NEW RECORDS FOR THE FAUNA AND ZOOGEOGRAPHY OF CUCKOO WASPS (HYMENOPTERA: CHRYSIDIDAE) IN THE LOWER VOLGA REGION

The fauna and zoogeography of chrysidids in the steppe and forest biocenoses of the Lower Volga region in the Saratov region were studied, which include 92 species and 2 subspecies from 17 genera: Cleptes – 2 species; Colpopyga – 1; Elampus – 8; Haba – 1; Hedychridium – 6; Hedychrum – 5; Holopyga – 11; Omalus – 2; Philoctetes – 3; Pseudomalus – 5; Chrysidea – 1; Chrysis – 41; Chrysura – 3; Spinolia – 1; Stilbum – 2; Trichrysis – 1 and Parnopes – 1, among which 69 species are presented for the Saratov region for the first time. Two species, Chrysis corusca Valkeila, 1971 and Chrysis vanlithi Linsenmaier, 1959, and one subspecies Chrysis frivaldszkyi sparsepunctata du Buysson, 1895, are new records for the Russian fauna. The obtained data broaden the understanding of the fauna and diversity of Chrysididae in the Saratov region and the Lower Volga region and supplement the fauna list of the Chrysididae of Russian fauna

In situ X-ray diffraction investigation of nitride coatings at high-temperature oxidation

Structural and phase researches of the multicomponent nanocrystalline coatings synthesized by plasma-assisted vacuum arc method at high-temperature influence by method of X-ray diffraction with the use of synchrotron radiation in situ have been carried out. The main features of these coatings are the superhardness (39 - 45 GPa) and nanocrystalline structure (5 - 20 nm). The analysis of results of structural and phase researches, physical and mechanical characteristics after oxidation of multicomponent nitride coatings at high-temperature heating in open air is presented

Safety and efficacy of convalescent plasma for COVID-19: the preliminary results of a clinical trial

Background. The lack of effective etiotropic therapy for COVID-19 has prompted researchers around the globe to seekr various methods of SARS-CoV-2 elimination, including the use of convalescent plasma. Aim. The aim of this work was to study the safety and efficacy of the convalescence plasma treatment of severe COVID-19 using the plasma containing specific antibodies to the receptor binding domain (RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 S protein in a titer of at least 1:1000. Methods. A single-center, randomized, prospective clinical study was performed at the FRCC FMBA of Russia with the participation of 86 patients who were stratified in two groups. The first group included 20 critically ill patients who were on mechanical ventilation the second group included 66 patients with moderate to severe COVID-19 and with spontaneous respiration. The patients in the second group were randomized into two cohorts in a ratio of 2:1. In the first cohort (46 patients), pathogen-reduced convalescent plasma was transfused (twice, 320 ml each), in the second cohort (20 patients) a similar amount of non-immune freshly frozen plasma was transfused to the patients. Results. The use of plasma of convalescents in patients with severe COVID-19 being on mechanical ventilation does not affect the disease outcome in these patients. The mortality rate in this group was 60%, which corresponds to the average mortality of COVID patients on mechanical ventilation in our hospital. In the second group, clinical improvement was detected in 75% and 51%, for convalescent and non-immune plasma, respectively. Of the 46 people who received convalescent plasma, three patients (6.5%) were transferred to mechanical ventilation, two of them died. In the group receiving non-immune plasma, the need for mechanical ventilation also arose in three patients (15%), of which two died. The hospital mortality in the group of convalescent plasma was 4.3%, which is significantly lower than the average COVID-19 hospital mortality at our Center (6.73%) and more than two times lower than the hospital mortality in the control group (n=150), matched by age and by the disease severity. Conclusions. Thus, we demonstrated a relative safety of convalescent plasma transfusion and the effectiveness of such therapy for COVID-19 at least in terms of the survival of hospitalized patients with severe respiratory failure without mechanical ventilation. In the absence of bioengineered neutralizing antibodies and effective etiotropic therapy, the use of hyperimmune convalescent plasma is the simplest and most effective method of specific etiopathogenetic therapy of severe forms of COVID-19

Dynamics of the abundance of cuckoo wasps (Hymenoptera, Chrysididae) in the conditions of the altitudinal-belt heterogeneity of the North Caucasus

The work provides data on the dynamics of the abundance of 205 taxa from 19 genera: Cleptes, Colpopyga, Elampus, Omalus, Philoctetes, Pseudomalus, Hedychridium, Hedychrum, Holopyga, Chrysidea, Chrysis, Euchroeus, Chrysura, Pseudochrysis, Spinolia, Spinolia, including species rare and new for the fauna of the North Caucasus and Russia. By the nature of the population dynamics, five groups of cuckoo wasps were identified: spring – represented by 7 species from 4 genera; spring-summer – 76 species from 10 genera; summer – 113 species from 16 genera; summer-autumn – 4 species from 2 genera and spring-summer-autumn – 5 species from 3 genus. According to the duration of flight, eurychronous species of cuckoo wasps were identified, which are found throughout the season from spring to autumn; mesochronous – the years of which affect the end of May and summer months and stenochronous – confined to a short period of time. Eurychronic accounted for 2.4%, mesochronous 24.9%, stenochronic 72.7%. The number of generations of cuckoo wasps is related to the dynamics of the number of the host. In the mountains, the peaks of activity shift towards the middle of summer, most species have one peak of activity; due to the frequent changes in weather conditions in the mountains, the phenological characteristics of the cuckoo wasps and their hosts do not coincide in terms with the lowland populations and the periods of activity can be extended in time. Phenological characteristics of rare and new species for the fauna of the North Caucasus and Russia are presented for the first time. The data obtained expand the understanding of the biodiversity and dynamics of the abundance of cuckoo wasps in the North Caucasus and can be used for environmental protection measures and rational nature management in the south of Russia

POWER LASERS ON FREE ELECTRONS ON BASE OF OPTIC KLYSTRON

The investigation objects are the lasers of the free electrons using the electron beam as an working medium. The aim of the work is to perform the theoretical and experimental investigation for ways of creating power lasers on the free electrons. The new scheme laser on free electrons (LFE) - optic klystron has been proposed and realized, the theory of LFE on the electron accumulator has been developed. The undulator of original design has been proposed and realized, the coherent UV-radiation in LFE has been proposed and realizedAvailable from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio

GROUND HALF-STIFF-WINGS (HEGETERPTERA) OF SIBERIA. (FAUNA, ZOOGEOGRAPHICAL ANALYSIS, SPECIAL FEATURES OF SPREAD IN REGION)

The fauna, special features on the geographical spread of the ground half-stiff-wing insects in the natural Siberia's regions have been investigated. 698 species from 263 genuses and 24 ground families have been shown; the new 17 species and 2 subspecies have been described. The typology of the areas counting 3 overgroups, 8 groups and 62 types with prevalence of the Euro-Siberian and North-Thetys-Siberian areas has been given. The specific endemism has been expressed weakly. The regularities on the landscape-zonal and statial distribution of the species have been specified. On base of the cluster analysis of 20 subregions the schema of the faunistic Siberia's division into districts has been developed; the separation of a number of the new territorial divisions in the Euro-Siberian taiga subregion has been substantiated. The hypothesis about probabilistic ways of the fauna genesis from Neogene to Holocene has been proposed. The illustrated determinants of the Siberia and Yakutia with inclusion of a number of the species from adjoint regions into the tables have been drawn up; the economic-significant species have been shown. The total regional bibliography of the fundamental and applied literature on the bugs has been specified.Available from VNTIC / VNTIC - Scientific & Technical Information Centre of RussiaSIGLERURussian Federatio

Labops kerzhneri Vinokurov, 2010, sp. n.

Labops kerzhneri sp. n. (figs. 1, 2, 7, 9, 10, 15, 16) Male. General coloration black, dorsum with scarce, long, erected, brown setae and easily obliterated silvery scalelike setae. Macropterous, slender, body 2.7 times as long as body width. Head shiny. Eyes strongly pedicellate, highly raised upwards above middle part of vertex and somewhat advanced forward (see dorsally, fig. 1), with yellow, curved at obtuse angle spots near eyes. Frons depressed, with thin longitudinal strip, shiny, vertical, not bulging (see laterally, fig. 2). Vertex with narrow transverse ridge at base. Mandibular plate black, with narrow stripe near base of clypeus in male, and covered with dense thick brown bristles in female. (in Russian variant this is said with regard to females). Clypeus black, sides of head under eyes with a longitudinal yellow spot. Bucculae with narrow pale edging. Antennae black, segment I with robust, long, black bristles, segments II–IV with short, dark, bristle-like setae and thin setae. Labium black, shiny, reaching middle coxae. Pronotum with slightly concaved lateral margins, twice shorter than basal width, matt, with scarce transverse wrinkles. Posterior margin of pronotum concave, twice as wide as anterior margin. Scutellum matt, convex at base, strongly pressed and flat behind the middle, with low, strongly smoothed, longitudinal keel. Thoracic venter black and shiny. Trochanters, coxae, and femora entirely black. Tibiae black, with wide yellow-brown ring apically and short semierected setae. Tibial spines black. Tarsi black. Clavus and corium with very weak dull shine, external margin of corium with narrow light stripe (fig. 7, 8). External margin of corium straight; membrane black, matt, reaching apex of abdomen. Abdomen black. Parameres as in figs. 9, 10. Female. Similar to male in structure and coloration. Body 2.0– 2.3 times as long as wide. Pale spots on head larger than in male. Semibrachypterous, hemelytra short, membrane strongly reduced, not covering 7 th abdominal segment. Measurements. Body length male 5.5–5.7, female 4.6–5.1; body width male 2–2.2, female 2.2–2.4. Head width male 1.55, female 1.60–1.62. Length of antennal segments male 1.02: 2.1–2.6: 1.05–1.25: 1.0– 1.1, females 1.0: 1.9–2.1: 1.1–1.2: 1.1–1.25. Type series. Holotype: ɗ, middle flow of the Pilka River, right tributary of the Lena River, “Zolotoprodsnab” locality, 10.VII. 2008 (E.L. Kaimuk). Paratypes: upper flow of the Pilka River, right tributary of the Lena River, “Upper Cordon” of the «Pil’ka» resource reserve, 6.VII. 2008 (N.N. Vinokurov), 1 ɗ, 1 Ψ; middle flow of the Pilka River, right tributary of the Lena River, “Zolotoprodsnab” locality, 10.VII. 2008 (E.L. Kaimuk), 1 ɗ, 2 Ψ. Distribution. Eastern Siberia (South-West Yakutia)— fig. 15. Comparison. Among all Palaearctic representatives of the genus Labops, the new species is most similar to L. sahlbergi (Fallén, 1829) in the strongly pedicellated eyes highly risen above the vertex (Figs. 3, 4). Other species, including L. burmeisteri Stål, 1858, can be easily distinguished by the less pedicellated eyes (Fig. 5, 6). Clear distinctions are also found in the structure of the parameres. Characters to allow distinguishing the new species from L. sahlbergi and L. burmeisteri are summarized in the Table 1. Among North American Labops spp. three species, L. hirtus Knight, 1922, L. chelifer Slater, 1954, and L. tumidifrons Knight, 1922 have a pale edging of the external margin of corium. However, all three species differ from L. kerzhneri in the smaller body size and the structure of both parameres (see Slater, 1954 a, b). Biology. L. kerzhneri sp. n. inhabits mesic grass-forbs meadows in the valley of the Pilka River together with L. sahlbergi (fig. 16), but the population density of the former seems to be very low. A search for the new species in the same places during the first half of July, 2000 was unsuccessful, but L. sahlbergi, a usual representative of the tribe Halticini in moist meadows of South-Western Yakutia, was collected in high numbers. The host plant was not found. Etymology. The new species is named in honor of the outstanding entomologist Izyaslav Moiseevich Kerzhner. Vestiture of dorsum scarce, long, brown, erected dense, short, semi-erected dense, short, erected setae and setae and very scarce silvery silvery setae and dense silvery scarce, silvery, scalelike setae scalelike setae scalelike setae along claval suture continued next page I am thankful to F.V. Konstantinov for advice and correction of the manuscript. The work was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (grant 08-04-00212-а).Published as part of Vinokurov, Nikolay N., 2010, Labops kerzhneri sp. n., a new species of Halticini (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae: Orthotylinae) from Eastern Siberia, pp. 63-68 in Zootaxa 2689 on pages 63-67, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.19948