Origem dos microagregados em solos com horizonte B latossólico

Os microagregados, característicos do horizonte B latossólico, podem ser formados a partir de processos físicos, geoquímicos e biológicos. Apesar da quantidade de trabalhos realizados sobre este tema, poucos tem discutido a hierarquia entre os processos que formam estes microagregados. O objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar a gênese dos microagregados numa seqüência de solos localizada em Piracicaba (SP), Brasil. Os solos foram classificados como Nitossolos Vermelhos Eutroférricos latossólicos e desenvolvem-se a partir de sedimentos argilosos vermelhos do Quaternário e diabásio. Para atingir o objetivo deste trabalho foram utilizadas técnicas de microscopia ótica, análise de imagens, microscopia eletrônica de varredura e quantificações elementares de ferro através de fluorescência de raio-X. As investigações micromorfológicas mostraram a presença de três tipos de microagregados: (i) microagregados ovais com grãos de quartzo bem selecionados no seu interior; (ii) microagregados ovais sem grãos de quartzo ou grãos de quartzo mal selecionados no seu interior; e (iii) microagregados poliédricos densos. Estas evidencias morfológicas junto com os dados elementares de ferro e a microscopia eletrônica de varredura mostraram a contribuição de mais de um processo na formação dos microagregados: (i) a ação mecânica da mesofauna seria responsável pela formação do primeiro tipo de microagregados; (ii) processos geoquímicos e biológicos estariam formando o segundo tipo de microagregados; e (iii) a fissuração da matriz do solo por processos de contração e expansão formariam o terceiro tipo de microagregados.Microaggregates that characterize ferralic soils have been hypothesized to have physical, geochemical and/or biological origins. Despite of many studies, the hierarchy between these processes that form microaggregates has seldom been reported. The objective of this work was to study the genesis of microaggregates in a sequence of Ferralic Nitisols developed on Quaternary red clayey sediments and diabase in Piracicaba (SP), Brazil. This issue was tackled by combining optical microscopy, image analysis, scanning electron microscopy and elemental iron quantifications by X-ray fluorescence. Micromorphological investigations showed three different types of microaggregates: (i) oval microaggregates with well sorted quartz grains in their interior; (ii) oval microaggregates without or with poorly sorted quartz grains in their interior; and (iii) dense polyedric microaggregates. These morphological evidences, together with the elemental iron determinations and scanning electron microscopy, revealed the contribution of more than one process for microaggregate formation: (i) the mechanical action of the mesofauna would form the first type of microaggregates (ii) geochemical and biological processes would form the second type and (iii) the fissuration of the soil matrix by expansion and compression processes would form the third type

Emotional self-regulation of individuals with autism spectrum disorders: smartwatches for monitoring and interaction

In this paper, we analyze the needs of individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) to have a pervasive, feasible and non-stigmatizing form of assistance in their emotional self-regulation, in order to ease certain behavioral issues that undermine their mental health throughout their life. We argue the potential of recent widespread wearables, and more specifically smartwatches, to achieve this goal. Then, a smartwatch system that implements a wide range of self-regulation strategies and infers outburst patterns from physiological signals and movement is presented, along with an authoring tool for smartphones that is to be used by caregivers or family members to create and edit these strategies, in an adaptive way. We conducted an intensive experiment with two individuals with ASD who showed varied, representative behavioral responses to their emotional dysregulation. Both users were able to employ effective, customized emotional self-regulation strategies by means of the system, recovering from the majority of mild stress episodes and temper tantrums experienced in the nine days of experiment in their classroomThis work has been partially funded by the projects “e-Training y e-Coaching para la integración socio—laboral” (TIN2013-44586-R) and “eMadrid-CM: Investigación y Desarrollo de Tecnologías Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid” (S2013/ICE-2715). It has been also funded by Fundación Orange during the early stages of the project “Tic-Tac-TEA: Sistema de asistencia para la autorregulación emocional en momentos de crisis para personas con TEA mediante smartwatches

The potential of smartwatches for emotional self-regulation of people with autism spectrum disorder

This paper focuses on the potential of smartwatchers as interventors in the process of emotional self-regulation on individuals with ASD. Parting from a model of assistance in their self-regulation tasks, we review the main advantages of smartwatches in terms of sensors and pervasive interaction potential. We argue the suitability of smartwatches for this kind of assistance, including studies that had used them for related purposes, and the relation of this idea with the affective computing area. Finally, we propose a technological approach for emotional self-regulation assistance that uses smartwatches and applies to the mentioned intervention model.This work has been partially funded by the projects “e-Training y e-Coaching para la integración socio—laboral” (TIN2013--44586--R) and “eMadrid-CM: Investigación y Desarrollo de Tecnologías Educativas en la Comunidad de Madrid” (S2013/ICE-2715). It has been also funded by Fundación Orange during the early stages of the project “Tic-Tac-TEA: Sistema de asistencia para la autorregulación emocional en momentos de crisis para personas con TEA mediante smartwatches”

Tecnologías móviles y wearables para la autorregulación emocional de personas con Trastornos del Espectro Autista

Tesis doctoral inédita leída en la Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, Escuela Politécnica Superior , Departamento de Ingeniería Informática. Fecha de lectura: 22-06-201

Evaluación e implantación de herramienta móvil para la asistencia de personas con necesidades especiales en sus tareas de la vida diaria

En este Trabajo de Fin de Máster se describe la evaluación de una herramienta basada en smartphone para asistir a personas con discapacidad cognitiva en sus tareas de la vida diaria, llamada AssisT-Task, cuyo diseño inicial fue objeto de Trabajo de Fin de Grado. Esta aplicación proporciona manuales interactivos paso a paso con instrucciones para completar tareas cotidianas en su entorno o centro de empleo, utilizando como apoyo códigos QR y una herramienta de autor para que los educadores o familiares editen el contenido de estos manuales. En este trabajo se describen los cambios de funcionalidad que se han implementado, así como las necesidades que los justifican. La evaluación se realiza a través de un experimento con usuarios en el centro de preparacién laboral Fundación Síndrome de Down de Madrid. Se describe la planificación de dicho experimento, las bases teóricas y metodologías que lo apoyan, así como la muestra de población con discapacidad cognitiva que vamos a representar. Posteriormente, se analiza de forma cuantitativa y cualitativa la acción de los usuarios a partir del visionado de los vídeos pertenecientes a las sesiones del experimento. Los resultados obtenidos evidencian que AssisT-Task mejora el rendimiento de los usuarios en cuanto a tiempo de completado de las tareas, precisión y tasa de error.This Master's Thesis is a description of the evaluation process for a smartphone tool developed to assist people with cognitive disabilities in their daily-life activities. It is called AssisT-Task, and its initial design was the main theme of an Undergraduate Thesis. This application provides step-by-step interactive manuals, a prompting system that allows to complete dalily-life tasks in their environment or job, using QR codes as support and an authoring tool, so that caregivers and family can modify and create the content of these manuals. In this document are also described the new features developed because of new necessities discovered. The evaluation is carried out through a user experiment with people from the center Fundación de Síndrome de Down de Madrid. Plani cation of the experiment, theoretical bases and methodologies and cognitive disabled population sample are also described. Then, the performance of the users is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively from the viewing of the recorded videos during the experiment. The obtained results shows that AssisT-Task improves the performance of the users in terms of time, accuracy and error rate

Solos em topossequência de veredas das chapadas do Alto Vale do Jequitinhonha, MG: I - caracterização e classificação

In the upper Jequitinhonha valley, state of Minas Gerais, Brazi, there are large plane areas known as chapadas, which are separated by areas dissected by tributaries of the Jequitinhonha and Araçuaí rivers. These dissected areas have a surface drainage system with tree, shrub, and grass vegetation, more commonly known as veredas, i.e., palm swamps. The main purpose of this study was to characterize soil physical, chemical and morphological properties of a representative toposequence in the watershed of the Vereda Lagoa do Leandro, a swamp near Minas Novas, MG, on chapadas, the highlands of the Alto Jequitinhonha region Different soil types are observed in the landscape: at the top - Typic Haplustox (LVA), in the middle slope - Xanthic Haplustox (LA), at the footslope - Xanthic Haplustox, gray color, here called Gray Haplustox (LAC) and, at the bottom of the palm swamp - Typic Albaquult (GXbd). These soils were first morphologically described; samples of disturbed and undisturbed soils were collected from all horizons and subhorizons, to evaluate their essential physical and chemical properties, by means of standard determination of Fe, Al, Mn, Ti and Si oxides after sulfuric extraction. The contents of Fe, Al and Mn, extracted with dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate and oxalate treatments, were also determined. In the well-drained soils of the slope positions, the typical morphological, physical and chemical properties of Oxisols were found. The GXbd sample, from the bottom of the palm swamp, is grayish and has high texture gradient (B/A) and massive structure. The reduction of the proportion of crystalline iron compounds and the low crystallinity along the slope confirmed the loss of iron during pedogenesis, which is reflected in the current soil color. The Si and Al contents were lowest in the LAC soil. There was a decrease of the Fe2O3/TiO2 ratio downhill, indicating progressive drainage restriction along the toposequence. The genesis and all physical and chemical properties of the soils at the footslope and the bottom of the palm swamp of the chapadas of the Alto Jequitinhonha region are strongly influenced by the occurrence of ground water on the surface or near the surface all year long, at present and/or in the past. Total concentrations of iron oxides, Fe d and Fe o in soils of the toposequence studied are related to the past and/or present soil colors and drainage conditions.No Alto Vale do Jequitinhonha - MG ocorrem extensas áreas de relevo aplainado denominadas de chapadas, que estão separadas por áreas dissecadas pelos rios Jequitinhonha e Araçuaí e seus afluentes. Nessas áreas dissecadas é encontrado um sistema de drenagem superficial com vegetação arbóreo-arbustiva e gramíneas, comumente denominado de vereda. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar física, química e morfologicamente os solos de uma topossequência da microbacia da Vereda Lagoa do Leandro, representativa das veredas das chapadas do Alto Jequitinhonha, localizada no município de Minas Novas - MG. Os solos estudados ocupam as seguintes posições na vertente: topo - Latossolo Vermelho Amarelo (LVA); terço médio da vertente - Latossolo Amarelo (LA); sopé - Latossolo Amarelo, de cor cinzenta, aqui denominado Latossolo Acinzentado (LAC); e base da vereda - Gleissolo Háplico (GXbd). Esses solos foram descritos morfologicamente e foram coletadas amostras deformadas e indeformadas em todos os horizontes e sub-horizontes para realização das análises físicas e químicas de rotina, determinação de óxidos de Fe, Al, Mn, Ti e Si após extração por ataque sulfúrico e determinação dos teores de Fe, Al e Mn extraídos por ditionito-citrato-bicarbonato e oxalato. Os solos das posições bem drenadas da vertente apresentaram atributos morfológicos, físicos e químicos típicos da ordem dos Latossolos. Na base da vereda encontra-se o GXbd, que apresenta cores acinzentadas, elevado gradiente textural B/A e estrutura maciça. A diminuição do teor de Fe cristalino e de baixa cristalinidade ao longo da vertente confirmou a perda de Fe durante o processo de pedogênese e refletiu na cor dos solos. Os teores de Si e Al foram mais baixos no LAC. Verificou-se diminuição da relação Fe2O3/TiO2 vertente abaixo, indicando impedimentos à drenagem ao longo da topossequência. A gênese e os atributos dos solos do sopé e da base das veredas das chapadas do Alto Vale do Jequitinhonha - MG são fortemente influenciados pela presença do nível freático na superfície ou próximo à superfície o ano todo, no presente e, ou, no passado. Os teores totais de óxidos de Fe, Fe o e Fe d dos solos da topossequência estudada estão relacionados com as cores dos solos e com condições de drenagem presentes e,ou, pretéritas

Sombric horizon: five decades without evolution

The sombric horizon is a diagnostic subsurface horizon defined in the soil classification system of the United States (Soil Taxonomy) and FAO (WRB), used to classify the soil at different categorical levels. The sombric horizon has a soil color darker than the overlying surface(s) horizon(s), and must show illuvial humus accumulation features, though they are not associated with aluminum (Al), as in the spodic horizon, nor associated with sodium (Na), as in the natric horizon. There are also criteria to distinguish it from buried A horizons. However, since the first references and proposed concept of the sombric horizon in African soils made by Sys and co-workers in the 1960s, and adopted by the Soil Taxonomy edition of 1975, few modifications have been made to its definition. Moreover, the pedogenic process involved in illuvial humus accumulation in these horizons remains inadequately clarified, making the distinction between the sombric and spodic or buried A horizon difficult and unclear. This review reports the historical evolution of the sombric horizon concept, its definition and inconsistencies under different soil classification systems, and the current hypothesis, together with its fragilities, proposed to explain the soil illuvial humus accumulation. Although it is recognized that further research is necessary, alternative criteria are proposed for the definition of the sombric horizon in the Brazilian System of Soil Classification

Aprendendo a classificar solos com os índios Kayapó

The Kayapó Xicrin do Cateté (Xicrin) indigenous reserve is located within the Amazon forest in Pará (Brazil). The Xicrins have developed a soil classification system that is incorporated in their language and culture. The etymology of their classification system and its logical structure makes it similar and comparable with modern soil classification. The etymology of the Xicrin's language is based on the junction of radicals to form words for different soil names. The name of the soil is formed by the main noun radical "puka", to which adjectives referring to soil morphological attributes are added. Modern classification systems are also based on similar morphological variables, and analytical support for defining boundaries of chemical or physical soil attributes are important only in lower hierarchical levels. Soil scientists have developed a soil classification system that is sensitive for the restrictions and potentialities the soil will show for modern agriculture. The Xicrins classify soils for what is important for their life style, i.e. a harmonic and friendly life with the resources they gain from the forest.A reserva indígena Kayapó-Xicrin do Cateté esta localizada na floresta amazônica no estado do Pará (Brasil). Os Xicrins desenvolveram uma classificação de solo que esta incorporada ao seu idioma e cultura. A etimologia da classificação dos solos e a sua estrutura lógica são similares com os sistemas modernos de classificação de solos. A etimologia do idioma Xicrin é baseada na união de radicais para formar as palavras e a mesma é utilizada para formar os diferentes nomes dos solos. O nome do solo é formado pelo radical principal "puka" ao qual são adicionados adjetivos referentes aos atributos morfológicos dos solos. Os sistemas de classificação de solos modernos também são baseados nos mesmos atributos morfológicos, apesar de que apoio analítico é importante para definir os limites entre os atributos químicos e físicos dos solos em níveis hierárquicos mais baixos. Os cientistas de solos têm desenvolvido uma classificação de solos interpretativa para as restrições e potencialidades que o solo tem para a agricultura moderna. Os Xicrins classificam o solo para aquilo que é importante para a vida deles, uma vida harmônica e simbiótica com a natureza