Location-Aware Incentive Mechanism for Traffic Offloading in Heterogeneous Networks: A Stackelberg Game Approach.

This article investigates the traffic offloading problem in the heterogeneous network. The location of small cells is considered as an important factor in two aspects: the amount of resources they share for offloaded macrocell users and the performance enhancement they bring after offloading. A location-aware incentive mechanism is therefore designed to incentivize small cells to serve macrocell users. Instead of taking the amount of resources shared as the basis of the reward division, the performance promotion brought to the macro network is taken. Meanwhile, in order to ensure the superiority of small cell users, the significance of them weighs heavier than macrocell users instead of being treated equally. The offloading problem is formulated as a Stackelberg game where the macro cell base station is the leader and small cells are followers. The Stackelberg equilibrium of the game is proved to be existing and unique. It is also proved to be the optimum of the proposed problem. Simulation and numerical results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method.

[Evaluation of Clonorchis sinensis PPMP I antigen Cs2 recombinant protein for immunodiagnosis of clonorchiasis].

OBJECTIVE: To develop and preliminarily evaluate two immunodiagnostic methods for clonorchiasis using Clonorchis sinensis PPMP I antigen Cs2 recombinant protein (rCs2). METHODS: Using the soluble rCs2, an indirect ELISA and a colloidal-gold immuno-chromatography assay (GICA) dynamic flow strip was developed for detecting specific antibodies in serum. Serum samples from 35 egg-positive clonorchiasis patients, 33 healthy individuals, 15 schistosomiasis patients, 15 paragonimiasis westermani patients and 13 cysticercosis patients were examined by ELISA and GICA strip test. To further evaluate the diagnostic value of these two methods, eight New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into infected group and treatment group. Each rabbit was infected with 600 C. sinensis metacercaria. Rabbits in treatment group were treated with praziquantel [150 mg/(kg x d) x 2d] individually at day 56 post-infection. ELISA and GICA strip test were used to observe the dynamic changes of specific antibodies against rCs2 in the two parallel groups during the period of 0-44 weeks. RESULTS: The sensitivity, specificity and total coincidence rate determined by the ELISA method were 71.4% (25/35), 93.4% (71/76), and 86.5% (96/111), respectively, and the cross reaction with schistosomiasis, paragonimiasis and cysticercosis patients were 1/15, 1/15, and 1/13, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity and coincidence rate in the GICA strip test were 85.7% (30/35), 92.1% (70/76), and 90.1%(100/111), respectively. In C sinensis infected rabbits, antibodies level began to increase at 4 weeks after infection, peaked at the 6th week, and declined rapidly to a lower level in the 20th week, while the changing pattern of antibodies level in the treatment group was similar with that of infected group (P > 0.05). In the GICA strip test, antibodies in two groups could be detected in 4-16 weeks. CONCLUSION: Indirect ELISA and the GICA dynamic flow strip developed in this study may be of value in the immunodiagnosis of clonorchiasis.

A novel dynamic flow immunochromatographic test (DFICT) using gold nanoparticles for the serological detection of Toxoplasma gondii infection in dogs and cats.

A novel dynamic flow immunochromatographic test (DFICT) is proposed for rapid assay utilizing Toxoplasma gondii as a model. The test is based on a proprietary technology that combines the principles of immunochromatography and fluid dynamics. Gold nanoparticles conjugated to staphylococcal protein A (SPA) were prepared in liquid form and used as signal vehicles. T. gondii-specific recombinant antigens and SPA were sprayed onto a nitrocellulose membrane in strips at positions designated as T and C, respectively. The DFICT is performed by applying a 100 µL aliquot of liquid gold-SPA conjugate to the reagent hole and a 5 µL aliquot of serum sample to the sample hole. The results were observable within 5 min by the naked eye. The lowest detectable limit of the assay was determined as the highest dilution (1:320) of positive serum. No cross-reaction of the antibodies with other related canine or feline pathogens was observed. The DFICT can be stored for 12 months at 4°C or 6 months with no loss of sensitivity or specificity. A high degree of consistency was observed between the DFICT and the standard ELISA kit, supporting the reliability of the novel test strip. The introduction of a liquid gold nanoparticle conjugate reagent provides this method with several attractive characteristics, such as ease of manufacture, low sample volume requirements, high selectivity and high efficiency. This method opens a novel pathway for rapid diagnostic screening and field analysis.