Competing and Interfering Conflict: Insights from Decision-Making Tasks

Cognitive control, the most distinguishing characteristic of human behavior, is typically studied by conflict paradigms, in which conflicts are induced by goal-irrelevant stimuli (interfering conflict). We argue that competing conflict, where all stimuli need to be processed, is more basic and can also be measured using a decision-making task. In the current study, participants completed modified versions of the backward masking majority function task and the Flanker task to compare the two types of conflict in several dimensions, including reaction and resolving time, effects related to cognitive control (conflict adaption and error-related slowing), inter-stimuli distance, and uncertainty of the location. The results of these comparisons illustrate the unity and diversity of these two types of conflict. The potential application of the computational model in competing conflict is also discussed. The results will not only deepen our understanding of cognitive control and decision-making but also contribute to other areas like artificial intelligence.

Development of Combinational Circuits by Encoding on the Basis of Developmental Biology

The present work visualizes the evolution of primitive digital circuits as a development problem. The development of the digital circuit is implemented similar to the development of a human embryo from a single cell to the complete organism. The constituent parts making up a primitive digital circuit are encoded into binary strings. Each binary string is viewed as a cell, and several such cells are allowed to adhere and multiply before culminating into a developed organism. The binary string of the cell is further mapped to a particular attribute which defines the constituent of the complete digital circuit implemented. The present work illustrates the development of a 4-input combinational digital circuit. The development of 2-input majority function is illustrated, and the results are shown for the 2-input Ex-OR gate, 2-input majority function with 4 input variables, and a 2-to-1 multiplexer circuit. The development of the digital circuit resembles the development of an embryo in a living organism.

On bijunctive predicates over a finite set

The paper is concerned with representations of predicates over a finite set in the form of generalized conjunctive normal forms (GCNF). Properties of predicates GCNF are found which are preserved by some majority function. Such predicates are called generalized bijunctive predicates. These properties are used to construct new faster polynomial algorithms for the generalized satisfiability problem in the case when some majority function preserves all the original predicates.

Designing a Novel High Performance Four-to-Two Compressor Cell Based on CNTFET Technology for Low Voltages

<p>Compressor cell is often placed in critical path of multiplier circuits to perform partial product summation. Therefore it plays a significant role in determining the entire performance of multiplier and digital system. Respecting to the necessity of low power design for portable electronic, designing a low power and high performance compressors seems to be a good solution to overcome of these problems for computations. In this paper a novel high performance four-to-two compressor cell is proposed using Carbon Nanotube Field Effect Transistors (CNTFETs) technology. The new cell is based on Majority Function, NOR, and NAND gates. The main advantage of proposed design in comparison with former cells is the ease of obtaining CARRY output by means of Majority function. Simulations have been done with 32nm technology node using Synopsys HSPICE software. Simulation results confirm the priority of the proposed cell compared to other state-of-the-art four-to-two compressor cells.</p>