Differential peripheral blood mononuclear cell reactivity against SARS-CoV-2 proteins in naive and previously infected subjects following COVID-19 vaccination

The decline in vaccine efficacy and the risk of reinfection by SARS-CoV-2 make new studies important to better characterize the immune response against the virus and its components. Here, we investigated the pattern of activation of T-cells and the expression of inflammatory factors by PBMCs obtained from naive and previously infected subjects following COVID-19 vaccination, after PBMCs stimulation with S1, RBD, and N-RBD SARS-CoV-2 proteins. PBMCs showed low levels of ACE2 and TMPRSS2 transcripts, which were not modulated by the exposure of these cells to SARS-CoV-2 proteins. Compared to S1 and RBD, N-RBD stimulation showed a greater ability to stimulate T-cell reactivity, according to CD25 and CD69 markers. Interestingly, T-cell reactivity was more pronounced in vaccinated subjects with prior SARS-CoV-2 infection than in vaccinated donors who never had been diagnosed with COVID-19. Finally, N-RBD stimulation promoted greater expression of IL-6 and IFN-gamma in PBMCs, which reinforces the greater immunogenic potential of this protein in the vaccinated subjects. These data suggest that PBMCs from previously infected and vaccinated subjects are more reactive than those derived from just vaccinated donors. Moreover, the N-RBD together viral proteins showed a greater stimulatory capacity than S1 and RBD viral proteins.Copyright © 2022

Analysis of the Use, Knowledge and Problems of E-learning in a Distance Learning Master’s Programme

The pandemic caused by COVID-19 has led many more universities to increase the number of online courses they offer. Methodological processes and infrastructure have had to be adapted so as to make the shift from a classroom-based model to distance learning. The context of our research is the Master’s Degree in Research in Teacher Training and Information and Communication Technologies (ICT). Two research objectives were established: To determine the changes that take place between the beginning and end of the Master’s degree in relation to the students’ engagement with ICT and to ascertain if students’ perception of the problems encountered in the virtual teaching/learning process has changed. Twenty-one master’s students took part. The research was based on the qualitative paradigm, with a content analysis research design. A table of categories was developed and validated, from which the script for the structured interviews was prepared. The main findings highlight the lack of training and involvement of teachers and their failure to adapt to the online methodology, together with a decrease in student motivation, as being particularly problematic in the teaching and learning process. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.