A shadow-like task migration model based on context semantics for mobile and pervasive environments

Pervasive computing is a user-centric mobile computing paradigm, in which tasks should be migrated over different platforms in a shadow-like way when users move around. In this paper, we propose a context-sensitive task migration model that recovers program states and rebinds resources for task migrations based on context semantics through inserting resource description and state description sections in source programs. Based on our model, we design and develop a task migration framework xMozart which extends the Mozart platform in terms of context awareness. Our approach can recover task states and rebind resources in the context-aware way, as well as support multi- modality I/O interactions. The extensive experiments demonstrate that our approach can migrate tasks by resuming them from the last broken points like shadows moving along with the users.

Addressing the social determinants of inequities in physical activity and sedentary behaviours

 Participation in both physical activity and sedentary behaviours follow a social gradient, such that those who are more advantaged are more likely to be regularly physically active, less likely to be sedentary, and less likely to experience the adverse health outcomes associated with inactive lifestyles than their less advantaged peers. The aim of this paper is to provide, in a format that will support policymakers and practitioners, an overview of the current evidence base and highlight promising approaches for promoting physical activity and reducing sedentary behaviours equitably at each level of ‘Fair Foundations: The VicHealth framework for health equity’. A rapid review was undertaken in February–April 2014. Electronic databases (Medline, PsychINFO, SportsDISCUS, CINAHL, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Global Health and Embase) were searched using a pre-defined search strategy and grey literature searches of websites of key relevant organizations were undertaken. The majority of included studies focussed on approaches targeting behaviour change at the individual level, with fewer focussing on daily living conditions or broader socioeconomic, political and cultural contexts. While many gaps in the evidence base remain, particularly in relation to reducing sedentary behaviour, promising approaches for promoting physical activity equitably across the three levels of the Fair Foundations framework include: community-wide approaches; support for local and state governments to develop policies and practices; neighbourhood designs (including parks) that are conducive to physical activity; investment in early childhood interventions; school programmes; peer- or group-based programmes; and targeted motivational, cognitive-behavioural, and/or mediated individual-level approaches.

Design of state observers for interconnected time-delay systems via a coordinate transformation approach

This paper considers the design of state observers for interconnected time-delay systems using a coordinate transformation method. Through such a transformation, the system that has interconnection and state delays is metamorphosed into a new system that injects time-delay information into its input and output terms, before reintroducing them back into the latter system, effectively coupling the delay terms into the IO injection terms and eliminating the delay values from the state variables. Next, full-order and reduced-order observers are designed based on the transformed system. Finally, the observed states of the transformed system that correspond to the original system is used to deduce the estimates of the original system. A numerical example is provided of an interconnected time-delay system.