Design as communication? If design is communication, who is the sender, who is the receiver and what is the message?

[Abstract] Design or, more precisely, the designed artifact has been addressed either as a problematic of down scaled architectural semiotics or as a branch of visual semiotics. However, a genuine tradition of design semiotics does exist. On of its founders was Argentine architectural theorist and historian, Juan Pablo Bonta whose theories have been accessible to an English reading public since the early 1970’s. Bonta’s approach is explicitly normative. His perspective on the creation and exchange of meaning in and with objects for use is that of the designer. In his writings on the subject he introduced, first, three sign categories of relevance to the description of how meaning is generated: signals, indicators and intended indicators. Later he included a fourth category, the ‘pseudo signal’. Finally he excluded the latter and ended up with the original three. In this paper an attempt will be made to rephrase Benta’s theory of design semiotics. To be more accurate, Bonta’s categories will function here as a point of departure for a more unfolded theory of how design may, or may not, function as communication and an alternative resource of meaning construction. In relation to Bonta’s ideas, the paper will aim at introducing a schematic model of interaction that focuses on the roles played by different actors in the process of exchange. In addition to Bonta, the paper will present a model of a more complete understanding of ‘what’ and ‘who’ is actually letting the different sign functions ‘happen’. In order to do so, all four of Bonta’s sign categories are kept alive, and a fifth category is introduced; the ‘signalled indicator’. The model of creation and exchange of meaning in and with design aims at substituting the traditional communication model, which has had an enormous impact on ideas of meaning in design. However this paper maintains that there is no reason to believe, that design — obviously apart from communication design — actually communicates meaning. It’s more complex — and more simple than that

La gestión de la comunicación con los públicos activistas. Estudio de caso

Resulta esencial que las compañías mantengan una comunicación fluida con todos sus públicos, tanto internos como externos. De hecho, la manera en la que una organización se comunica con sus grupos de interés y establece vínculos de confianza determina, en gran parte, su supervivencia. En las relaciones con los grupos de interés se debe otorgar especial importancia a los grupos activistas, ya que si sus necesidades de información no son satisfechas, pueden convertirse en grupos de presión. En el contexto expuesto, el presente estudio pretende conocer y valorar la comunicación que Iberdrola mantiene, desde la perspectiva de la práctica de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa, con todos sus grupos de interés, entre ellos y de un modo muy especial, con los denominados activistas, dada la relevancia de este colectivo en el caso de las empresas energéticas. La investigación se desarrolla a partir del estudio de caso, obteniendo la información de los Informes de sostenibilidad emitidos por Iberdrola España en los años 2013 y 2014, que se rigen por el informe de Política general de responsabilidad social corporativa de 2015. Finalmente, se observa que en la práctica de su responsabilidad social corporativa, la empresa objeto de estudio emplea herramientas de comunicación completas y eficaces con todos sus grupos de interés, lo que nos permite afirmar que mantiene satisfechas las necesidades de información de estos colectivos, y en especial la de los activistas, grupo al que concede especial relevancia

Cell death and degeneration in the symbiotic dinoflagellates of the coral Stylophora pistillata during bleaching

Rising sea temperatures are increasing the incidences of mass coral bleaching (the dissociation of the coral–algal symbiosis) and coral mortality. In this study, the effects of bleaching (induced by elevated light and temperature) on the condition of symbiotic dinoflagellates (Symbiodinium sp.) within the tissue of the hard coral Stylophora pistillata (Esper) were assessed using a suite of techniques. Bleaching of S. pistillata was accompanied by declines in the maximum potential quantum yield of photosynthesis (Fv/Fm, measured using pulse amplitude modulated [PAM] fluorometry), an increase in the number of Sytox-green-stained algae (indicating compromised algal membrane integrity and cell death), an increase in 2’,7’-dichlorodihydrofluroscein diacetate (H2DCFDA)- stained algae (indicating increased oxidative stress), as well as ultrastructural changes (vacuolisation, losses of chlorophyll, and an increase in accumulation bodies). Algae expelled from S. pistillata exhibited a complete disorganisation of cellular contents; expelled cells contained only amorphous material. In situ samples taken during a natural mass coral bleaching event on the Great Barrier Reef in February 2002 also revealed a high number of Sytox-labelled algae cells in symbio. Dinoflagellate\ud degeneration during bleaching seems to be similar to the changes resulting from senescence-phase cell death in cultured algae. These data support a role for oxidative stress in the mechanism of coral bleaching and highlight the importance of algal degeneration during the bleaching of a reef coral

The Ocean as a Solution to Climate Change: Five Opportunities for Action

The ocean is a dominant feature of our planet, covering 70 percent of its surface and driving its climate and biosphere. The ocean sustains life on earth and yet is in peril from climate change. However, while much of recent attention is focused on the problems that the ocean faces, the ocean is also a source of potential solutions and innovation. This report explores how the ocean, its coastal regions and economic activities can provide opportunities in the fight against climate change

On the occurrence of homovanillic acid and 5- hydroxyindol- 3- ylacetic acid in the ven-tricular cerebro- spinal fluid of patients suffering from Parkinsonism

We have some evidence that the concentrations of HVA and 5 -H1AA in the C.S.F. of the lateral ventricles may reflect the brain metabolism of the parent cerebral amines, dopamine and 5- hydroxytryptamine. There appears to be a definite rblationship between the concentrations of HVA in the lateral ventricular C.S.F. and the caudate nucleus of dogs and man. (Guldberg, 1967). An approach based on this knowledge has been used in the analysis of ventricular C.S.F. samples of patients undergoing the ste re otaxic operation for the relief of Parkinsonism. The concentrations of HVA and 5 -H1AA were determined in the ventricular C.S.F. of Parkinsonian patients and a control group. There was a significant difference in the mean levels of both metabolites in the 2 groups of patients. The lower levels of the acid metabolites found in the group of Parkinsonian patients has been discussed in the light of our knowledge on the biochemistry of Parkinsonism. We have suggested that the biochemical findings could be explained on the basis of the neuropathological destructions occurring in the disease process and that they are not necessarily indicative of a primary.error of the amine metabolism. Within the group of Parkinsonian patients, lower acid levels were recorded in the group of patients with symptoms of more than 10 years and also in the small number of post -encephalitic patients. In Parkinsonism there was no clear evidence of any association between the mean levels of the metabolites and the following factors: age, sex, presence or absence of drug treatment and the degree of the clinical symptoms of tremor, rigidity or akinesia. The lack of correlation between clinical symptomatology and the acid levels is particularly interesting and we have discussed in some detail the most apparent reasons for this. It is hoped that further work might clarify some of the problems

The True Colours of Carbon

Carbon offset projects in developing countries are one of the principal mechanisms designed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote sustainable development yet have critical limitations in both areas. Here we present a framework for categorizing carbon offset projects according to four general approaches to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions: (1) efficiency ('Brown'); innovation ('Red'), terrestrial sequestration ('Green') or sequestration in aquatic environments ('Blue'). Analysis of the 6109 CDM projects currently in the CDM "pipeline" reveals that 99% are Brown or Red, and only 1% are Green or Blue, yet Green and Blue projects typically offer a far greater range of benefits for ecosystems and society. The analysis concludes that the designers of emissions trading schemes should endorse Green and Blue offset projects as preferred forms of emissions offsetting, and that firms using offsets for compliance purposes be required to declare in public reports the colours of their offset acquisitions. Such reform will help redirect demand in carbon markets toward blue and green offset projects, increasing the sustainability outcomes of carbon offset developments

Promoting multidisciplinary teamwork for autism: an English school experience

This paper describes the positive and challenging aspects relating to the implementation of the SCERTS Model in an English residential school for children on the autism spectrum, with a specific focus on the professionals’ involvement and on the process of enabling staff to improve the way they work as a team. The paper highlights how SCERTS can be used as a pedagogical framework for working with children on the autism spectrum in a multidisciplinary way, thus empowering the professionals and strengthening their ability to understand the perspective of the child with autism

Revision of Angursa (Arthrotardigrada: Styraconyxidae) with the description of a new species from Japan

We re-examined the type material of five of the seven described species of the marine tardigrade genus Angursa Pollock, 1979, namely, A. abyssalis Renaud-Mornant, 1981, A. bicuspis Pollock, 1979 (type species), A. capsula Bussau, 1992, A. lanceolata Renaud-Mornant, 1981, and A. lingua Bussau, 1992. In addition, we describe A. seisuimaruae sp. nov. from the Sea of Kumano, Japan. Based on new data obtained, we amend the diagnosis of this genus, provide a taxonomic key to species, and discuss their geographical distributions