1208 I mass movement ► Massey
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flows (e.g., through skeletal muscles during exercise) can be increased selectively, increasing the exchange of gases between tissue cells and the capillaries.
mass movement or mass wasting Bulk movements of soil and rock debris down slopes, or the sinking of confined areas of the Earth’s ground surface. The term mass wasting refers only to gravity-driven pro¬ cesses that move large masses of earthen material from one place to another. The term mass movement includes the sinking of confined areas.
mass production Application of the principles of specialization, divi¬ sion of labour, and standardization of parts to the manufacturing of goods on a large scale. Modem mass-production methods have led to such improvements in the cost, quality, quantity, and variety of goods available that the largest global population in history is now sustained at the high¬ est general standard of living ever. The requirements for mass production of a particular product include the existence of a market large enough to justify a large investment; a product design that can use standardized parts (see interchangeable parts) and processes; a physical layout that minimizes materials handling; division of labour into simple, short, repetitive steps (see time-and-motion study); continuous flow of work; and tools designed specifically for the tasks to be performed. See also assembly line.
mass spectrometry or mass spectroscopy Analytic technique by which chemical substances are identified by sorting gaseous ions by mass using electric and magnetic fields. A mass spectrometer uses electri¬ cal means to detect the sorted ions, while a mass spectrograph uses pho¬ tographic or other nonelectrical means; either device is a mass spectroscope. The process is widely used to measure masses and relative abundances of different isotopes, to analyze products of a separation by liquid or gas chromatography, to test vacuum integrity in high-vacuum equipment, and to measure the geological age of minerals.
mass transit Transportation systems, usually publicly but sometimes privately owned and operated, designed to move large numbers of people in various types of vehicles in cities, suburbs, and large metropolitan areas. Modern mass transit is an outgrowth of industrialization and urban¬ ization. In the 1830s early mass transit in New York City included horse- drawn buses, which were soon replaced by fixed-rail horse-drawn trolleys. By 1900 motorized Buses had appeared in Europe and America. With the advent of electricity, streetcars and subways were introduced in many large cities. In the 20th century the automobile’s increasing popularity under¬ mined mass transit development; fixed-rail streetcar systems were widely removed to provide space for cars. Concern over air pollution has revived interest in light-rail transit and has led to regional mass transit systems.
Massachusetts officially Commonwealth of Massachusetts
State (pop., 2000: 6,349,097), northeastern U.S. One of the New England states, it lies on the Atlantic Ocean and is bordered by Vermont, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Connecticut, and New York. It covers 8,262 sq mi (21,399 sq km); its capital is Boston. The state’s soils are poor and rocky, and agriculture plays a limited role in the economy, although cran¬ berry farming is important. The region was inhabited by Algonquian Indian peoples when the first English settler, Bartholomew Gosnold, arrived in 1602. Plymouth was settled by the Pilgrims, who arrived on the Mayflower in 1620. The Massachusetts Bay Colony was founded and gov¬ erned by the Massachusetts Bay Co., spurring Puritan settlement. It joined the New England Confederation in 1643 and acquired Maine in 1652. The southeastern and central settlements in the state experienced King Philip's War in 1675. After losing its first charter in 1684, it became part of the Dominion of New England in 1686. Its second charter in 1691 granted the colony jurisdiction over Maine and Plymouth. In the 18th century Massachusetts became a centre of resistance to British colonial policy; it was the scene of the Boston Tea Party and of uprisings at the Battles of Lexington and Concord that marked the beginning of the American Revo¬ lution. In 1788, it became the sixth state to ratify the U.S. Constitution. It was in the forefront of the 19th century Industrial Revolution and was known for its textile mills. Today its major industries are electronics, high technology, and communications. It is well-known as the location of many institutions of higher learning. Tourism is important especially in the Cape Cod region and the Berkshires.
Massachusetts Bay Colony Early English colony in Massachusetts. It was settled in 1630 by a group of 1,000 Puritan refugees from England (see Puritanism). In 1629 the Massachusetts Bay Co. had obtained an English charter allowing it to trade and colonize in New England. Puri¬ tan stockholders envisioned the colony as a refuge from religious perse¬
cution in England, and they transferred control of the company to the emigrants in Massachusetts. Led by John Winthrop, the colonists founded their colony on the Charles River at what would become Boston. In 1684 England annulled the company’s charter and in 1691 established royal government under a new charter, which merged Plymouth colony and Maine into the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) U.S. private uni¬ versity in Cambridge, famous for its scientific and technological training and research. Founded in 1861, MIT has schools of architecture and plan¬ ning, engineering, humanities and social sciences, management (the Sloan School), and science and a college of health sciences and technology. Though it is best known for its programs in engineering and the physical sciences, other areas such as economics, political science, urban studies, linguistics, and philosophy are also strong. Among its facilities are a nuclear reactor, a computation centre, geophysical and astrophysical observatories, a linear accelerator, a space research centre, supersonic wind tunnels, an artificial-intelligence laboratory, a centre for cognitive science, and an international-studies centre.
massage \m9-'sazh\ Systematic, scientific manipulation of body tissues with the hands to relieve pain and reduce swelling, relax muscles, and speed healing after strains and sprains. It has been used for more than 3,000 years by the Chinese. Early in the 19th century, the Swedish phy¬ sician Per Henrik Ling (1776-1839) devised a massage system for joint and muscle ailments, which was later extended to relieve deformities of arthritis and re-educate muscles following paralysis. Manipulations include light or hard stroking, compression (kneading, squeezing, and friction), and percussion (striking with the edges of the hands in rapid alternation). In acupressure, a style of massage derived from China, pres¬ sure is exerted on Chinese acupuncture points for healing effects. See also PHYSICAL MEDICINE AND REHABILITATION.
Massasoit \,mas-9-'s6it\ (b. c. 1590, near present Bristol, R.I.—d. 1661, near Bristol) American Indian chief. He was the grand sachem (intertribal chief) of the Wampanoag Indians, who inhabited parts of Massachusetts and Rhode Island. In March 1621, several months after the Mayflower landed, he journeyed to Plymouth and established peaceful relations with the settlers, with whom he shared techniques of planting, fishing, and cooking. In 1623 he was nursed back to health from a serious illness by grateful Pilgrims. After his death, good will gradually dissolved, leading to the bloody King Philip's War (1675), which was led by his son Metacom.
Massena \ma-sa-'na\, Andre, duke de Rivoli later prince d'Essling (b. May 6, 1758, Nice, France—d. April 4, 1817, Paris) French general. Entering the military in 1775, he served in the Revolu¬ tionary government’s army and rose to general in 1793. In campaigns against the Austrians in Italy, he became Napoleon’s most trusted officer; he then commanded the French army in Switzerland, defeating the Rus¬ sians at Zurich (1799). Sent by Napoleon to restore the demoralized army of Italy, he successfully defended Genoa against Austrian besiegers and enabled the French victory at the Battle of Marengo. He was made a mar¬ shal in 1804 and duke de Rivoli in 1808. He displayed heroism against the Austrians, notably at Aspem-Essling and the Battle of Wagram (1809), and Napoleon made him prince d’Essling (1810). In command of the French forces in Portugal and Spain (1810-11), he was defeated by the British under the duke of Wellington. Massena was relieved of his com¬ mand and returned to Paris, where he supported the restoration of the monarchy.