Creation of nanosized holes in graphene planes for improvement of rate capability of lithium-ion batteries.

Holes with an average size of 2-5 nm have been created in graphene layers by heating of graphite oxide (GO) in concentrated sulfuric acid followed by annealing in an argon flow. The hot mineral acid acts simultaneously as a defunctionalizing and etching agent, removing a part of oxygen-containing groups and lattice carbon atoms from the layers. Annealing of the holey reduced GO at 800 °C-1000 °C causes a decrease of the content of residual oxygen and the interlayer spacing thus producing thin compact stacks from holey graphene layers. Electrochemical tests of the obtained materials in half-cells showed that the removal of oxygen and creation of basal holes lowers the capacity loss in the first cycle and facilitates intercalation-deintercalation of lithium ions. This was attributed to minimization of electrolyte decomposition reactions, easier desolvation of lithium ions near the hole boundaries and appearance of multiple entrances for the naked ions into graphene stacks.

[Activity of human natural killer cells against target cells possessing different sensitivity to interferon]. / Aktivnost' estestvennykh killerov cheloveka protiv kletok-mishenei, obladaiushchikh razlichnoi chuvstvitel'nost'iu k interferonu.

The cytotoxic activity of peripheral blood natural killers (NK) against target cells (TC) J-96 and L-929 with high sensitivity to interferon (IFN) action, J-41 and MCB resistant to IFN action and line K-562 labelled by H3-uridine was studied in 14 hrs cytotoxic test. It has been shown that human TC J-96 didn't differ from the J-41 in their sensitivity to NK cytotoxicity and they are strongly resistant to NK than TC K-562. The murine TC L-929 as the human TC didn't differ from the MCB in their sensitivity to NK lysis and had also the same sensitivity to NK as the K-562 cells.

[The role of adherent cells in supporting natural cytotoxicity reactions]. / Rol' prilipaiushchikh kletok v obespechenii reaktsii estestvennoi tsitotoksichnosti.

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells and interferon-alpha (IFN-alpha) production by NK cells were studied. It was shown that in healthy donors adherent cells (AC) play an important role in reactions of natural cytotoxicity: they provide the main IFN production in the NK system. AC suppresses the cytotoxic activity of NK cells in patients with scleroderma and AC has a high cytotoxic activity in patients with multiple sclerosis. The role of AC in appearance and development of NK immunodeficiency in these pathologies was discussed.

[The natural cytotoxicity system in patients with multiple sclerosis: clinico-immunological parallels]. / O sisteme estestvennoi tsitotoksichnosti u bo'lnykh rasseiannym sklerozom: kliniko-immunologicheskie paralleli.

The cytotoxic activity of natural killer (NK) cells against target cells K-562 was studied in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). NK activity was increased in patients with remitting course of the disease, its duration of 6 to 10 years and 1 to 3 degree of neurologic defect. The immunocorrective therapy reduced the NK activity in some patients of any group. The authors discuss the possible role of natural cytotoxic system in the pathogenesis of autoimmunization in MS, and the value of NK population assessment for singling out a group of patients that would beneficially respond to immunocorrective therapy.

[Genetic aspects of the immunomodulating action of interferon]. / Geneticheskie aspekty immunomoduliruiushchego deistviia interferona.

The data of the study of alpha/beta interferon (IFN) effect in mice of different genotype were presented. CBA mice of H-2k genotype, C57B1/6 mice of H-2b genotype and their hybrid (CBA X C57B1/6) F1 have been used in the experiments. IFN has been injected intraperitoneally in a dose of 100-5000 U/mouse in combination with antigenic stimulation. It was shown that IFN enhanced stem cells migration from bone marrow in CBA, but not in (CBA X C57B1/6)F1 mice. At the same time the splenocytes from CBA mice were more sensitive to inhibition by IFN than splenocytes from C57B1/6 mice. This was found in antibody and immune rosette-formation tests. The effect of IFN on the immune system cells is probably predetermined by the individual genetic characteristics of a mouse strain.

[Immunomodulating action of interferon in congenital and experimental thymus-dependent immunodeficiency]. / Immunomoduliruiushchee deistvie interferona v usloviiakh vrozhdennogo i éksperimental'nogo timuszavisimogo immunodefitsita.

A study of immunomodulating action of mouse alpha/beta interferon (IFN) was performed in conditions of congenital and experimental thymus-dependent immune deficiency. The action of IFN was assessed in vivo, with IFN injected intraperitoneally. It was shown that IFN did not change killer effect of lymphocytes in the reaction of stem cell inactivation in "nude" mice, but enhanced antibody and rosette formation in the spleen of these animals. In addition, IFN did not change these parameters in the spleen of HRS mice with abnormal differentiation of T lymphocytes, but enhanced antibody and rosette formation in the spleen of mice, thymectomized in old age. It is concluded that the normal function of T-system is essential for the action of IFN.

The effect of nondamaging intensity laser irradiation on the immune system.

Data on in vitro studies of the effect of nondamaging laser irradiation on peripheral blood lymphoid cells of donors and cancer patients are reported including the results of experimental investigations carried out in patients with breast cancer and malignant melanoma. Laser irradiation is demonstrated to potentiate the immunological parameters both in healthy individuals and patients, the effect being more marked in cancer patients. A different action of red and blue laser irradiation on the immune system was revealed. The evidence obtained may be useful in working out the immunotherapeutic methods in cancer management.

[Interferon-producing and cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells in multiple sclerosis patients]. / Interferonprodutsiruiushchaia i tsitotoksicheskaia aktivnost' estestvennykh kletok-killerov u bol'nykh rasseiannym sklerozom.

Examination of 22 patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) has revealed a decrease in the cytotoxic activity of natural killer cells (NKC), in the production of endogenic interferon (EI) in the system of NK--target cells, and in the production of alpha- and gamma-interferon by stimulated lymphocytes. Some patients showed dissociation of the cytotoxic and interferon-producing activity of NKCs. Possible mechanisms responsible for changes in NKC activity are discussed. The authors have concluded that disturbances in the NKC-EI system are manifestations of the total regulatory imbalance in the immune system.

[Treatment methods in chronic bronchitis]. / Nekotorye sposoby lecheniia khronicheskogo bronkhita.

Patients with chronic bronchitis at exacerbation and in remission were treated by immunocorrective agents. A study was made of the immune status, interferon synthesizing capacity of blood leukocytes, a clinical course of disease and their change resulting from immunocorrective therapy provided at different stages of chronic bronchitis. The authors established disorders in the immune status, a decrease in interferon synthesizing capacity of blood leukocytes which were more noticeable at exacerbation. The use of immunocorrective therapy raised the production of interferon by the patients' blood leukocytes, improved ratios between lymphocyte populations and subpopulations, considerably improved a clinical course of disease, prolonged remission, facilitated a course of exacerbations and decreased resistance to anti-bacterial therapy.

[Antibody-dependent cell cytotoxicity and the effect of interferon on K-cell functional activity in vitro in chronic viral hepatitis B in children]. / Sostoianie antitelozavisimoi kletochnoi tsitotoksichnosti i vliianie interferona na funktsional'nuiu aktivnost' K-kletok in vitro pri khronicheskom virusnom gepatite B u detei.

Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC) and in-vitro effect of interferon (IF) on the K cell activity was investigated in children with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and normal donors. The ADCC in CHB was significantly decreased under normal values. The low K cell activity in CHB might determine inadequate elimination of infected liver cells and continuation of hepatitis B virus replication. IF in vitro significantly stimulated the ADCC of normal blood donors but was unable to significantly increase the ADCC of CHB patients. The in-vitro stimulation of the ADCC of normal donors by IF might be a phenomenon due to an increase of the adult K cell cytotoxic potential and/or activation of pre-K cell maturation. The lack of in-vitro augmentation of the ADCC of CHB patients by IF might result from the decreased quantity of K cells of pre-K cells in the peripheral blood and/or their low susceptibility to the stimulating effect of IF.

[Change in the activity of natural killer cells in normal subjects and in virus diseases on exposure to interferon in vitro]. / Izmenenie aktivnosti estestvennykh killerov v norme i pri virusnoi patologii pod vliianiem interferona in vitro.

The activity of natural killers was examined in peripheral blood of healthy subjects and patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis. An attempt was made to correct natural killer activity by human leukocyte interferon in vitro. To assess the activity of natural killers, use was made of the method of serial dilutions. An optimal effector/target ratio was employed in experiments. The patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis demonstrated a reduction in the activity of natural killers whatever the effector/target ratio. The action of interferon in vitro is specific immunomodulatory in nature. Administration of interferon in a dose of 250 Units/ml raises the magnitude of the cytotoxic index in healthy donors and in patients with chronic hepatitis and disseminated sclerosis, making the shape of the killer activity curve approach that of normal. Such an approach can be used for preliminary assessment of the sensitivity of natural killers to interferon in viral diseases of man. The potentialities and efficacy of interferon in clinical medicine are discussed.

[Effect of benzimidazole derivatives on viral infection]. / Vliianie nekotorykh proizvodnykh benzimidazola na virusnuiu infektsiiu

Dibazole and vitamin B12 reduced production of hemagglutinin by influenza A (PR8 and WSN strain) and B-1/73 (Yamagata strain) viruses in chick embryos when inoculated at various intervals after infection. The drugs stimulated interferon production in serum and by blood leukocytes, showing also some protective effect in influenza infection in mice. The necessity of further study of relationships between the chemotherapeutic activity of drugs and their capacity to stimulate nonspecific resistance to infection is emphasized.

[The comparative effects of actinomycin D, imuren and hydrocortisone on interferon and antibody formation in mice]. / Sravnitel'noe vliianie aktinomitsina D, imurana i gidrokortizona na obrazovanie interferona i antitel u myshei

A single dose of actinomycin-D (2.5 mg/kg body wt) reduced the interferon formation 16-fold in comparison with control; as to the antibody production - it was completely abolished. Hydrocortiosone (100 mg/kg) also diminished the interferon production 16-fold, but had no effect on the production of antibodies against the virus. The effect of hydrocortisone on the antiviral immunity was similar to that of the antilymphocytic serum, whereas the action of actinomycin-D resembled the effect of the X-ray irradiation or imuran. The data obtained were consistent with the suggestion on the heterogeneity of cells, participating in the interferon production in the organism.

[Effect of immunodepression on virus multiplication and interferon and antibody formation in animals]. / Vliianie immunodepressii na razmnozhenie virusov, obrazovanie interferona i antitel u zhivotnykh

Administration of high doses of imuran had no significant effect on the multiplication of influenza A/PR8 and Coxsackie A6 viruses. However, the serum levels of interferon and antibody were completely suppressed. Peripheral leukocytes of mice given imuran produced no interferon in vitro. These data suggest that the impairment of formation of the antiviral immunity factors resulting from the administration of high doses of immunosuppressants, such as used during the graft rejection crises, could serve as one of the main causes facilitating viral infections in the course of the transplantation therapy. The results could be of practical importance for the development of the optimal immunosuppression schedules during the organ transplantation.