TEXTILES IN THE CONTEXT OF XX-XXI CENTURIES ABSTRACT ART

El comienzo del siglo XX fue la época de desarrollo del llamado “arte abstracto”. Normalmente, cuando se explora el arte abstracto, se recurre a la pintura. Los historiadores del arte del siglo XX observaron la conexión entre la creciente importancia de las artes decorativas y aplicadas y el florecimiento de la abstracción en la pintura. Un campo tan importante de las artes aplicadas como el de los textiles artísticos no fue considerado en absoluto en este contexto

Fear in University Policy of the United States and the Soviet Union in Guatemala and Cuba

Introduction. The United States’ and Soviet Union’s respective Americanization and Sovietization of other countries’ universities during the Cold War were motivated by political fear. Methods. While realism often accentuates political fear as a driver of hard-lined policy, this paper embraces cooperative policy of states changing their initial political goals in order to appease target states. The comparative analysis and system approach are applied in the research. Analysis. Cases from Guatemala and Cuba make it evident that Washington and Moscow had to restrain and revise their projects at universities in order to maintain friendly political relations with the elite of their target governments. This paper explores the US policy at the University of San Carlos in Guatemala and the Soviet policy at the University of Havana in Cuba during the Cold War. The academic community’s resistance to and sabotage of the transformations of the universities’ national traditions and the fear that their strategic partners could interrupt the cooperation forced Washington and Moscow to curtail their Americanization and Sovietization. Local academics were able to abandon the superpowers’ projects and reforms. The University of San Carlos rejected the establishment of social extension projects and the revisions of various courses suggested by American experts, and the University of Havana rejected the introduction of ideology-oriented disciplines of the Soviet model. Results. Political fear and the policy of appeasement led to neither the United States nor the USSR being able to achieve the Americanization or Sovietization of the target universities

Digital Diplomacy and Big Data: Lessons from the Political Crisis in Venezuela, 2018–2019

Introduction. The article reveals the current U.S. digital diplomacy applying the case study referred to the political crisis in Venezuela culminated in late 2018 and early 2019, when the speaker of the National Assembly Juan Guaido declared himself the self-proclaimed acting president after the elections. Confrontation between his supporters and those of the incumbent President Nicolas Maduro reached its apogee. The aim of the research is to reveal whether the U.S. has been able to influence the development of the political situation and opinion of Venezuelan citizens through various digital diplomacy instruments and international broadcasting channels. The analytical part of the paper is divided into two sections. The first section discusses methodological issues relative to research in the field of digitalization of U.S. foreign policy and international relations in general. These methodological approaches are tested on the case study, namely the U.S. digital diplomacy in Venezuela in the second section of the paper. Methods. The methodology of the research includes the analysis of big data and social media. The primary sources are the accounts of U.S. officials, government-sponsored media, Venezuelan media, and bloggers. Twitter was surveyed to the extent that active political discussions flared up there during the crisis. At the time, Venezuela had the third highest number of Twitter users in the world. Analysis. Using the machine analytics, about 10 million tweets were retrieved, allowing us to determine the place of the U.S. governmental accounts among the influencers of public opinion in Venezuela. Results. The analysis shows that local digital media, and the activity of bloggers and politicians, including Juan Guaido and Nicolas Maduro, had more impact on the Twitter community and Venezuelans than U.S. channels of digital diplomacy or tweets of American politicians. The more active local bloggers are, the less chances were left for external players including the United States as well as Russia, China, or Europe, to change public opinions of Venezuelans. Authors’ contribution. Anna Sytnik carried out the big data analysis using Python programming language and developed the methodological foundations of the research. Natalia Tsvetkova developed the methodological foundations of the research and made the interpretations of analysis in terms of U.S. digital and data diplomacy. Ivan Tsvetkov developed the contextual frameworks of the case study. Key words: United States, digital diplomacy, data diplomacy, datafication, Venezuela, Twitter

Magnetic fields in single late-type giants in the Solar vicinity: How common is magnetic activity on the giant branches?

We present our first results on a new sample containing all single G, K and M giants down to V = 4 mag in the Solar vicinity, suitable for spectropolarimetric (Stokes V) observations with Narval at TBL, France. For detection and measurement of the magnetic field (MF), the Least Squares Deconvolution (LSD) method was applied (Donati et al. 1997) that in the present case enables detection of large-scale MFs even weaker than the solar one (the typical precision of our longitudinal MF measurements is 0.1-0.2 G). The evolutionary status of the stars is determined on the basis of the evolutionary models with rotation (Lagarde et al. 2012; Charbonnel et al., in prep.) and fundamental parameters given by Massarotti et al. (1998). The stars appear to be in the mass range 1-4 M ⊙, situated at different evolutionary stages after the Main Sequence (MS), up to the Asymptotic Giant Branch (AGB). The sample contains 45 stars. Up to now, 29 stars are observed (that is about 64% of the sample), each observed at least twice. For 2 stars in the Hertzsprung gap, one is definitely Zeeman detected. Only 5 G and K giants, situated mainly at the base of the Red Giant Branch (RGB) and in the He-burning phase are detected. Surprisingly, a lot of stars ascending towards the RGB tip and in early AGB phase are detected (8 of 13 observed stars). For all Zeeman detected stars v sin i is redetermined and appears in the interval 2-3 km/s, but few giants with MF possess larger v sin

HEPPA-II model-measurement intercomparison project : EPP indirect effects during the dynamically perturbed NH winter 2008-2009

We compare simulations from three high-top (with upper lid above 120 km) and five medium-top (with upper lid around 80 km) atmospheric models with observations of odd nitrogen (NOx D NO+NO2), temperature, and carbon monoxide from seven satellite instruments (ACE-FTS on SciSat, GOMOS, MIPAS, and SCIAMACHY on Envisat, MLS on Aura, SABER on TIMED, and SMR on Odin) during the Northern Hemisphere (NH) polar winter 2008/2009. The models included in the comparison are the 3-D chemistry transport model 3dCTM, the ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model, FinROSE, the Hamburg Model of the Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMO-NIA), the Karlsruhe Simulation Model of the Middle Atmosphere (KASIMA), the modelling tools for SOlar Climate Ozone Links studies (SOCOL and CAO-SOCOL), and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM4). The comparison focuses on the energetic particle precipitation (EPP) indirect effect, that is, the polar winter descent of NOx largely produced by EPP in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. A particular emphasis is given to the impact of the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in January 2009 and the subsequent elevated stratopause (ES) event associated with enhanced descent of mesospheric air. The chemistry climate model simulations have been nudged toward reanalysis data in the troposphere and stratosphere while being unconstrained above. An odd nitrogen upper boundary condition obtained from MIPAS observations has further been applied to medium-top models. Most models provide a good representation of the mesospheric tracer descent in general, and the EPP indirect effect in particular, during the unperturbed (pre-SSW) period of the NH winter 2008/2009. The observed NOx descent into the lower mesosphere and stratosphere is generally reproduced within 20 %. Larger discrepancies of a few model simulations could be traced back either to the impact of the models' gravity wave drag scheme on the polar wintertime meridional circulation or to a combination of prescribed NOx mixing ratio at the uppermost model layer and low vertical resolution. In March-April, after the ES event, however, modelled mesospheric and stratospheric NOx distributions deviate significantly from the observations. The too-fast and early downward propagation of the NO x tongue, encountered in most simulations, coincides with a temperature high bias in the lower mesosphere (0.2-0.05 hPa), likely caused by an overestimation of descent velocities. In contrast, upper-mesospheric temperatures (at 0.05-0.001 hPa) are generally underestimated by the high-top models after the onset of the ES event, being indicative for too-slow descent and hence too-low NOx fluxes. As a consequence, the magnitude of the simulated NOx tongue is generally underestimated by these models. Descending NOx amounts simulated with mediumtop models are on average closer to the observations but show a large spread of up to several hundred percent. This is primarily attributed to the different vertical model domains in which the NOx upper boundary condition is applied. In general, the intercomparison demonstrates the ability of state-of- the-art atmospheric models to reproduce the EPP indirect effect in dynamically and geomagnetically quiescent NH winter conditions. The encountered differences between observed and simulated NOx, CO, and temperature distributions during the perturbed phase of the 2009 NH winter, however, emphasize the need for model improvements in the dynamical representation of elevated stratopause events in order to allow for a better description of the EPP indirect effect under these particular conditions.Peer reviewe

HEPPA-II model–measurement intercomparison project: EPP indirect effects during the dynamically perturbed NH winter 2008-2009

We compare simulations from three high-top (with upper lid above 120 km) and five medium-top (with upper lid around 80 km) atmospheric models with observations of odd nitrogen (NOx  =  NO + NO2), temperature, and carbon monoxide from seven satellite instruments (ACE-FTS on SciSat, GOMOS, MIPAS, and SCIAMACHY on Envisat, MLS on Aura, SABER on TIMED, and SMR on Odin) during the Northern Hemisphere (NH) polar winter 2008/2009. The models included in the comparison are the 3-D chemistry transport model 3dCTM, the ECHAM5/MESSy Atmospheric Chemistry (EMAC) model, FinROSE, the Hamburg Model of the Neutral and Ionized Atmosphere (HAMMONIA), the Karlsruhe Simulation Model of the Middle Atmosphere (KASIMA), the modelling tools for SOlar Climate Ozone Links studies (SOCOL and CAO-SOCOL), and the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model (WACCM4). The comparison focuses on the energetic particle precipitation (EPP) indirect effect, that is, the polar winter descent of NOx largely produced by EPP in the mesosphere and lower thermosphere. A particular emphasis is given to the impact of the sudden stratospheric warming (SSW) in January 2009 and the subsequent elevated stratopause (ES) event associated with enhanced descent of mesospheric air. The chemistry climate model simulations have been nudged toward reanalysis data in the troposphere and stratosphere while being unconstrained above. An odd nitrogen upper boundary condition obtained from MIPAS observations has further been applied to medium-top models. Most models provide a good representation of the mesospheric tracer descent in general, and the EPP indirect effect in particular, during the unperturbed (pre-SSW) period of the NH winter 2008/2009. The observed NOx descent into the lower mesosphere and stratosphere is generally reproduced within 20 %. Larger discrepancies of a few model simulations could be traced back either to the impact of the models\u27 gravity wave drag scheme on the polar wintertime meridional circulation or to a combination of prescribed NOx mixing ratio at the uppermost model layer and low vertical resolution. In March–April, after the ES event, however, modelled mesospheric and stratospheric NOx distributions deviate significantly from the observations. The too-fast and early downward propagation of the NOx tongue, encountered in most simulations, coincides with a temperature high bias in the lower mesosphere (0.2–0.05 hPa), likely caused by an overestimation of descent velocities. In contrast, upper-mesospheric temperatures (at 0.05–0.001 hPa) are generally underestimated by the high-top models after the onset of the ES event, being indicative for too-slow descent and hence too-low NOx fluxes. As a consequence, the magnitude of the simulated NOx tongue is generally underestimated by these models. Descending NOx amounts simulated with medium-top models are on average closer to the observations but show a large spread of up to several hundred percent. This is primarily attributed to the different vertical model domains in which the NOx upper boundary condition is applied. In general, the intercomparison demonstrates the ability of state-of-the-art atmospheric models to reproduce the EPP indirect effect in dynamically and geomagnetically quiescent NH winter conditions. The encountered differences between observed and simulated NOx, CO, and temperature distributions during the perturbed phase of the 2009 NH winter, however, emphasize the need for model improvements in the dynamical representation of elevated stratopause events in order to allow for a better description of the EPP indirect effect under these particular conditions

Chromosome-scale genome assembly provides insights into rye biology, evolution and agronomic potential

Rye (Secale cereale L.) is an exceptionally climate-resilient cereal crop, used extensively to produce improved wheat varieties via introgressive hybridization and possessing the entire repertoire of genes necessary to enable hybrid breeding. Rye is allogamous and only recently domesticated, thus giving cultivated ryes access to a diverse and exploitable wild gene pool. To further enhance the agronomic potential of rye, we produced a chromosome-scale annotated assembly of the 7.9-gigabase rye genome and extensively validated its quality by using a suite of molecular genetic resources. We demonstrate applications of this resource with a broad range of investigations. We present findings on cultivated rye's incomplete genetic isolation from wild relatives, mechanisms of genome structural evolution, pathogen resistance, low-temperature tolerance, fertility control systems for hybrid breeding and the yield benefits of rye-wheat introgressions.Peer reviewe

Transforming German universities during the Cold War: the failure of American and Soviet cultural imperialism

This research traces the history of American and Soviet transformations in universities of West Germany and East Germany during the period of the Cold War, 1945-1990. In that period, both powers conducted an unprecedented public diplomacy aimed at expanding their divergent values and political cultures. German universities turned out to be in an epicenter of this cultural Cold War. In order to create politically loyal universities in the divided Germany, the United States and the Soviet Union both replaced rectors, rewrote university statutes, attempted to change the curriculum of every department through introducing new disciplines, in particular political science or Marxism-Leninism, and American studies or Soviet studies, set up new academic establishments in the universities, modified holdings of the university libraries, and, finally aimed at the creation of a pliable community of professors and students. This policy of cultural imperialism met with strong resistance on the part of the German professorate, who believed that the rivaling ideologies – American democracy and Soviet Marxism – undermined German academic values. In West Germany, the professors succeeded in reinstating parts of the traditional German university system. In East Germany, notwithstanding a demonstration of obedience to the indoctrination, the university faculty as a whole never became loyal and convinced followers of communism. Both superpowers were forced to admit the failure of their educational policies in Germany as the Cold War drew to a close. Dutch Abstract Mijn onderzoek reconstrueert en vergelijkt de politiek van de Verenigde Staten en de Sovjetunie ten opzichte van de universiteiten in West- en Oost-Duitsland tijdens de Koude Oorlog van 1945 tot 1990. In deze periode probeerden beide grootmachten hun divergerende culturele waarden en politieke culturen aan West- en Oost-Duitsland op te leggen. De Duitse universiteiten vormden een speerpunt gedurende deze culturele Koude Oorlog. Ten einde politiek loyale universiteiten te krijgen vervingen de Verenigde Staten en de Sovjetunie de rectoren van de universiteiten, herschreven ze de universitaire statuten, probeerden ze het curriculum van iedere studierichting te wijzigen door nieuwe disciplines te introduceren zoals respectievelijk politieke wetenschappen of Marxisme-Leninisme en /American Studies/ of /Soviet Studies/, zetten nieuwe academische instituten op, pasten ze de collectie van de universiteitsbibliotheken grondig aan en probeerden ze een gemeenschap van plooibare hoogleraren en studenten te formeren. Deze politiek van cultureel imperialisme ontmoette sterk verzet van de kant van zowel studenten als van het Duitse hooglerarenkorps, dat van mening was dat zowel de ideologie van de Amerikaanse democratie als die van het Sovjet-marxisme de Duitse academische waarden ondermijnden. In West-Duitsland wisten de hoogleraren belangrijke elementen van het traditionele Duitse universitaire systeem terug te veroveren. In Oost-Duitsland leek het hooglerarenkorps gehoorzaam te zijn aan de opgelegde indoctrinatie. In de praktijk werden deze hoogleraren echter nooit loyale en overtuigde aanhangers van het communisme. Uiteindelijk moesten daarom beide grootmachten aan het eind van de Koude Oorlog vaststellen dat hun universitaire politiek van cultureel imperialisme had gefaald.