Inteligência artificial e saúde: ressituar o problema / Artificial intelligence and health: resituating the problem / Inteligencia artificial y salud: reubicar el problema

Diante dos avanços recentes da inteligência artificial, a presente nota de conjuntura busca recolocar questões fundamentais que emergem nesse contexto. Deslocando-se tanto das leituras salvacionistas quanto apocalípticas, argumentamos que a perda do privilégio do excepcionalismo humano pode ser uma oportunidade para repensar a inteligência a partir de uma perspectiva relacional e co-produzida entre humanos e outros-que-humanos. Tal perspectiva, no entanto, deve ser acompanhada de um olhar atento às relações de poder que em grande medida definem os destinos da IA. Sobre esse aspecto, apontamos as implicações do modelo epistêmico e de negócios hegemônico da IA, um modelo preditivo-aceleracionista dominado por grandes empresas de tecnologia. Finalmente, destacamos alguns riscos envolvidos na inclusão de máquinas inteligentes no campo da saúde, bem como os perigos da subordinação de valores e direitos públicos a interesses comerciais, o que demanda uma atenção e um cuidado coletivos e permanentes na construção dos arranjos sociotécnicos e políticos de implementação da IA nesse campo

In the face of artificial intelligence recent advances, this note seeks to reassess fundamental questions that emerge in this context. Moving away from both salvationist and apocalyptic readings, we argue that the human exceptionalism privilege loss can be an opportunity to rethink intelligence from a relational and co-produced perspective between humans and other-than-humans. Such an angle, however, must be accompanied by a careful examination of the power relations that largely define the fate of AI. On this aspect, we reflect on the implications of the hegemonic epistemic and business model of AI, a predictive accelerationist one dominated by large technology companies. Lastly, we highlight the risks involved in the inclusion of intelligent machines in the fields of health and care, as well as the dangers of subordinating public values and rights to commercial interests, which demands attentive, collective and permanent care in the construction of sociotechnical and political arrangements for the implementation of AI in this field.

Ante los recientes avances de la inteligencia artificial, el presente informe busca plantear cuestiones fundamentales que surgen en este contexto. Alejándose tanto de las lecturas salvacionistas como apocalípticas, argumentamos que la pérdida del privilegio del excepcionalismo humano puede ser una oportunidad para repensar la inteligencia desde una perspectiva relacional y co-producida entre humanos y otros-que-humanos. Sin embargo, tal perspectiva debe ir acompañada de una mirada atenta a las relaciones de poder que en gran medida definen el destino de la IA. En este aspecto, señalamos las implicaciones del modelo epistémico y de negocios hegemónico de la IA, un modelo predictivo-aceleracionista dominado por grandes empresas tecnológicas. Por último, destacamos algunos riesgos de la inclusión de máquinas inteligentes en el campo de la salud, así como los peligros de subordinar valores y derechos públicos a intereses comerciales, lo cual requiere una atención y un cuidado colectivos y permanentes en la construcción de los ensamblajes sociotécnicos y políticos de implementación de la IA en este campo

Reduced T Cell and Antibody Responses to Inactivated Coronavirus Vaccine Among Individuals Above 55 Years Old.

CoronaVac is an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine that has been rolled out in several low and middle-income countries including Brazil, where it was the mainstay of the first wave of immunization of healthcare workers and the elderly population. We aimed to assess the T cell and antibody responses of vaccinated individuals as compared to convalescent patients. We detected IgG against SARS-CoV-2 antigens, neutralizing antibodies against the reference Wuhan SARS-CoV-2 strain and used SARS-CoV-2 peptides to detect IFN-g and IL-2 specific T cell responses in a group of CoronaVac vaccinated individuals (N = 101) and convalescent (N = 72) individuals. The frequency among vaccinated individuals, of whom 96% displayed T cell and/or antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2, is comparable to 98.5% responses of convalescent individuals. We observed that among vaccinated individuals, men and individuals 55 years or older developed significantly lower anti-RBD, anti-NP and neutralization titers against the Wuhan strain and antigen-induced IL-2 production by T cells. Neutralizing antibody responses for Gamma variant were even lower than for the Wuhan strain. Even though some studies indicated CoronaVac helped reduce mortality among elderly people, considering the appearance of novel variants of concern, CoronaVac vaccinated individuals above 55 years old are likely to benefit from a heterologous third dose/booster vaccine to increase immune response and likely protection.

Recurrence of COVID-19 associated with reduced T-cell responses in a monozygotic twin pair.

Recurrence of COVID-19 in recovered patients has been increasingly reported. However, the immune mechanisms behind the recurrence have not been thoroughly investigated. The presence of neutralizing antibodies (nAbs) in recurrence/reinfection cases suggests that other types of immune response are involved in protection against recurrence. Here, we investigated the innate type I/III interferon (IFN) response, binding and nAb assays and T-cell responses to severe acute respiratory distress syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) with IFN gamma (IFNγ) enzyme-linked spot assay (ELISPOT) in three pairs of young adult monozygotic (MZ) twins with previous confirmed COVID-19, one of them presenting a severe recurrence four months after the initial infection. Twin studies have been of paramount importance to comprehend the immunogenetics of infectious diseases. Each MZ twin pair was previously exposed to SARS-CoV-2, as seen by clinical reports. The six individuals presented similar overall recovered immune responses except for the recurrence case, who presented a drastically reduced number of recognized SARS-CoV-2 T-cell epitopes on ELISPOT as compared to her twin sister and the other twin pairs. Our results suggest that the lack of a broad T-cell response to initial infection may have led to recurrence, emphasizing that an effective SARS-CoV-2-specific T-cell immune response is key for complete viral control and avoidance of clinical recurrence of COVID-19.

Endoparasites in fecal samples from anatids in captivity in São Paulo, Brazil.

The objective of the present study was to identify the intestinal parasites with the highest prevalence in anatids that were reared extensively in the city of São Paulo, through coproparasitological examinations. Fecal samples (n=108) were collected at two times, with an interval of two months between them, during the year 2018. The samples were constituted from a pool of feces, and one sample was collected from each enclosure. The samples were identified as belonging to 13 species of anatids (Aix galericulata, Aix sponsa, Anser abyssinia, Chenonetta jubata, Chloephaga melanoptera, Chloephaga picta, Lophodytes cucullatus, Tadorna cana, Tadorna ferrugínea, Tadorna radjah, Tadorna tadorna, Tadorna tadornoide and Tadorna variegata). Samples of birds with or without clinical symptoms of endoparasitosis were then collected. The Coproplus® test was used to make the coproparasitological diagnosis and subsequently the material was examined individually, at Santo Amaro University in São Paulo. It was observed that 48.14% of the enclosures had birds infected by one or more endoparasites. Parasites of the order Coccidia presented the highest prevalence (22.22%), followed by those of the orders Trichuroidea (10.18%) and Ascaridia (4.63%). Moreover, Balantidium sp. was found, the cycle and relevance of these ciliates in birds is uncertain.

"Tudo por conta própria": autonomia individual e mediação técnica em aplicativos de autocuidado psicológico / "Everything by oneself": individual autonomy and technical mediation in psychological self-care applications / "Todo por uno mismo": autonomía individual y mediación técnica en aplicaciones de autocuidado psicológico

Este artigo discute o resultado da análise de 10 aplicativos móveis de autocuidado psicológico utilizados no Brasil, que denominamos PsiApps. A análise se desdobra em duas camadas: uma 'visível', que envolve os discursos dos próprios aplicativos para descrever os problemas que visam solucionar, suas promessas e seus métodos; outra 'invisível', que inclui formas automatizadas de coleta e compartilhamento de dados dos usuários pelos aplicativos. Veremos como a ênfase na individualidade e na autonomia manifesta na primeira camada torna opaca uma série de mediadores presentes na segunda camada, em grande parte invisíveis para o usuário. O contraste entre a centralidade da agência individual promovida pelos discursos dos PsiApps e o caráter relacional da infraestrutura e do ecossistema de dados que os integram evidenciam as contradições da autonomia ofertada por esses aplicativos.

This article discusses the result of the analysis of 10 psychological self-care mobile applications used in Brazil, which we call PsiApps. The analysis unfolds in two layers: one, 'visible', involves the discourses employed by the applications themselves to describe the problems they seek to solve, their promises and methods; the other, 'invisible', includes automated ways of collecting and sharing user data by the applications. We will see how the emphasis on individuality and autonomy manifested in the first layer makes opaque a series of mediators largely invisible to the user present in the second layer. The contrast between the centrality of individual agency promoted by the discourses of the PsiApps and the relational character of the infrastructure and data ecosystem that they integrate highlight the contradictions in the notion of autonomy offered by these applications.

Este artículo discute el resultado del análisis de 10 aplicaciones móviles de autocuidado psicológico utilizadas en Brasil, que llamamos PsiApps. El análisis se desarrolla en dos dimensiones: una 'visible', que involucra los discursos de las propias aplicaciones para describir los problemas que buscan resolver, sus promesas y métodos; otra 'invisible', que incluye formas automatizadas de recopilar y compartir datos de usuario por las aplicaciones. Veremos cómo el énfasis en la individualidad y la autonomía manifestado en la primera dimensión vuelve opacos una serie de mediadores en gran parte invisibles para el usuario presentes en la segunda dimensión. El contraste entre la centralidad de la agencia individual promovida por los discursos de los PsiApps y el carácter relacional de la infraestructura y el ecosistema de datos que integran manifiestan las diversas contradicciones de la autonomía que estas aplicaciones ofrecen.

Analysis of Active Bacteria Persisting after Chemomechanical Procedures: An RNA- and DNA-based Molecular Study.

INTRODUCTION: Because active cells present higher abundance of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) than rDNA (rRNA genes), data obtained with rDNA-based quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and rRNA-based qPCR (RT-qPCR) were correlated to search for active bacteria after chemomechanical procedures (CMP). In addition, the ability of both assays to detect bacteria in endodontic samples was evaluated. METHODS: Samples were taken from 40 teeth with primary endodontic infections before (S1) and after CMP (S2). DNA and cDNA (synthetized from RNA) were used as templates for qPCR using universal primers for bacteria and species-specific primers for Bacteroidaceae sp. HOT-272, Cutibacterium acnes, Selenomonas spp., and Enterococcus faecalis. RESULTS: After CMP, there was a drastic reduction in the number of total bacteria, Selenomonas spp., and E. faecalis, whereas no significant difference was observed for the levels of Bacteroidaceae sp. HOT-272 and C. acnes. The concentration of rRNA copies in S2 samples was significantly higher than the corresponding levels of rDNA for assays targeting total bacteria, Bacteroidaceae sp. HOT-272, and C. acnes (P < .05), indicating persistence of active bacteria. The rDNA-based qPCR presented low sensitivity and high specificity when compared with RT-qPCR. For most assays, samples positive for rDNA were also positive for rRNA (positive predictive value = 100%). CONCLUSIONS: CMP was effective in reducing levels but not the metabolic activity of total bacteria. Bacteroidaceae sp. HOT-272 and C. acnes were active members of the persistent community. Although less sensitive than RT-qPCR, most rDNA-based qPCR assays had a low risk of providing false-positive results in postinstrumentation samples.

Effects of Contemporary Irrigant Activation Schemes and Subsequent Placement of an Interim Dressing on Bacterial Presence and Activity in Root Canals Associated with Asymptomatic Apical Periodontitis.

New tools for activating endodontic irrigants have evolved, yet their impact on root canal disinfection, in comparison to the passive placing of an inter-visit medication, have not yet been fully elucidated. The use of DNA- and rRNA-based methods may cast some new light on this issue, as they allow a comparison to be made between microbial presence and activity. Therefore, the aim of this single-arm intervention trial is to evaluate the antibacterial effect of endodontic procedures using both molecular methods. Root canal samples were obtained from 20 patients with asymptomatic apical periodontitis after each treatment step: access cavity, chemo-mechanical preparation, adjunctive procedures (XP-endo Finisher file and passive ultrasonic irrigation), calcium hydroxide medication, and 2nd-visit root canal preparation. DNA and cDNA from the samples were subjected to quantitative polymerase chain reaction with universal primers for the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. Chemo-mechanical preparation promoted a drastic reduction in bacterial levels and activity, whereas the adjunctive procedures did not make a significant contribution to further disinfection. At the 2nd visit, bacteria were active after the use of calcium hydroxide medication; however, they were significantly reduced after a 2nd-visit preparation. Consequently, the lowest bacterial levels were found at the end of the treatment. This clinical trial, which used an rRNA and rDNA combined approach, confirmed previous studies showing that root canal preparation represents the main strategy for root canal disinfection.

Prevalência, quantificação e viabilidade de Propionibacterium acnes nos canais radiculares de dentes com periodontite apical antes e após os procedimentos endodônticos de desinfecção: estudo molecular baseado em RNA e DNA / Prevalence, quantification and viability of Propionibacterium acnes in root canals of teeth with apical periodontitis before and after endodontic disinfection procedures: RNA- and DNA-based molecular study

O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a taxa de detecção, quantidade e atividade metabólica de Propionibacterium acnes, antes e após os procedimentos endodônticos de desinfecção, utilizando métodos moleculares baseados em rRNA e rDNA. Foram selecionados 22 pacientes com necrose pulpar e periodontite apical assintomática. Amostras microbiológicas foram coletadas dos canais radiculares após a cirurgia de acesso (S1), após o preparo químico-cirúrgico realizado com Sistema Reciproc e NaClO- 2,5% (S2) e após medicação intracanal com Ca(OH)2 por 14 dias (S3). As amostras dos canais radiculares foram submetidas à extração de DNA e RNA. O RNA foi submetido à reação de transcrição reversa (RT) para confecção de DNA complementar (cDNA). DNA e cDNA foram submetidos a reações de qPCR utilizando iniciadores complementares à sequência de 16S rRNA de P. acnes. O efeito dos procedimentos endodônticos na redução bacteriana foi determinado por qPCR baseada em rDNA. A atividade metabólica bacteriana foi calculada pela razão rRNA/rDNA baseados nos dados dos ensaios de qPCR. Os dados foram analisados pelo teste de Wilcoxon para análise entre as amostras e teste de McNemar para comparação da taxa de detecção dos métodos baseados em rDNA e rRNA, com nível de significância de 5%. A taxa de detecção de P. acnes nas amostras endodônticas foi maior pelo método baseado em rRNA do que pelo método baseado em rDNA (P < 0,0001). P. acnes foi detectado em 36,4% (8/22) e 90,9% (20/22) das amostras S1 utilizando qPCR baseado em rDNA e rRNA, respectivamente. Nas amostras S2, P. acnes foi detectado em 36,4% (8/22) das amostras utilizando o método baseado em rDNA e em 86,4% (19/22) pelo método baseado em rRNA. Nas amostras S3, P. acnes persistiu em níveis detectáveis em todas as amostras positivas em S2. Na análise quantitativa, o nível médio de P. acnes foi 1,28 x 103 cópias de rDNA nas amostras S1. Não houve uma alteração significante dos níveis bacterianos nas amostras S2 e S3 quando comparadas às amostras S1 (P > 0,05). O número de cópias de rRNA foi maior do que o de rDNA em todas as amostras (P < 0,0001). Em S1, o valor mediano da razão rRNA/rDNA foi 7,93 (intervalo de 2,03 a 2,04 x 102). Essa razão permaneceu positiva em S2 (mediana 16,40, intervalo de 2,21 a 4,87 x 102) e S3 (mediana 25,34, intervalo de 0,58 a 1,05 x 103), sem diferença estatística na comparação entre as amostras S1-S2 e S2-S3 (ambos P > 0,05). Baseados nesses achados, concluiu-se que o ensaio de qPCR baseado em rRNA revelou uma alta prevalência de P. acnes nas infecções endodônticas primárias e que este permaneceu metabolicamente ativo nos canais radiculares após o preparo químico-cirúrgico e medicação intracanal.

Importance of rotary systems in dental care by undergraduate students in patients of a public health service of Belo Horizonte.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the fracture rates of ProTaper rotary files used in the endodontics extension clinic of the Undergraduate Dentistry Course of the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais during the prior eight years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Control record data regarding file usage by students were collected and analyzed by semester. For each period, the total number of patient consultations, the frequency of file use, the occurrence of fractures and the file numbers for which fractures occurred were noted. Descriptive statistics, including frequency of file fractures were calculated for all file types. The chi-square test was used to evaluate differences in the frequency of file fractures between all file types. RESULTS: The study results revealed that during the examined period, there were 1006 consultations and 7993 uses of files. A total of 30 file fractures were recorded throughout this period; thus, fractures occurred in 0.37% of total file uses and 2.98% of all consultations. The most frequently used files were S1, S2 and F1, and these files also accounted for the most fractures. However, no differences in the frequency of file fractures were observed between the file types (p𰀎0.05). CONCLUSIONS: The low fracture rates observed in this study indicate that the examined instruments can be used to safely provide dental care to patients. KEY WORDS: Dental instruments, endodontics, public health.

Expansion in CD39⁺ CD4⁺ immunoregulatory t cells and rarity of Th17 cells in HTLV-1 infected patients is associated with neurological complications.

HTLV-1 infection is associated with several inflammatory disorders, including the neurodegenerative condition HTLV-1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP). It is unclear why a minority of infected subjects develops HAM/TSP. CD4⁺ T cells are the main target of infection and play a pivotal role in regulating immunity to HTLV and are hypothesized to participate in the pathogenesis of HAM/TSP. The CD39 ectonucleotidase receptor is expressed on CD4⁺ T cells and based on co-expression with CD25, marks T cells with distinct regulatory (CD39⁺CD25⁺) and effector (CD39⁺CD25⁻) function. Here, we investigated the expression of CD39 on CD4⁺ T cells from a cohort of HAM/TSP patients, HTLV-1 asymptomatic carriers (AC), and matched uninfected controls. The frequency of CD39⁺ CD4⁺ T cells was increased in HTLV-1 infected patients, regardless of clinical status. More importantly, the proportion of the immunostimulatory CD39⁺CD25⁻ CD4⁺ T-cell subset was significantly elevated in HAM/TSP patients as compared to AC and phenotypically had lower levels of the immunoinhibitory receptor, PD-1. We saw no difference in the frequency of CD39⁺CD25⁺ regulatory (Treg) cells between AC and HAM/TSP patients. However, these cells transition from being anergic to displaying a polyfunctional cytokine response following HTLV-1 infection. CD39⁻CD25⁺ T cell subsets predominantly secreted the inflammatory cytokine IL-17. We found that HAM/TSP patients had significantly fewer numbers of IL-17 secreting CD4⁺ T cells compared to uninfected controls. Taken together, we show that the expression of CD39 is upregulated on CD4⁺ T cells HAM/TSP patients. This upregulation may play a role in the development of the proinflammatory milieu through pathways both distinct and separate among the different CD39 T cell subsets. CD39 upregulation may therefore serve as a surrogate diagnostic marker of progression and could potentially be a target for interventions to reduce the development of HAM/TSP.

Lower numbers of natural killer T cells in HIV-1 and Mycobacterium leprae co-infected patients.

Natural killer T (NKT) cells are a heterogeneous population of lymphocytes that recognize antigens presented by CD1d and have attracted attention because of their potential role linking innate and adaptive immune responses. Peripheral NKT cells display a memory-activated phenotype and can rapidly secrete large amounts of pro-inflammatory cytokines upon antigenic activation. In this study, we evaluated NKT cells in the context of patients co-infected with HIV-1 and Mycobacterium leprae. The volunteers were enrolled into four groups: 22 healthy controls, 23 HIV-1-infected patients, 20 patients with leprosy and 17 patients with leprosy and HIV-1-infection. Flow cytometry and ELISPOT assays were performed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells. We demonstrated that patients co-infected with HIV-1 and M. leprae have significantly lower NKT cell frequencies [median 0.022%, interquartile range (IQR): 0.007-0.051] in the peripheral blood when compared with healthy subjects (median 0.077%, IQR: 0.032-0.405, P < 0.01) or HIV-1 mono-infected patients (median 0.072%, IQR: 0.030-0.160, P < 0.05). Also, more NKT cells from co-infected patients secreted interferon-γ after stimulation with DimerX, when compared with leprosy mono-infected patients (P = 0.05). These results suggest that NKT cells are decreased in frequency in HIV-1 and M. leprae co-infected patients compared with HIV-1 mono-infected patients alone, but are at a more activated state. Innate immunity in human subjects is strongly influenced by their spectrum of chronic infections, and in HIV-1-infected subjects, a concurrent mycobacterial infection probably hyper-activates and lowers circulating NKT cell numbers.

HTLV-1 tax specific CD8+ T cells express low levels of Tim-3 in HTLV-1 infection: implications for progression to neurological complications.

The T cell immunoglobulin mucin 3 (Tim-3) receptor is highly expressed on HIV-1-specific T cells, rendering them partially "exhausted" and unable to contribute to the effective immune mediated control of viral replication. To elucidate novel mechanisms contributing to the HTLV-1 neurological complex and its classic neurological presentation called HAM/TSP (HTLV-1 associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis), we investigated the expression of the Tim-3 receptor on CD8(+) T cells from a cohort of HTLV-1 seropositive asymptomatic and symptomatic patients. Patients diagnosed with HAM/TSP down-regulated Tim-3 expression on both CD8(+) and CD4(+) T cells compared to asymptomatic patients and HTLV-1 seronegative controls. HTLV-1 Tax-specific, HLA-A*02 restricted CD8(+) T cells among HAM/TSP individuals expressed markedly lower levels of Tim-3. We observed Tax expressing cells in both Tim-3(+) and Tim-3(-) fractions. Taken together, these data indicate that there is a systematic downregulation of Tim-3 levels on T cells in HTLV-1 infection, sustaining a profoundly highly active population of potentially pathogenic T cells that may allow for the development of HTLV-1 complications.

Skewed distribution of circulating activated natural killer T (NKT) cells in patients with common variable immunodeficiency disorders (CVID).

Common variable immunodeficiency disorder (CVID) is the commonest cause of primary antibody failure in adults and children, and characterized clinically by recurrent bacterial infections and autoimmune manifestations. Several innate immune defects have been described in CVID, but no study has yet investigated the frequency, phenotype or function of the key regulatory cell population, natural killer T (NKT) cells. We measured the frequencies and subsets of NKT cells in patients with CVID and compared these to healthy controls. Our results show a skewing of NKT cell subsets, with CD4+ NKT cells at higher frequencies, and CD8+ NKT cells at lower frequencies. However, these cells were highly activated and expression CD161. The NKT cells had a higher expression of CCR5 and concomitantly expression of CCR5+CD69+CXCR6 suggesting a compensation of the remaining population of NKT cells for rapid effector action.

A decreased frequency of regulatory T cells in patients with common variable immunodeficiency.

INTRODUCTION: Common variable immunodeficiency disorder (CVID) is a heterogeneous syndrome, characterized by deficient antibody production and recurrent bacterial infections in addition abnormalities in T cells. CD4(+)CD25(high) regulatory T cells (Treg) are essential modulators of immune responses, including down-modulation of immune response to pathogens, allergens, cancer cells and self-antigens. OBJECTIVE: In this study we set out to investigate the frequency of Treg cells in CVID patients and correlate with their immune activation status. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients (6 males and 10 females) with CVID who had been treated with regular intravenous immunoglobulin and 14 controls were enrolled. Quantitative analyses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were performed by multiparametric flow cytometry using the following cell markers: CD38, HLA-DR, CCR5 (immune activation); CD4, CD25, FOXP3, CD127, and OX40 (Treg cells); Ki-67 and IFN-gamma (intracellular cytokine). RESULTS: A significantly lower proportion of CD4(+)CD25(high)FOXP3 T cells was observed in CVID patients compared with healthy controls (P<0.05). In addition to a higher proportion of CD8(+) T cells from CVID patients expressing the activation markers, CD38(+) and HLA-DR(+) (P<0.05), we observed no significant correlation between Tregs and immune activation. CONCLUSION: Our results demonstrate that a reduction in Treg cells could have impaired immune function in CVID patients.

A rede e o problema da mediação. Uma nota sobre o ciberespaço / The net and the problem of mediation. A note on cyberspace

A construção e expansão de uma nova modalidade de 'espaço' ou 'ambiente' reticular - o ciberespaço - recoloca o problema da mediação. Ao menos duas razões concorrem para tanto: o 'conteúdo' do ciberespaço (a informação digitalizada) e a sua idealização como uma rede de informação descentralizada, fundada na autonomia individual e na eliminação dos intermediários ou mediadores. No primeiro caso, o problema da mediação encontra-se intimamente associado à compreensão do princípio que rege a construção de interfaces no espaço informacional. No segundo caso, cabe questionar a tese de que quanto maior for a transparência e a autonomia dos indivíduos no acesso, na produção e na circulação da informação, menor deve ser a atividade da mediação. Sugere-se que no ciberespaço não vigora uma diminuição ou supressão dos mediadores, mas uma mudança na sua natureza e na sua forma, ressaltando o seu papel estratégico nas possibilidades de habitação e experimentação desta rede informacional(AU)

The construction and expansion a new modality of reticular 'space' or 'environment' - cyberspace - poses once again the problem of mediation. At least two reasons concur to that: the cyberspace's 'content' (information in digital format) and its idealization as a net of decentralized information, founded in individual autonomy and elimination of intermediators and mediators. In the first case, the problem of mediation is closely linked to the understanding of the principle that regulates interface constructions in the informational space. In the second case, the thesis that states that the higher the transparency and autonomy of individuals in information accessing, producing and circulating, the lower must the activity of mediation be should be questioned. It's suggested that in cyberspace there is no suppression of mediator neither a diminished number of them, but a change in their nature and form, pointing out their strategic role in habitation and experimentation possibilities of this informational net(AU)