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The Initial Screening Order Problem
No full textWe investigate the role of the initial screening order (ISO) in candidate screening. The ISO refers to the order in which the screener searches the candidate pool when selecting k candidates. Today, it is common for the ISO to be the product of an information access system, such as an online platform or a database query. The ISO has been largely overlooked in the literature, despite its impact on the optimality and fairness of the selected k candidates, especially under a human screener. We define two problem formulations describing the search behavior of the screener given an ISO: the best-k, where it selects the top k candidates; and the good-k, where it selects the first good-enough k candidates. To study the impact of the ISO, we introduce a human-like screener and compare it to its algorithmic counterpart, where the human-like screener is conceived to be inconsistent over time. Our analysis, in particular, shows that the ISO, under a human-like screener solving for the good-k problem, hinders individual fairness despite meeting group fairness, and hampers the optimality of the selected k candidates. This is due to position bias, where a candidate's evaluation is affected by its position within the ISO. We report extensive simulated experiments exploring the parameters of the best-k and good-k problems for both screeners. Our simulation framework is flexible enough to account for multiple candidate screening tasks, being an alternative to running real-world procedures
Graphic Wilde: The Picture of Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest in Comics
No full textOscar Wilde’s production has appeared considerably late in the field of comic books in comparison with other 19th-century novels such as The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde (1886) or Dracula (1897). This is mainly due to the themes dealt with by the author, which were considered unsuitable for a medium long thought to be exclusively addressed to children or young adults and, therefore, penalised by such laws as the American Comics Code Authority (1954). With the upsurge of comics in the 1980s, both in the academic world and in pop culture, and the rise in Neo-Victorian fiction, Wilde has been rediscovered and, along with him, the themes deemed antithetical to Victorian values and considered as taboos until a few decades ago. Consequently, many graphic novels have appeared, translating Wilde’s words into panels and balloons. Not surprisingly, the most frequently adapted work in the last twenty years has been The Picture of Dorian Gray (1890), probably due to the cinematographic debut of the character in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003). As far as drama is concerned, Salomè (1891) stands out and has even been adapted into comics by Italian authors, while the renowned The Importance of Being Earnest (1895) has just had one English adaptation by the Classical Comics publishing house. In this analysis, the Marvel adaptation of The Picture of Dorian Gray and the aforementioned version of The Importance of Being Earnest will be taken into account, pointing out similarities and variations between Wilde’s original works and their graphic counterparts. Indeed, Wilde can be considered as a model for comic book authors due to the highly aesthetic quality of his writing, which is capable of inspiring both scriptwriters and illustrators. I intend to specifically focus on these graphic adaptations, thus considering the comic book as a sort of mise-en-scène
Il potere disciplinare della pubblica amministrazione oltre la cessazione del rapporto di lavoro
No full textIl presente commento alla pronuncia di Cassazione del 27 novembre 2024, n.30535 concerne il potere delle pubbliche amministrazioni di avviare/proseguire un procedimento disciplinare anche in seguito alla cessazione del rapporto di lavoro, in presenza di condotte così gravi da comportare la sanzione del licenziamento o la sospensione cautelare dal servizio
La violenza nelle relazioni familiari. Le fattispecie penali
No full textNell'ambito di un volume che affronta in chiave interdisciplinare le tematiche giuridiche legate ai fenomeni di violenza familiare, il capitolo tratta dei profili penali, esaminando le fattispecie di reato principalmente destinate a inquadrare i casi di violenza fisica o psichica anche indiretta che si generino all'interno di relazioni familiari o comunque affettive
Anti-tumor efficacy and Vδ2 T-cell activation via EGFR antibody-drug conjugates featuring novel aminobisphosphonates
No full textAntibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a promising strategy in cancer therapy, enabling the targeted delivery of cytotoxic agents to tumor cells. In this study, we developed and characterized novel ADCs combining the anti-EGFR monoclonal therapeutic antibody Cetuximab (Cet) with two aminobisphosphonates (N-BPs) analogues of zoledronic acid (ZA): DC310 and the aminothiazole DC315. These conjugates aim to enhance antitumor efficacy of Cet in colorectal cancer (CRC) by both directly inhibiting tumor cell growth and activating Vδ2 T lymphocytes. We optimized the drug-antibody ratio (DAR), achieving significantly higher DARs compared to previously reported Cet-ZA conjugate, particularly with Cet-DC315 (DAR ≈ 23). Both ADCs retained selective EGFR binding in CRC cell lines and patient-derived organoids (PDO). Functionally, Cet-DC315 markedly inhibited proliferation of EGFR+ CRC cell lines in conventional cultures and 3D spheroids. Furthermore, Cet-DC-315 uniquely induced expansion and cytotoxic activation of Vδ2 T cells in co-cultures with CRC cell lines, PDO, and primary tumor samples. These findings suggest that ADCs incorporating novel N-BPs such as DC315 represent a potent approach for dual antitumor targeting through direct cytostatic effects and immune activation, offering a potential therapeutic advantage in the treatment of EGFR+ colorectal cancer
Efficient Distributed DNN for Extreme Edge Computing in Wildlife Monitoring
No full textIn rural areas such as national parks, forests, and mountains, recognizing and classifying wildlife is crucial for monitoring animals that may pose risks to crops and human safety. Deep learning provides the most accurate approach due to its dynamic adaptability. However, it is also highly energy intensive. Given the constraints of rural environments, including the use of extreme edge devices and limited power availability, this study employs distributed computing to maximize battery life while enabling the execution of DL tasks. The core concept is Split Computing, specifically applied to the YOLOv8m and YOLOv10 models, which have been provided by researchers as a highly effective solution for wildlife classification. This approach dynamically reallocates different model components across available boards, specifically the NVIDIA Jetson Orin Nano, to optimize energy consumption. This research investigates various model distribution configurations across the head, backbone, and neck components, assessing whether video stream compression between the camera and the computing boards affects energy consumption and network load. Our findings suggest that the choice of model splitting configuration significantly impacts energy efficiency, bandwidth consumption, and computational load distribution
Development of a Mesothelin-Binding Engineered Scaffold Protein as a Theranostic for Pleural Mesothelioma
No full textMesothelin (MSLN) is a tumor biomarker expressed at high levels on the surface of numerous cancers with extremely limited expression in healthy tissues. MSLN-targeting agents developed for diagnosis and therapy could have a significant impact on the management of MSLN-expressing cancers. Pleural mesothelioma (PM) is a deadly cancer that arises from mesothelial cells lining the pleura and is predominantly linked to asbestos exposure. There are currently no effective treatments, and diagnosis occurs in late stages of disease due to the lack of clinical symptoms in the early stages. Recent efforts to diagnose and treat PM have focused on identifying and targeting relevant biomarkers, including MSLN. We engineered proteins based on the nonantibody fibronectin type III (Fn3) protein scaffold that bind MSLN with high affinity and specificity, using yeast-surface display and directed evolution. Previous work with Fn3 scaffold proteins has demonstrated tissue distribution desirable for applications in molecular imaging and targeted radiotherapy, which may overcome limitations encountered thus far with antibody-based approaches to treat PM. The MSLN-targeting Fn3 was further developed for bioconjugation with the 1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane,1-(glutaric acid)-4,7,10-triacetic acid (DOTAGA) radiometal chelator. MSLN-binding Fn3 specifically binds to the MSLN-expressing PM lines, colocalizes with MSLN, and internalizes upon binding. Fn3-DOTAGA was further coupled with cold metal gallium-69, and the resulting conjugate maintained binding with high affinity to MSLN-expressing PM cells. MSLN-binding Fn3-DOTAGA-69Ga is a promising molecule with diagnostic and therapeutic relevance, toward applications in molecular imaging and targeted radiotherapy