  The structure of the commutator algebra for conformal quantum mechanics is
considered. Specifically, it is shown that the emergence of a dimensional scale
by renormalization implies the existence of an anomaly or quantum-mechanical
symmetry breaking, which is explicitly displayed at the level of the generators
of the SO(2,1) conformal group. Correspondingly, the associated breakdown of
the conservation of the dilation and special conformal charges is derived.
