink, or yellow flowers. Bog asphodel ( Narth- ecium ossifragum ) is a small herbaceous plant that grows in boggy places in Britain.
asphyxia \as-'fik-se-o\ Lack of exchange of oxygen and carbon diox¬ ide due to respiratory failure or disturbance, resulting in insufficient brain
oxygen, which leads to unconsciousness or death. Causes include stran¬ gulation, drowning, and carbon monoxide poisoning. Breathing in food or fluid can cause obstruction of the airway and pulmonary collapse. Emergency resuscitation usually includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation.
aspidistra \ 1 as-po- , dis-tr9\ Any plant of the genus Aspidistra (lily fam¬ ily), native to eastern Asia and known for ornamental foliage. The only cultivated species is a houseplant commonly known as cast-iron plant (A. elatior, or A. lurida ), which has long, stiff, pointed evergreen leaves that are capable of withstanding temperature extremes, dust, smoke, and other harsh conditions. The solitary, bell-shaped flowers, which are usually lilac in colour but sometimes brown or green, are borne at the base of the plant. The fruits are small berries.
aspirin Common name of acetylsalicylic acid, an organic compound introduced in 1899. The ester of salicylic acid and acetic acid, it inhibits production of prostaglandins in the body. Its analgesic, fever-reducing, and anti-inflammatory effects make it useful in treating headaches, muscle and joint aches, arthritis pain, and the symptoms of mild fevers and infections. It also has anticoagulant activity and is taken in low doses by coronary heart disease patients to prevent heart attack. Prolonged use may cause stomach bleeding and peptic ulcer, and its use in children with fever has been linked to Reye syndrome. See also acetaminophen; ibuprofen; NSAID.
Aspiring, Mt. See Mount Aspiring National Park
Asplund, (Erik) Gunnar (b. Sept. 22, 1885, Stockholm, Swed.—d. Oct. 20, 1940, Stockholm) Swedish architect. His work shows the his¬ torically important transition from Neoclassical architecture to Modern¬ ism. By 1928, influenced by Le Corbusier, he had turned from a retrospective style to a new vision for architecture. He planned the Stock¬ holm Exposition of 1930, a place of futuristic, glassy pavilions that had a significant influence on subsequent exhibition architecture. His Wood¬ land Crematorium, Stockholm (1935-40), with its spare Neoclassical col¬ onnade surrounded by meadows, is admired by Classicists and Modernists alike.
Asquith, H(erbert) H(enry), 1 st earl of Oxford and Asquith
(b. Sept. 12, 1852, Morley, Yorkshire, Eng.—d. Feb. 15, 1928, Sutton Courtenay, Berkshire) British politician and prime minister (1908-16). Elected to the House of Commons in 1886, he served as home secretary (1892-95). A leader of the Liberal Party, he became prime minister in 1908. His plan to limit the powers of the House of Lords was enacted by the Parliament Act of 1911. He led Britain in the early years of World War I, but domestic crises combined with British losses in the war led to widespread dissatisfaction. He resigned in 1916 but remained leader of his party until 1926.
ass or wild ass Either of two species of small, sturdy equines. Asses are 3-5 ft (90-150 cm) high at the shoulder. The African wild ass, or true ass ( Equus asinus) is bluish gray to fawn; the Asiatic wild ass, or half¬ ass ( E . hemionus) is reddish to yellow-gray. The half-ass differs from the true ass in that it has extremely long, slender legs, shorter ears, and larger hooves. The true ass has the alternating “hee-haw” bray. Desert dwellers, wild asses often inhabit regions that cannot support other large mammals. They are very swift runners. See also donkey.
Assad \'a-sad\, Hafiz al- (b. Oct. 6, 1930, Qardaha, Syria—d. June 10, 2000, Damascus) President of Syria (1971-2000). He joined the Ba'th Party in 1946 and in 1955 became an air force pilot. He became air force commander (1963) after helping the Ba'thists gain power. After partici¬ pating in a military coup in 1966, he became minister of defense. He led a coup in 1970 to replace his political mentor, Salah al-Jadld, as Syria’s leader. He joined Egypt in a surprise attack on Israel (1973) but nearly 20 years later (1991) participated in peace negotiations with Israel in an effort to regain the Golan Heights, taken by Israel in the Six-Day War of 1967. A longtime foe of Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein, he supported the Western alliance against Iraq in the Persian Gulf War (1990—91). He was succeeded by his son Bashshar.
As sal \a-'sal. Lake Saline lake, central Djibouti. Situated at 515 ft (157 m) below sea level, it is the lowest point in Africa. It has been used for quarrying salt.
Assam \a-'sam\ State (pop., 2001 prelim.: 26,638,407), northeastern India. With an area of 30,285 sq mi (78,438 sq km), Assam borders Bhu¬ tan and Bangladesh and Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, and West Bengal states; its capital is Dispur. A strong inde-
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Assassin ► Assiniboin I 119
pendent kingdom was founded there in the 13th century by invaders from Myanmar (Burma) and China; it reached its zenith in the early 18th cen¬ tury. The British took control in the early 19th century. In the division of India (1947), Assam lost some territory to Pakistan. Beginning in the 1960s, four new states—Nagaland, Meghalaya, Mizoram, and Arunachal Pradesh—were created from land within Assam. The Brahmaputra River valley is its dominant physical feature. The population consists of Indo- Iranian and Asian peoples; the most widely spoken language is Assamese.
Assassin properly Nizariyyah Byname for any member of a sub¬ sect of Ismafill Shl'ite Muslims who operated in parts of Iran and Syria from the 11th to the 13th century. The order takes its name from the pur¬ ported use of hashish to induce ecstatic visions of paradise among its devotees (hashshashun, “hashish smokers”—whence is derived the English term) before they set out to face martyrdom. The Assassins oper¬ ated out of series of mountain fortresses and, seeing assassination as a religious duty, engaged in a long campaign of murder against members of the Sunnite community, including numerous officials of the 'Abbasid and Seljuq dynasties, and others. The Assassins’ power was finally bro¬ ken by the Mongols, who captured the great Assassin stronghold of 'Ala- mut in Iran in 1256. The Syrian branch was destroyed by the Mamluk Baybars I in 1271-73. Leadership of the Nizari order continued until mod¬ em times in the line of the Aga Khans, a family prominent worldwide as philanthropists and public servants.