Background: The crossed cerebro-cerebellar (CCC) activation facilitates the diagnosis of cortical language lateralization, but needs to be explored with language tasks suitable for patients with different age ranges, educational attainment and eventual presence of language deficits. Aim: To determine the effect of demographic variables in the performance of three language tasks in healthy volunteers and to determine the CCC activation of these tasks as a functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm in brain tumor patients. Material and Methods: The behavioral performance (correct responses and reaction time) of three language tasks (verbal fluency, semantic and phonological decision tasks) was first examined in 76 healthy volunteers balanced by age and educational level. Later, these tasks were implemented as fMRI paradigms to explore CCC language activation of 20 patients with potential diagnosis of brain tumors. Results: The performance of the verbal fluency task was affected by age. The CCC language activation was reproducible with the semantic and phonological tasks. The combination of the tasks determined typical and atypical language lateralization in 60% and 40% of our patients, respectively. Conclusions: The verbal fluency task must be implemented with care as a clinical fMRI paradigm. Our results suggest that semantic and phonological tasks can be a good alternative for brain tumor patients with language deficits.

O objetivo do trabalho foi analisar a capacidade de modelos de ajuda à decisão baseados na programação matemática para subsidiar a escolha da época de semeadura e do padrão tecnológico (alto, médio e baixo rendimento) para a cultura do trigo em função das perdas que podem ser provocadas por geada, giberela, granizo e excesso de chuva na colheita. Os resultados econômicos da cultura foram definidos a partir dos dados de um grupo de 27 unidades de produção da região de Ijuí. Os níveis e as probabilidades das perdas foram estimados por meio de uma revisão da literatura especializada, tendo sido também levada em consideração a experiência dos agricultores e de técnicos da região. Foi concluído que o modelo de maximização da margem bruta sob a restrição de atingir certo resultado econômico a uma probabilidade pré-fixada foi o que proporcionou mais subsídios para a tomada de decisão.

The present work is aimed at analyzing the efficiency of decision support models which are based on mathematical programming to help with the choice of the adequate period for sowing, as well as, the technological pattern (high, medium and low yield) to the cultivation of wheat in relation to the losses which can be caused by frost, giberella, hail and excessive rain during the harvest season. The economical results were defined from data gathered in a group of 27 production units in Ijuí and surroundings. The levels and probabilities of the losses were estimated through review of specialized literature, also considering the experience of farmers and technicians of the region. It was suggested that the model which provided more support for the decision taking was the maximization model of gross margin restricted to reaching a determined economical result in a pre-established probability.