New applications of Ambient Intelligence

Ambient Intelligence emerged more than two decades ago, with the exciting promise of technologically empowered environments that would be everywhere, cater to all our needs, be constantly available, know who we are and what we like, and allow us to make explicit requests using natural means instead of the traditional mouse and keyboard. At a time in which this technological unravelling was expected to have already happened, we still use the mouse and the keyboard. In this paper we make a brief analysis of why is this evolution taking more than initially expected. We then move on to analyse several di erent projects that are innovative, in the sense that they encompass elds of application that go beyond the initially envisioned, and show the diverse areas that AmI systems may potentially come to change.This work is part-funded by ERDF - European Regional Development Fund through the COMPETE Programme (operational programme for competitiveness) and by National Funds through the FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within project FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-028980 (PTDC/EEI-SII/1386/2012). This work is partfunded by National Funds through the FCT - Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology) within projects PEst-OE/EEI/UI0752/2011

In vitro correlates of HIV-2-mediated HIV-1 protection

A prospective study of high-risk commercial sex workers in Senegal has shown that HIV-2 infection may reduce the risk of subsequent HIV-1 infection; these findings have been confirmed and extended, now with 13 years of observation. While exploring the biological mechanisms behind this natural protection, we found that a significant proportion of peripheral blood mononuclear cells obtained from HIV-2-infected subjects resisted in vitro challenge with CCR5-dependent HIV-1 viruses but not CXCR4-dependent viruses. High levels of beta-chemokines, the natural ligands of the CCR5 coreceptor, were correlated with low levels of viral replication, and resistance was abrogated by antibodies to beta-chemokines. Our results suggest that beta-chemokine-mediated resistance may be an important correlate of HIV protection against HIV-1 infection and relevant to HIV vaccine design

Plantes-hôtes et prédateurs de la Cochenille farineuse du Manguier Rastrococcus invadens Williams, 1986, nouvellement introduite à Dakar, Sénégal (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae)

Host-plants and predators of Rastrococcus invadens Williams, 1986, newly introduced in Dakar area, Senegal (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae). Dakar area has known an invasion of the Fruit Tree Mealybug Rastrococcus invadens Williams since the first semester of 1995.The authors inventoried 13 attacked tree species and assess the intensity of the attacks. On these 1 3 plant species 7 ladybirds (Coleoptera, Coccinellidae) species are met as well as a predatory Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) and a Chalcididae parasitoid (Hymenoptera) indetermined. Breedings of 2 species of ladybirds, Exochomus laeviusculus Weise and E. foudrasi Mulsant, were carried out to know more their biology.La région de Dakar connaît une invasion de la Cochenille farineuse du Manguier, Rastrococcus invadens Williams, depuis le premier semestre de 1995. Les auteurs ont recensé 13 essences infestées et estimé l'intensité des infestations. Sur ces 13 essences, 7 espèces de Coccinellidae (Coleoptera) sont rencontrées ainsi qu'un Chrysopidae (Neuroptera) prédateur et un Chalcididae (Hymenoptera) parasitoïde, ces derniers sont indéterminés. L'élevage de deux espèces de Coccinelles, Exochomus laeviusculus Weise et E. foudrasi Mulsant, a permis de connaître leur cycle de développement.Han Sun heat, Ndiaye Abdoulaye-B., Hemptinne J.L. Plantes-hôtes et prédateurs de la Cochenille farineuse du Manguier Rastrococcus invadens Williams, 1986, nouvellement introduite à Dakar, Sénégal (Hemiptera, Pseudococcidae). In: Bulletin de la Société entomologique de France, volume 112 (1), mars 2007. pp. 121-125

Impact of spatial heterogeneity created by the termite building activity (Cubitermes niokoloensis) on the activity and genetic structure of the denitrifying community

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