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Asclepius ... Ashikaga Yoshiaki

Asclepius Greco-Roman god of medicine, son of Apollo (god of healing, truth, and prophecy) and the mortal princess Coronis. The Centaur Chiron taught him the art of healing. At length Zeus (the king of the gods), afraid that Asclepius might render all men immortal, slew him with a thunderbolt. Apollo slew ... ascocarp fruiting structure of fungi of the phylum Ascomycota (kingdom Fungi). It arises from vegetative filaments (hyphae) after sexual reproduction has been initiated. The ascocarp (in forms called apothecium, cleistothecium [cleistocarp], or perithecium) contain saclike structures (asci) that usually bear four to eight ascospores. Apothecia are stalked and either disklike, saucer-shaped, ... Ascoli Piceno city, Marche regione, central Italy. Ascoli Piceno lies at the confluence of the Tronto and Castellano rivers. The ancient centre of the Picenes (early inhabitants of the Adriatic coast), it was conquered in the 3rd century BC by the Romans, who knew it as Asculum Picenum. After 1006 the city ... Ascoli, Graziadio Isaia Italian linguist who pioneered in dialect studies, emphasized the importance of studying living vernaculars, and prepared a model classification of Italian dialects. Ascomycota a phylum of fungi (kingdom Fungi) characterized by a saclike structure, the ascus, which contains four to eight ascospores in the sexual stage. Ascot locality, Windsor and Maidenhead unitary authority, geographic and historic county of Berkshire, England, known for its racecourse on Ascot Heath. The Royal Ascot meeting (initiated in 1711 by Queen Anne) lasts four days each June and is traditionally attended by the British sovereign. A major social and fashion event, it ... ascus a saclike structure produced by fungi of the phylum Ascomycota (sac fungi) in which sexually produced spores (ascospores), usually four or eight in number, are formed. Asci may arise from the fungal mycelium (the filaments, or hyphae, constituting the organism) without a distinct fruiting structure, as in the leaf curl ... ASEAN international organization established by the governments of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand in 1967 to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development and to promote peace and security in Southeast Asia. Brunei joined in 1984, followed by Vietnam in 1995, Laos and Myanmar in 1997, and Cambodia ... ASEAN Regional Forum the first regionwide Asia-Pacific multilateral forum for official consultations on peace and security issues. An outgrowth of the annual ministerial-level meeting of members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the states serving as ASEAN's "dialogue partners," the ARF provides a setting for discussion and diplomacy and the ... aseismic ridge a long, linear and mountainous structure that crosses the basin floor of some oceans. Earthquakes do not occur within aseismic ridges, and it is this feature that distinguishes them from oceanic spreading centres. Most aseismic ridges are constructed by volcanism from a hot spot and are composed of coalescing volcanoes ... Asela town, south-central Ethiopia. It lies west of Mount Chilalo on a high plateau overlooking Lake Ziway in the Great Rift Valley. The town is an important trading centre for the surrounding livestock and lumbering region. An all-weather road connects it with Nazret to the north. Pop. (2007 prelim.) 67,250. Aselli, Gaspare Italian physician who contributed to the knowledge of the circulation of body fluids by discovering the lacteal vessels. Aseric first bishop of Kalocsa, who played an instrumental role in the foundation of the Hungarian state and church. asfarvirus any virus belonging to the family Asfarviridae. This family consists of one genus, Asfivirus, which contains the African swine fever virus. Asfarviruses have enveloped virions (virus particles) that are approximately 175-215 nm (1 nm = 109 metre) in diameter. An icosahedral capsid (the protein shell surrounding the viral nucleic acids) ... Asgard in Norse mythology, the dwelling place of the gods, comparable to the Greek Mount Olympus. Legend divided Asgard into 12 or more realms, including Valhalla, the home of Odin and the abode of heroes slain in earthly battle; Thrudheim, the realm of Thor; and Breidablik, the home of Balder. Asgrimsson, Eysteinn Icelandic monk, author of Lilja ("The Lily"), the finest religious poem produced in Roman Catholic Iceland. ash any tree of the genus Fraxinus of the olive family (Oleaceae). The genus includes several dozen species of trees and shrubs, mostly distributed throughout the Northern Hemisphere, some of which are valuable for their timber and beauty. A few species extend into the tropical forests of Mexico and Java. The ... Ash Wednesday in the Christian church, the first day of Lent, occurring 6 12 weeks before Easter (between February 4 and March 11, depending on the date of Easter). In the early Christian church, the length of the Lenten celebration varied, but eventually it began 6 weeks (42 days) before Easter. This ... Ash'ari, Abu al-Hasan al- Muslim Arab theologian noted for having integrated the rationalist methodology of the speculative theologians into the framework of orthodox Islam. In his Maqalat al-Islamiyin ("Theological Opinions of the Muslims"), compiled during his early period, al-Ash'ari brought together the varied opinions of scholars on Muslim theological questions. From about 912, he ... Ash'ariyyah in Islam, school of theology supporting the use of reason and speculative theology (kalam) to defend the faith. Followers of the school, which was founded by Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari in the 10th century, attempted to demonstrate the existence and nature of God (Allah) through rational argument while affirming the eternal, ... Ashbee, Charles Robert English architect, designer, and leader of the Arts and Crafts Movement in England during the latter part of the 19th century and after. Ashbery, John American poet noted for the elegance, originality, and obscurity of his poetry. Ashbourne town ("parish"), Derbyshire Dales district, administrative and historic county of Derbyshire, England. Ashbourne is a centre for the surrounding agricultural districts and for tourists visiting nearby Dovedale and the Manyfold Valley. Its buildings include the Church of St. Oswald, dating from 1241 and possessing an octagonal spire (212 feet [65 ... Ashburnham, John English Royalist who served Charles I and Charles II as a groom of the bedchamber. Ashburton town ("parish"), Teignbridge district, administrative and historic county of Devon, England, lying on the southeastern margin of Dartmoor. It was designated a stannary (tin-mining) town in 1285. The priest of the Chantry Chapel of St. Lawrence kept a "free scole," which survived as a grammar school from the late 16th ... Ashburton River river in northwestern Western Australia, rising 140 miles (225 km) southwest of Nullagine on the south slopes of the Ophthalmia Range. It flows through a deep valley, southwest then northwest, entering the Indian Ocean near Exmouth Gulf after a sporadic course of about 400 miles (640 km). Principal tributaries include ... Ashburton, John Dunning, 1st Baron English jurist and politician who defended the radical John Wilkes against charges of seditious and obscene libel (1763-64) and who is also important as the author of a resolution in Parliament (April 6, 1780) condemning George III for his support of Lord North's government despite the unpopularity of its policies ... Ashby, Hal American filmmaker, one of the preeminent directors of the 1970s, who was especially noted for such films as Harold and Maude (1971), Shampoo (1975), and Being There (1979). Ashcan School group of American realist painters based in New York City in the early 20th century. The group's most prominent figures were known as "The Eight." See Eight, The. Ashcroft v. Free Speech Coalition case in which, on April 16, 2002, the U.S. Supreme Court upheld a lower court's decision that provisions of the Child Pornography Prevention Act (CPPA) of 1996 were vague and overly broad and thus violated the free-speech protection contained in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The act specifically ... Ashcroft, Dame Peggy English stage actress who appeared in both classic and modern plays. Ashcroft, John U.S. politician and lawyer, who served as attorney general of the United States (2001-05). He was known for his conservative policies and his support of the USA Patriot Act. Ashdod city of southern Palestine, on the coastal plain of ancient Philistia; since 1948 it has been a city in southwestern Israel and is one of its three international ports and chief industrial centres. In antiquity Ashdod was a member of the Philistine pentapolis (five cities). Although the Bible assigns it ... Ashe, Arthur American tennis player, the first black winner of a major men's singles championship. Asheboro city, seat (1796) of Randolph county, central North Carolina, U.S. It lies in the forested Uwharrie Mountains about 25 miles (40 km) south of Greensboro. Asheboro (originally Asheborough) was founded in 1796 on land that was once the home of Keyauwee Indians; a prehistoric Native American burial ground nearby was ... Asher one of the 12 tribes of Israel that in biblical times constituted the people of Israel who later became the Jewish people. The tribe was named after the younger of two sons born to Jacob (also called Israel) and Zilpah, the maidservant of Jacob's first wife, Leah. After the Israelites ... Asher ben Jehiel major codifier of the Talmud, the rabbinical compendium of law, lore, and commentary. His work was a source for the great codes of his son Jacob ben Asher (1269-1340) and of Joseph Karo (1488-1575). Asherah ancient West Semitic goddess, consort of the supreme god. Her principal epithet was probably "She Who Walks on the Sea." She was occasionally called Elath (Elat), "the Goddess," and may have also been called Qudshu, "Holiness." According to texts from Ugarit (modern Ras Shamra, Syria), Asherah's consort was El, and ... Ashes symbol of victory in the usually biennial cricket Test (international) match series between select national teams of England and Australia, first staged in 1877. Its name stems from an epitaph published in 1882 after the Australian team had won its first victory over England in England, at the Oval, London. ... Asheville city, seat of Buncombe county, west-central North Carolina, U.S. Asheville lies in the Blue Ridge Mountains, at the junction of the French Broad and Swannanoa rivers. It has a mild climate and is built on an uneven plateau at an elevation of about 2,200 feet (670 metres). Asheville is the ... Ashfield district, administrative and historic county of Nottinghamshire, England. The name is ancient and appeared in the names of the two major towns within the district even before its formation. The two towns are the coal-mining centres of Kirkby-in-Ashfield and Sutton-in-Ashfield, forming, as does the whole district, part of the heavily ... Ashford town and borough (district), administrative and historic county of Kent, England. It was established in 1974 from the former urban district of Ashford, rural districts of East and West Ashford, and the metropolitan borough and rural district of Tenterden. The old town of Ashford was granted a market in the ... Ashford, Evelyn renowned American sprinter and five-time Olympian. Ashgabat city and capital of Turkmenistan. It lies in an oasis at the northern foot of the Kopet-Dag (Turkmen: Kopetdag) Range and on the edge of the Karakum (Turkmen: Garagum) Desert, about 19 miles (30 km) from the Iranian frontier. It was founded in 1881 as a Russian military fort and ... Ashi preeminent Babylonian amora, or interpreter of the Mishna, the legal compilation that was the basis of the Talmud, the authoritative rabbinical compendium. ashide-e (Japanese: "reed-script picture"), decorative, cursive style of Japanese calligraphy, the characters of which resemble natural objects, that is used to decorate scrolls, stationery, and lacquerware. The typical ashide-e is a decorative representation of a poem, in which stylized characters serve as both text and illustration. There are also ashide-e that ... Ashikaga city, Tochigi ken (prefecture), Honshu, Japan. It is located on the Watarase River. Ashikaga Takauji, who established the Ashikaga shogunate in the 14th century, was born there. Ashikaga was a post town on the Nikko Highway during the Tokugawa era (1603-1867). It was a dyeing and weaving centre for several ... Ashikaga family Japanese warrior family that established the Ashikaga shogunate in 1338. The founder, Ashikaga Takauji (1305-58), supported the emperor Go-Daigo's attempt to wrest control of the country from the Hojo family, but then turned on him and set up an emperor from another branch of the imperial family, who granted Takauji ... Ashikaga Tadayoshi military and administrative genius who engineered many of the triumphs of his older brother, Ashikaga Takauji, the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate (hereditary military dictatorship) that dominated Japan from 1338 to 1573. Ashikaga Takauji warrior and statesman who founded the Ashikaga shogunate (hereditary military dictatorship) that dominated Japan from 1338 to 1573. Ashikaga Yoshiaki shogun (hereditary military dictator) of Japan who was the 15th and last of his family to hold the title. Yoshiaki had been a priest, but in 1568, with the aid of his protector, the general Oda Nobunaga, he deposed his cousin Yoshihide and took over the shogunate. Subsequently, rivalry developed ...