Exotic galilean symmetry and non-commutative mechanics

Some aspects of the "exotic" particle, associated with the two-parameter central extension of the planar Galilei group are reviewed. A fundamental property is that it has non-commuting position coordinates. Other and generalized non-commutative models are also discussed. Minimal as well as anomalous coupling to an external electromagnetic field is presented. Supersymmetric extension is also considered. Exotic Galilean symmetry is also found in Moyal field theory. Similar equations arise for a semiclassical Bloch electron, used to explain the anomalous/spin/optical Hall effects.Comment: Review paper. Published versio

Job Turnover in Irish Manufacturing 1976 -2006

While growth in output and employment remains relatively strong in the Irish economy, there has been considerable focus recently on some high-profile job losses, particularly in the manufacturing sector. This paper places these developments within a broader context and shows that aggregate changes in the net number of jobs arise from large numbers of firms both increasing and decreasing employment simultaneously at all points in time. Even at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom when employment grew by 8 percent, this was the result of 15 percent growth in jobs by expanding firms offset by 7 percent of positions being eliminated in firms that were contracting their workforces. One important feature of job flows is that they may contribute to productivity growth by allowing movements from low to high productivity firms. To a degree, this reflects the re-allocation of jobs from declining sectors to expanding sectors, but this is not a comprehensive explanation. A significant factor underlying job flows is the reallocation within sectors from under-performing firms to expanding firms. This study also shows that productivity growth is, on balance, positive for employment growth, as it results, more often than not, in increased employment and higher earnings rather than job losses. On the other hand, these calculations also show how hard it is for policy-makers to identify firms that will be employment and productivity growth winners.

Job Turnover in Irish Manufacturing 1972–2006

With the recent slowdown in global economic growth, there has been considerable focus in Ireland on some high-profile job losses, particularly in the manufacturing sector. This paper places such developments into a broader context and shows that aggregate changes in the net number of jobs arise from large numbers of firms both increasing and decreasing employment simultaneously at all points in time. Even at the height of the Celtic Tiger boom when employment grew by 8 per cent, this was the result of 15 per cent growth in jobs by expanding firms offset by 7 per cent of positions being eliminated in contracting firms. One important feature of job flows is that they may contribute to productivity growth by allowing movements from low to high productivity firms. To a degree, this reflects the re-allocation of jobs from declining sectors to expanding sectors, but this is not a comprehensive explanation. A significant factor underlying job flows is the reallocation within sectors from under-performing firms to expanding firms. This study also shows that productivity growth is, on balance, positive for employment growth. On the other hand, these calculations also show how hard it is for policymakers to identify firms that will be employment and productivity growth winners.

Berry phase correction to electron density in solids and "exotic" dynamics

Recent results on the semiclassical dynamics of an electron in a solid are explained using techniques developed for ``exotic'' Galilean dynamics. The system is indeed Hamiltonian and Liouville's theorem holds for the symplectic volume form. Suitably defined quantities satisfy hydrodynamic equations.Comment: Affiliation of the first Author expanded. One more reference added. To appear in Mod. Phys. Lett. B. 5 page

Optimal two-level conjoint designs for large numbers of attributes.

In this paper, we propose a simple strategy to construct D-, A-, G- and V-optimal two-level multi-attribute designs for rating-based conjoint studies. Our approach combines orthogonal designs and balanced or partially balanced incomplete block designs. In order not to overload respondents with complicated tasks, the designs hold one or more attributes at a constant level. The designs are variance-balanced meaning that they yield an equal amount of information on each of the part-worths. Some examples are provided to illustrate the method.Balanced and partially balanced incomplete block designs; D-,A-,G- and V-optimality; Orthogonal designs; Two-level conjoint designs; Strategy; Design; Studies; Order; Yield; Information;

A possible new approach in the prediction of late gestational hypertension: The role of the fetal aortic intima-media thickness

The aim was to determine the predictive role of combined screening for late-onset gestational hypertension by fetal ultrasound measurements, third trimester uterine arteries (UtAs) Doppler imaging, and maternal history. This prospective study on singleton pregnancies was conducted at the tertiary center of Maternal and Fetal Medicine of the University of Padua during the period between January 2012 and December 2014. Ultrasound examination (fetal biometry, fetal wellbeing, maternal Doppler study, fetal abdominal aorta intima-media thickness [aIMT], and fetal kidney volumes), clinical data (mother age, prepregnancy body mass index [BMI], and parity), and pregnancy outcomes were collected. The P value <0.05 was defined significant considering a 2-sided alternative hypothesis. The distribution normality of variables were assessed using Kolmogorov–Smirnoff test. Data were presented by mean (±standard deviation), median and interquartile range, or percentage and absolute values. We considered data from 1381 ultrasound examinations at 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, and in 73 cases late gestational hypertension developed after 34 weeks’ gestation. The final multivariate model found that fetal aIMT as well as fetal umbilical artery pulsatility index (PI), maternal age, maternal prepregnacy BMI, parity, and mean PI of maternal UtAs, assessed at ultrasound examination of 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, were significant and independent predictors for the development of gestational hypertension after 34 weeks’ gestation. The area under the curve of the model was 81.07% (95% confidence interval, 75.83%–86.32%). A nomogram was developed starting from multivariate logistic regression coefficients. Late-gestational hypertension could be independently predicted by fetal aIMT assessment at 29 to 32 weeks’ gestation, ultrasound Doppler waveforms, and maternal clinical parameters

The Importance of Modularity in Bioinformatics Tools

In the last decade the amount of Bioinformatics tools has increased enormously. There are tools to store, analyse, visualize, edit or generate biological data and there are still more in development. Still, the demand for increased functionality in a single piece of software must be balanced by the need for modularity to keep the software maintainable. In complex systems, the con&#xfb02;icting demands of features and maintainability are often solved by plug-in systems.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;For example Cytoscape, an open source platform for Complex-Network Analysis and Visualization, is using a plug-in system to allow the extension of the application without changing the core. This not only allows the integration of new functionality without a new release but offers the possibility for other developers to contribute plug-ins which are needed in their research.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;Most tools have their own, individual plug-in system to meet the needs of the application. These are often very simple and easy to use. However, the increasing complexity of plug-ins demands more functionality of the plug-in system. We want to reuse components in different contexts, we want to have simple plug-in interfaces and we want to allow communication and dependencies between plug-ins. Many tools implemented in Java are facing these problems and there seems to be a common solution: the integration of an established modularity framework, like OSGi. To our knowledge, a number of developers of bioinformatics tools are already implementing, planning or thinking about the integration of OSGi into their applications, e.g. Cytoscape, Protege, PathVisio, ImageJ, Jalview or Chipster. The adoption of modularity frameworks in the development of bioinformatics applications is steadily increasing and should be considered in the design of new software.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;By modularity in the traditional computer science sense, we mean the division of a software application into logical parts with separate concerns. To ease the development of software tools the application is separated into smaller logical parts, which are implemented individually. A set of modules can form a larger application but only if a proper glue is used, OSGi is an example of such a glue. OSGi allows to build an infrastructure into an application to add and use different modules. It provides mechanisms to allow the individual modules to rely on and interact with each other, opening the possibility to put together different modules to solve the problem at hand. Later, modules can be removed and new ones can be added to tackle another problem. As Katy Boerner in her article &#x27;Plug-and-Play Macroscopes&#x27; writes, we should &#x27;implement software frameworks that empower domain scientists to assemble their own continuously evolving macroscopes, adding and upgrading existing (and removing obsolete) plug-ins to arrive at a set that is truly relevant for their work&#x27;.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;Some of these modules are going to be speci&#xfb01;c for one application but a lot of these modules can actually be reused by other tools. We are talking about general features like the import or export of different &#xfb01;le formats, a layout algorithm that could be used by several visualization tools or the lookup in an external online database. Why should every tool implement its own parser or algorithm? Modularity can help to share functionality. There is no need to start from scratch and implement everything anew, thus developers can focus on new and important features.&#xd;&#xa;&#xd;&#xa;Adding modularity, or better, a modularity framework to an existing software application is not a trivial task. The developers of Cytoscape are currently undertaking this challenge with the coming version 3. We are also working on the integration of OSGi into our pathway visualization tool PathVisio and we now want to share and compare our experiences, so others can bene&#xfb01;t from our discoveries. This will not only help them in making a decision if OSGi is a suitable solution for them but also in the integration process itself

Gaya Pengasuh Orang Tua dan Kematangan Sosial Anak Slow Learner

Kematangan sosial menurut Doll ( 1965) adalah suatu kemampuan yang ditunjukkan oleh seseorang dalam mengurus dirinya sendiri dan partisipasinya dalam aktivitas yang akhirnya mengarah pada kemandirian sebagaimana layaknya orang dewasa. Kematangan sosial ini terwujud dalam aspek-aspek : self help general (SHG). self help eating (SHE), self help dressing (SHD), self direction (SD), locomotion (L), occupation (0), communication (C),socialization (S)