Thin-trading effects in Beta : Bias v. estimator error.

Thin trading; Market model; Estimator; Bias; Variance; Cost;

Model-robust and model-sensitive designs.

Abstract: The main drawback of the optimal design approach is that it assumes the statistical model is known. In this paper, a new approach to reduce the dependency on the assumed model is proposed. The approach takes into account the model uncertainty by incorporating the bias in the design criterion and the ability to test for lack-of-fit. Several new designs are derived in the paper and they are compared to the alternatives available from the literature.A-optimality; Bias; D-optimality; Lack-of-fit; Model-discrimination; Model-robustness;

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 conflicting demands of features and maintainability are often solved by plug-in systems.

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.

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.

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 'Plug-and-Play Macroscopes' writes, we should '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'.

Some of these modules are going to be specific 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 file 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.

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 benefit 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

Asymmetric scattering and non-orthogonal mode patterns in optical micro-spirals

Quasi-bound states in an open system do in general not form an orthogonal and complete basis. It is, however, expected that the non-orthogonality is weak in the case of well-confined states except close to a so-called exceptional point in parameter space. We present numerical evidence showing that for passive optical microspiral cavities the parameter regime where the non-orthogonality is significant is rather broad. Here we observe almost-degenerate pairs of well-confined modes which are highly non-orthogonal. Using a non-Hermitian model Hamiltonian we demonstrate that this interesting phenomenon is related to the asymmetric scattering between clockwise and counterclockwise propagating waves in the spiral geometry. Numerical simulations of ray dynamics reveal a clear ray-wave correspondence.Comment: 8 pages, 10 figure

Research Agenda for Studying Open Source II: View Through the Lens of Referent Discipline Theories

In a companion paper [Niederman et al., 2006] we presented a multi-level research agenda for studying information systems using open source software. This paper examines open source in terms of MIS and referent discipline theories that are the base needed for rigorous study of the research agenda

TINJAUAN YURIDIS TERHADAP ABORSI AKIBAT PERKOSAAN MENURUT UNDANG-UNDANG NOMOR 36 TAHUN 2009 TENTANG KESEHATAN

Tujuan dilakukannya penelitian ini yaitu untuk mengetahui bagaimanakah tindakan aborsi bagi korban perkosaan sesuai dengan peraturan perundang-undangan dan bagaimanakah pandangan moral agama Islam, Kristen Protestan, dan Roma Katolik terhadap tindakan aborsi akibat perkosaan yangdengan metode penelitian hukum normatif disimpulkan: 1. Peraturan perundang-undangan yang mengatur tentang aborsi bagi korban perkosaan telah diatur dalam Undang-Undang Nomor 36 Tahun 2009 Tentang Kesehatan dan Peraturan Pemerintah Nomor 61 Tahun 2014 Tentang Kesehatan Reproduksi. Tetapi kenyataannya, salah satu faktor penghambat pelaksanaan legalisasi aborsi terhadap korban perkosaan yaitu tenggang waktu 40 hari (6 minggu) yang dirasa kurang cukup untuk proses pembuktian melakukan suatu aborsi. Kondisi depresi berat seringkali menyebabkan korban perkosaan tidak menyadari kalau dirinya hamil atau korban baru mengetahui kehamilannya setelah 40 hari. Kemudian, hingga saat ini minim sekali tersedia layanan kesehatan yang memenuhi syarat untuk melakukan tindakan aborsi yang aman bagi korban perkosaan dimanapun perempuan tersebut tinggal. Berdasarkan uraian tersebut maka, peraturan perundang-undangan yang mengatur tindakan aborsi bagi korban perkosaan belum sepenuhnya memenuhi hak-hak korban dalam tindakan aborsi serta hak-hak korban dalam mendapatkan pelayanan kesehatan reproduksi yang mudah diakses dan aman. 2. Agama-agama yang berlaku di Indonesia, khususnya Agama Islam, Kristen Protestan, dan Roma Katolik secara tegas menolak aborsi. Hal ini kemudian menimbulkan benturan dengan adanya kenyataan akan kebutuhan aborsi legal di masyarakat. Norma agama, meskipun tidak mengikat, namun bisa menjadi pendorong atau bahkan sumber dari produk hukum terkait dengan permasalahan pemenuhan hak reproduksi perempuan. Akan tetapi, berdasarkan fakta-fakta yang terjadi di Indonesia bahwa walaupun secara keagamaan telah dilarang untuk melakukan tindakan aborsi tetapi pada prakteknya hal tersebut masih banyak dilakukan oleh masing-masing umat beragama dan dijadikan sebagai satu-satunya jalan keluar dari permasalahan tersebut.Kata kunci: aborsi; perkosaan; undang-undang kesehata

A Research Agenda for Studying Open Source I: A Multi-Level Framework

This paper presents a research agenda for studying information systems using open source software A multi-level research model is developed at five discrete levels of analysis: (1) the artifact; (2) the individual; (3) the team, project, and community; (4) the organization; and (5) society. Each level is discussed in terms of key issues within the level. Examples are based on prior research. In a companion paper, [Niederman, et al 2006], we view the agenda through the lens of referent discipline theories