Our previous report showed that the brain peptide Tyr-MIF-1 (Tyr-Pro-Leu-Gly-NH2) blocks the inhibitory effect of morphine sulfate on E-rosette formation by human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). In this study, additional in vitro effects of Tyr-MIF-1 on human PBL were studied. The percentages of positive cells for CD 2, a sheep erythrocyte receptor, CD 4 and CD 8 were unchanged after incubation of PBL with morphine or morphine plus Tyr-MIF-1. Tyr-MIF-1 was not mitogenic by itself. The addition of Tyr-MIF-1 did not increase the proliferative response of PBL to Con A, although morphine did. Tyr-MIF-1 did not activate PBL to produce IL 2 nor did it affect the production of IL 2 by Con A-stimulated PBL. The results suggest that Tyr-MIF-1 does not directly modulate CD 2, CD 4 and CD 8 expression, does not alter the proliferative response of PBL, and does not affect the production of IL 2.

In the review part of the thesis we summarize various modified theories of gravity, especially those that are characterized by additional curvature invariants in the Lagrangian density. Further, we review non-twisting geometries, especially their Kundt subclass. Finally, from the principle of least action we derive field equations for the case with the Lagrangian density corresponding to an arbitrary function of the curvature invariants. In the original part of the thesis we explicitly express particular components of the field equations for non-gyratonic Kundt geometry in generic quadratic gravity in arbitrary dimension. Then we discuss how this, in general fourth order, field equations restrict the Kundt metric in selected geome- trically privileged situations. We also analyse the special case of Gauss-Bonnet theory. 1