discoveries, the Spanish name Antillas was commonly assigned to the new lands; “Sea of the Antilles” in various European languages is used as an alternative name for the Caribbean Sea.
antimatter Substance composed of elementary particles having the mass and electric charge of ordinary matter (such as electrons and protons) but for which the charge and related magnetic properties are opposite in sign. The existence of antimatter was posited by the electron theory of P.A.M. Dirac. In 1932 the positron (antielectron) was detected in cosmic rays, followed by the antiproton and the antineutron detected through the use of particle accelerators. Positrons, antiprotons, and antineutrons, col¬ lectively called antiparticles, are the antiparticles of electrons, protons, and neutrons, respectively. When matter and antimatter are in close prox¬ imity, annihilation occurs within a fraction of a second, releasing large amounts of energy.
antimetabolite N.an-ti-mo-'ta-bo-.lhA Substance that competes with, replaces, or inhibits a specific compound within a CELL, whose function¬ ing is thereby disrupted. Because its structure resembles the compound’s, it is taken up by the cell, but it does not react in the same way with the enzyme that acts on the usual compound. It may inhibit the enzyme or be converted into an aberrant chemical. Many antimetabolites are useful in treating disease, including sulfa drugs, which disrupt bacterial but not human metabolism for bacterial diseases, and others (e.g., methotrexate, 5-fluorouracil) for various cancers.
antimony Van-to-.mo-neX Semimetallic to metallic chemical element (see metal), chemical symbol Sb, atomic number 51. Of its various allo- tropes, the most common is a lustrous, bluish, brittle, flaky solid. In nature
ANGUILLA
(U.K.)
^The Valley
A TLANTIC OCEAN
a
" Basseterre
SAINT KITTS- NEVIS
St.John':
BARBUDA
ANTIGUA
REDONDA
MONTSERRAT ^Plymouth (U.K.)
Sea
Basse-Terre
GUADELOUPE
,FR1
DOMINICA ® 2002 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Ir
antimony occurs chiefly as the gray sulfide mineral stibnite, Sb 2 S 3 . Pure antimony metal has no important uses, but its alloys and compounds are extremely useful. Some antimony alloys have the rare quality of expanding on solidifying; these are used for castings and for type metal. Alloys with lead are used in car batteries, bullets, and cable sheaths. Anti¬ friction alloys with tin and lead (babbitt metals) are used as components of machine bearings. Antimony compounds (valences 3, 4, and 5) are widely used as flame retardants in paints, plastics, rubber, and textiles; others are used as paint pigments.
anti novel Type of avant-garde novel that departs from traditional nov- elistic conventions by ignoring such elements as plot, dialogue, and human interest. Seeking to overcome readers’ habits and challenge their expectations, antinovelists deliberately avoid any intrusion of authorial personality, preferences, or values. Though the term was coined by Jean- Paul Sartre in 1948, the approach is at least as old as the works of the
© 2006 Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.
84 I Antioch ► antitrust law
18th-century writer Laurence Sterne. Writers of such works include Nath¬ alie Sarraute, Claude Simon, Alain Robbe-Grillet, Uwe Johnson, and Rayner Heppenstall.
Antioch Van-te-,ak\ Turkish Antakya \,an-ta-'kya\ City (pop., 1997: 139,046), southern Turkey. Founded in 300 bc by the Seleucid dynasty, Antioch was the centre of the Seleucid power until 64 bc, when it became the capital of the province of Syria under the Roman Republic and Empire. An early centre of Christianity, the city was the headquarters of St. Paul c. ad 47-55. Despite being briefly occupied by the Persians in the 6th century, it remained part of the Byzantine Empire until the Arab invasion of the 7th century. Thereafter it returned to Byzantine rule (969) and was seized by the Turkish Seljuq dynasty (1084) before being captured by the Crusaders in 1098. (See Crusades.) From 1268 it was ruled by the Mam- lOk dynasty, and it was absorbed by the Ottoman Empire in 1517. The city remained under their control until World War I (1914-18), when it was transferred to Syria. It was made part of the Republic of Turkey in 1939. The economy of the modem town is based on agriculture and light manu¬ facturing.
Antiochus I Soter \an-'tI-3-k3s... , so-ter\ (b. c. 324—d. 261 bc) King of Seleucid Syria in the east (2927-281 bc) and later overall (281-261). Son of Seleucus I, he consolidated the Seleucid kingdom, founded numer¬ ous cities, and expanded trade routes. In 281 he contended with revolts in Syria and northern Anatolia and fought a war with Antigonus II Gona- tas. With the defeat of the Gauls in Greece (279), he and Antigonus signed a pact of nonintervention. The Gauls in Asia Minor were not defeated until 275, after which he was hailed as Soter (“Saviour”) by appreciative Ionians. He settled Greeks in Asia Minor and Persia to counter invasions, and he worked to revive Babylonian culture. Though he won Phoenicia and the coast of Asia Minor from Egypt, he soon lost them, and in 261 he lost much of northern Asia Minor to Pergamum.
Antiochus III known as Antiochus the Great (b. 242—d. 187 bc,
near Susa, Iran) Seleucid king of the Syrian empire (223-187 bc). After quelling a rebellion by Achaeus, his governor in Asia Minor (213), Anti¬ ochus marched east to India (212—
205). He forged a peaceful alliance with Armenia and forcible ones with Parthia and Bactria, stilling resis¬ tance to his campaign. After the death of Ptolemy IV, Antiochus and Philip V of Macedonia divided most of his empire, Antiochus taking the southern and eastern lands, including Palestine (c. 202). He then marched against Egypt, concluding a peace in 195, through which he acquired southern Syria and Ptolemy’s terri¬ tories in Asia Minor. Rome grew angry with Antiochus after he admitted Hannibal of Carthage to his court; when Antiochus took a force to defend the Aetolians against Rome, Rome struck against him, eventually defeating him at Magnesia (189). He gave up lands in Europe and western Asia Minor but kept Syria, Mesopotamia, and western Iran. He was murdered while exacting much-needed tribute near Susa.
Antiochus IV Epiphanes \i-'pif-3-,nez\ (b. c. 215—d. 164 bc, Tabae, Iran) Seleucid king of the Hellenistic Syrian kingdom (175-164 bc). Son of Antiochus III, he was taken hostage in Rome (189-175), where he learned about Roman institutions. On his release, he ousted a usurper to take over Syria. He conquered Egypt except Alexandria (169) and ruled Egypt as regent for his nephew Ptolemy VI. The Roman defeat of his Macedonian allies neutralized his victories in Cyprus and Egypt (168), and he was forced to leave both, though he kept southern Syria. He took Jerusalem (167) and enforced its Hellenization; Jewish rites were forbid¬ den on pain of death. In 164 Judas Maccabaeus and the anti-Greek Jews conquered Judaea except for the Acra in Jerusalem (164), tore down the altar of Zeus, and reconsecrated the Temple. Antiochus then turned to defending his empire against the Parthians in the east, regained Armenia, and went on to the Arabian coast before dying in Persis.
antioxidant' Any of various compounds added to certain foods, natural and synthetic rubbers, gasolines, and other products to retard autoxidation
(combination with oxygen in the air at room temperature) and its effects. Aromatic compounds such as aromatic amines, phenols, and aminophenols delay loss of elasticity in rubber and gummy deposits in gasoline. Pre¬ servatives such as tocopherol (vitamin E), propyl gallate, butylated hydrox- ytoluene (BHT), and butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) prevent rancidity in fats, oils, and fatty foods. In the body, antioxidants such as vitamins C and E and selenium may reduce oxidation caused by free radicals.