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.

Abstract Background: The skin prick test is recognized as the gold standard for the specific diagnosis of allergy. Objective: To determine the sensitivity and specificity of the epicutaneous patch test that has been modified for the diagnosis of respiratory allergy to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Methods: An observational, interpretative, prolective, and transversal study. The included patients were between 6 and 49 years old, with symptoms of a respiratory allergy, and a skin test was performed on them by using the European standardized prick test and a modified epicutaneous patch test with the variable of the scarification that occurred before the antigen was applied, and its homogenization with a wooden applicator, which occurred after the antigen was applied. The levels of sensitivity, specificity, and prevalence influence and positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Results: 104 patients were included, of which 72 (69.2%) were women. The age category of the patients was 24 ± 11.3 years of age. 78.9% of the patients were diagnosed with allergic rhinitis, 1.9% were diagnosed with asthma, and 19.2% were diagnosed with both rhinitis and asthma. The prevalence of the respiratory allergy to Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus was of 62.5%; 94.23% with a correct diagnosis. The sensitivity and specificity of the test was of 93.85% and 94.87%; the positive and negative predictive values were of 96.83% and 90.24%, and the positive and negative likelihood ratios were of 18.30 and 0.06. Conclusions: The modified epicutaneous patch test was highly sensitive and specific; it decreased the risk of allergen carryover and it lowered the cost of the material that was used.

Resumen Antecedentes: La prueba por punción cutánea es el estándar de oro en el diagnóstico específico de alergia. Objetivo: Determinar sensibilidad y especificidad de la prueba epicutánea modificada para el diagnóstico de alergia respiratoria a Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus. Métodos: Estudio observacional, interpretativo, prolectivo y transversal. Se incluyeron pacientes de seis a 49 años de edad, con cuadro clínico de alergia respiratoria, en quienes se realizó punción cutánea con técnica europea y prueba epicutánea con la variante de escarificación previa a la aplicación del antígeno y posterior homogenización del mismo con aplicador de madera. Se calculó sensibilidad, especificidad, influencia de la prevalencia, valores predictivos positivo y negativo. Resultados: Se incluyeron 104 pacientes, 72 (69.2 %) del sexo femenino. La edad fue de 24 ± 11.3 años, 78.9 % tuvo diagnóstico de rinitis alérgica, 1.9 % de asma y 19.2 % de rinitis y asma. La prevalencia de alergia respiratoria a Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus fue de 62.5 %; 94.23 % estaba correctamente diagnosticado. La sensibilidad y especificidad de la prueba fue de 93.85 y 94.87 %, los valores predictivos positivo y negativo de 96.83 y 90.24 % y los cocientes de probabilidades positivo y negativo de 18.30 y 0.91. Conclusiones: La prueba epicutánea modificada fue altamente sensible y específica, disminuyó el riesgo de contaminación por arrastre de alérgenos y los costos en el material utilizado.

Estudiamos los rudimentos básicos sobre G-estructuras de orden superior, y luego probamos que el conjunto de automorfismos infinitesimales de una G-estructura geométrica sobre una variedad M es un grupo de Lie.

In this article we study the basic facts about superior order G-structures, then we show that the set of infinitesimally automorphisms of a geometric G-structure is a closed Lie group.

We study the relationship between the signature of a semisimple Lie group and a pseudoRiemannian manifold on wich the group acts topologically transitively and isometrically. We also provide a description of the bi-invariant pseudo-Riemannian metrics on a semisimple Lie Group over R in terms of the complexification of the Lie algebra associated to the group, and then we utilize it to prove a remark of Gromov.

The study of cyanobacteria isolated from hypersaline environments is of interest because of their metabolic and ecophysiologic versatility in adapting to extreme conditions of salinity, temperature, irradiance and nutrient availability. The effect of salinity at 0%o, 35%o, 70%o and 100%o on the growth, dry weight, and pigment, protein, carbohydrate and lipid production of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. was determined. Bioassays were kept in ALGAL medium equivalent to 8mM NaNO3, constant aeration, 12:12 h photoperiod, 28 ± 2°C and 156 µmol quanta m-2 s-1 of irradiance. The cyanobacterium was able to grow under all salinities tested. Cell density was optimized at 35%o, with 607.64 ± 14.35 cells mL-1. The highest values of dry weight (3.87 ± 0.03 ng cell-1), chlorophyll a (41.86 ± 0.39 fg cell-1), P-carotene (9.03 ± 0.15 fg cell-1), zeaxanthin (9.74 ± 0.24 fg cell-1), proteins (1.95 ± 0.05 pg cell-1) and carbohydrates (1.80 ± 0.05 pg cell-1) were obtained at 100%o; however, the highest lipid content (0.45 ± 0.04 pg cell-1) was reached at 0%o. This Synechococcus strain shows halotolerance and the capacity to modulate the production of enriched biomass with pigments, proteins, carbohydrates and lipids in terms of salinity.

El estudio de cianobacterias aisladas de ambientes hipersalinos es de interés debido a su versatilidad metabólica y ecofisiológica para adaptarse a condiciones extremas de salinidad, temperatura, irradiancia y limitación de nutrientes. Se reporta el efecto de la salinidad a 0%o, 35%o, 70%o y 100%o sobre el crecimiento, masa seca y producción de pigmentos, proteínas, carbohidratos y lípidos de la cianobacteria Synechococcus sp. Los bioensayos fueron mantenidos con medio ALGAL equivalente a 8 mM NaNO3, aireación constante, fotoperiodo 12:12 h, 28 ± 2°C y 156 µmol quanta m-2 s-1 de irradiancia. La cianobacteria fue capaz de crecer bajo todas las salinidades probadas. La densidad celular fue mejorada a 35%o, con 607.64 ± 14.35 cél mL-1. A 100%o se alcanzaron los máximos valores de masa seca, clorofila a, β-caroteno, zeaxantina, proteínas y carbohidratos con 3.87 ± 0.03 ng cél-1; 41.86 ± 0.39 fg cél-1; 9.03 ± 0.15 fg cél-1; 9.74 ± 0.24 fg cél-1; 1.95 ± 0.05 y 1.80 ± 0.05 pg cél-1, respectivamente. Sin embargo, el mayor contenido de lípidos fue alcanzado a 0%o con 0.45 ± 0.04 pg cél-1. Esta cepa halotolerante de la cianobacteria Synechococcus muestra capacidad para modular la producción de biomasa enriquecida con pigmentos, proteínas, carbohidratos y lípidos en función de la salinidad.