Darwin’s eclipse concerned function versus mechanism.

Comments on a article by Dewsbury (February–March 2009) (see record 2009-01602-013) in which he stated, “Darwin provided a viable mechanism for evolutionary change, natural selection” (p. 67). Although this view is consistent with the modern synthesis, the author argues that (a) the natural selection “mechanism” provided by Darwin was not initially accepted by scientists because (b) natural selection is a functional explanation, and functional explanations are always incomplete because they describe how things work but not why they work; that is, they lack mechanism information. This explanatory deficiency led to what Bowler (1983), uncited by Dewsbury (2009), described (in a book of the same name) as “The eclipse of Darwinism,” the initial rejection of natural selection by most scientists. The importance of the distinction the author is making between functional explanations and mechanism information for the future of psychology is that efforts to advance psychological science by clarifying causal mechanisms must first understand how mechanism explanations differ from functional explanations. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Factors Influencing Building Contractors’ Pricing for Time-Related Risks in Tenders

The contractors’ pricing for contract risks in tenders determines how much the employers have to pay for the risk transfer. Therefore, understanding the factors influencing the contractors’ pricing for contract risks is crucial for employers to optimize the cost effectiveness of risk allocation in contracts. This study investigates the factors that contractors perceive to be important when they are pricing “time-related” contract risks. A questionnaire survey was designed for collecting data from building contractors currently operating in Hong Kong. Contractors were not only required to rate the importance of individual factors, but also to state the cost implications when compared with normal pricing in the absence of the concerned factor. The findings reveal that a single factor may have two-sided implications (both inflating and deflating the prices) for which they can be in unequal scales. These scales vary according to the contractor size and the reasons of the differences are investigated. The findings also assist employers in formulating a cost effective contract strategy by equipping them with the necessary knowledge.     

Dynamic Planning and Control Methodology for Design∕Build Fast-Track Construction Projects

A dynamic planning and control methodology is developed by integrating the applications of axiomatic design concepts, concurrent engineering concepts, the graphical evaluation and review technique (GERT), and the system dynamics modeling technique. The goal of the proposed methodology is to help create a dynamic project plan for design∕build fast-track civil engineering and architectural projects where unforeseen changes can be absorbed in the project schedule without creating major interruptions. The axiomatic design concepts are applied to formulate and evaluate various work methodologies, and to create a project plan based on the selected work methodology. The concept of concurrent engineering is adapted to develop a fast-tracking framework based on the task production rate, the upstream task reliability, and downstream task sensitivity to the upstream error. The GERT diagramming scheme is used to calculate the project duration probabilistically by incorporating the possible branches and loops in the project. The system dynamics modeling technique is applied to analyze the causality links of relevant factors in the construction system, and further identifies the important variables that determine the success of a particular overlapping strategy. Consequently, with a rigorous and systemized methodology to help project planning, potential problems can be addressed early before construction. The overall increase in productivity and efficiency as a result of a better planning process can consequently promote the competitiveness of the construction industry.     

SOEs’Overseas Mining Investment Faces Great Risks

Recently,the dilemma of CITIC Pacific concerning its investment in magnetite in Western Australia has once again come under the spot-light. In March 2012,Chang Zhenming,Chairman of CITIC Pacific,ever indicated that the first production line of the magnetite project in Western Australia would go into operation in August 2012,However,he noted not long ago that the project cannot be commissioned as planned in this August and would be postponed to     

Multiobjective Evolutionary Finance-Based Scheduling: Entire Projects’ Portfolio

A strength Pareto evolutionary algorithm (SPEA) is proposed and was modified by incorporating logic-preserving crossover and mutation operators and employed to devise a set of optimum finance-based schedules of multiple projects being implemented simultaneously by a construction contractor. The problem involves the minimization of the conflicting objectives of financing costs, duration of the group of projects, and the required credit. The modified SPEA was employed to obtain the Pareto-optimal fronts for the two-objective combinations as well as the three objectives. In addition, a fuzzy-based technique was used to help the contractors select the best compromise solution over the Pareto-optimal solutions. The proposed approach has been developed and implemented on projects with different sizes. The results obtained by the modified SPEA, fuzzy-based approach demonstrated its potential and effectiveness in finance-based scheduling of multiple projects.     

Concurrent discrimination learning in Parkinson’s disease.

Studies of neuropsychological patients and experimental animals have demonstrated that the striatum plays a role in implicit habit learning. Here, we examined the performance of patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD) on a concurrent discrimination task that can be learned implicitly by neurologically intact individuals. Participants viewed a pair of shapes on each trial and, under a timed deadline, guessed which one concealed a smiling face. About half the control participants exhibited minimal awareness of the cue–reward relationships as assessed by a post-test evaluation. Nevertheless, these participants were able to perform the discrimination task; there was no correlation between awareness and performance on the task. In contrast, minimally aware patients with PD showed no learning, whereas those who were more aware of the relationships performed as well as control participants on the task. There was a significant correlation between awareness and performance in patients with PD. These data support the idea that the basal ganglia play a role in implicit habit learning and underscore the importance of using tests of awareness to assess the content and process of learning in humans. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Sources of Changes in Design–Build Contracts for a Governmental Owner

In recent years, many U.S. federal, state, and local governments have been authorized to use the design–build method of project delivery instead of the traditional design–bid–build method. Recent studies have not been definitive on the cost advantage of design–build for governmental owners. There are fewer change orders in design–build due to design errors because the designer (architect/engineer) and contractor are one entity, but there are other causes of change orders. Some literature suggests that changes requested by the owner of the facility are greater with the design–build method. This research examines the causes for construction-phase changes in 14 design–build and 20 design–bid–build projects. Total changes, expressed as number per contract, cost per contract, or percentage of original contract, were significantly lower in design–build. Fewer design errors in design–build accounted for this advantage. The number of owner-requested changes was significantly greater in design–build. The cost of owner-requested changes, averaged over all the projects, was significantly less for design–bid–build. The differences in changes due to differing site conditions were not significant. The concept that there are more owner-requested changes in design–build projects is supported by this research.     

Real-Time Implementation of Model Predictive Control on Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District’s WM Canal

Water resources are limited in many agricultural areas. One method to improve the effective use of water is to improve delivery service from irrigation canals. This can be done by applying automatic control methods that control the gates in an irrigation canal. The model predictive control (MPC) is one such advanced control method. In this article, the MPC is used to deliver irrigation water to the WM Canal at the Maricopa-Stanfield Irrigation and Drainage District. The tests show that the water is efficiently delivered to the users and water level deviations at all locations are small. The control is compared to the results from an advanced Linear Quadratic Regulator control method, also tested on the actual canal.     

Analysis of China’s Aluminum Scrap Market in 2014

<正>According to customs data,from January to November 2014,China imported a total of2,080,000 tonnes of Aluminum Scrap,down by8.6%on Y-o-Y basis compared with the figure of the same period in the previous year,which is 2,260,000 tonnes.In 2014,the decline in import of overseas scrap material can be attributed to the following reasons:Firstly,     

JCC’s Largest Copper Production Base Found in Zengcheng

On 29 December 2010,a ground-breaking ceremony for the 400,000-ton copper rod (wire) project of JCC Guangzhou Copper Co.,Ltd.(one of major projects of Jiangxi Copper Corporation (JCC) in the 12th Five-Year Plan     

Reversal in China’s Mineral Risk Prospecting Investment Pattern

The total size of China’s central and provincial level geological prospecting funds has reached 39.9 billion yuan,which effectively propelled social capital to make investment in mineral resources risk prospecting through cooperation,and reversed the previous pattern that China’s mining risk prospecting totally relied on investment by the state government.     

Baosteel’s progressive advance in manufacturing high performance alloys

Backed by over 50 years time-tested experience in alloys manufacturing,Baosteel Special Steels play the leading role in the development and production of high performance alloys in China.The key alloys we produce for the domestic and foreign top-end market cover the Ti-alloys,and structural steels.The alloy melting processes include VIM,VAR,ESR,EB &PAM,EAF,AOD,VOD,LF,VD and the casting processes include IC,CC.The metal forming processes involve forging & isothermal forging,hot &cold rolling,extruding,drawing,and sheet metal operations.The production capability has been further strengthened by our unparalleled production lines and state-of-the-art facilities, comprehensive product analysis,superior quality assurance to national and international standards and all-round customer service.     

Psychology’s role in mathematics and science education.

Improving mathematics and science education in the United States has been a matter of national concern for over half a century. Psychology has a vital role to play in this enterprise. In this article, the authors review the kinds of contributions that psychology can make in four areas: (a) early understanding of mathematics, (b) understanding of science, (c) social and motivational aspects of involvement in mathematics and science, and (d) assessment of learning in mathematics and science. They also examine challenges to psychology’s playing a central and constructive role and make recommendations for overcoming those challenges. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Better versus worse family therapy sessions as reflected in clients’ alliance-related behavior.

To be responsive to clients’ evaluations of the unfolding therapy process, therapists must first accurately “read” client behavior, a particularly challenging task in conjoint family therapy. In this study, the authors compared client behavior in 28 sessions that one family member and the therapist concurred, on the Session Evaluation Questionnaire (W. B. Stiles & J. S. Snow, 1984), were relatively better or worse than their other sessions. Client behavior was rated from videotapes using the System for Observing Family Therapy Alliances (SOFTA-o; M. L. Friedlander et al., 2006). In contrast to the worse sessions, the better sessions were characterized by significantly greater client Engagement in the Therapeutic Process and Safety within the Therapeutic System. Notably, whereas only the worse sessions had exceptionally poor within-family collaboration, 40% of the better sessions were characterized by mild family conflict. Implications are discussed for building theory on therapist responsiveness and for future research that may benefit practice, training, and supervision. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Editor’s Note

As the Society for Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology works to encourage greater genuine dialogue among proponents of disparate philosophical positions and traditions related to psychology, I am pleased for the second time in three years to have the opportunity to publish another set of commentaries on a paper previously published in Journal of Theoretical and Philosophical Psychology (JTPP), together with the author's reply. I am also delighted to know that the future of the Journal has been placed in the wise and energetic care of Thomas Teo, but more of that in the announcement to follow. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)