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In this study, high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) methods were utilised to identify and quantify C21–C33 n-alkanes in permafrost peatlands located within the Eastern European and Western Siberian cryolithozone. The total content of n-alkanes in Europe is 7.4 times higher compared to Siberian permafrost peatlands, and was estimated at 282 ± 145 (range from 74 to 709) μg/kg and 38 ± 12 (10–66) μg/kg, respectively. In the European cryolithozone, CPI alkane 9.5 ± 2.4 (3.7–18.6) and HPA 0.10 ± 0.03 (0.05–0.23) indicate a relatively higher share of higher plants and a higher stage of peat decomposition decree, with 6.9 ± 2.1 (3.1–12.9) and 0.15 ± 0.05 (0.06–0.29) in the Siberian region. In contrast, the Western Siberian peat plateaus were formed under conditions of constant excess moisture, a distinction from the Eastern European peatlands, where moisture and permafrost conditions were subject to constant change. This is further corroborated by the values of Paq, C23/C29 and C23(C27 + C31), which are 0.90 ± 0.05 (0.69–0.99); 11.1 ± 8.9 (0.84–61.6); 1.53 ± 0.80 (0.21–4.72) and 0.47 ± 0.12 (0.08–0.71); 0.64 ± 0.32 (0.08–1.48); and 0.43 ± 0.21 (0.04–1.26), respectively. The n-alkanes and peat physicochemical properties show no significant correlation. In the European part, permafrost degradation occurred repeatedly during the warming periods. Nevertheless, only slight subsidence of the permafrost table was observed, and peat continued to accumulate (up to 0.1 mm/year) in the West Siberian peat plateaus. Consequently, the variation in the quantitative and qualitative composition of n-alkanes in permafrost peatlands is determined not only by the different botanical composition of the plant remains forming the peat strata, but also by the consequence of lower mean annual temperatures in Western Siberia compared to the European nNortheast, and such a climatic difference persisted throughout the Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article developed a methodological basis for implementing automatic diagnostics based on thermal analysis of bearing assemblies. The diagnostic criteria of the technical operation condition and the procedure for determining the temperature ratio inside and outside the bearing unit based on the finite element analysis (FEA) of stable thermal conductivity have proven to be justified. Method of simulation of stable thermal conductivity of bearing units using KOMPAS-3D software and APM FEM finite element analysis module is proposed. The developed method was tested in practice and verified based on the results of theoretical and experimental studies. The developed method enables the determination of the relationship between the observed temperature on the surface of the bearing units and the friction temperature in the wear zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersexuality and impulsivity are regarded as risk factors for sexual offending against children. Studies exploring these factors in undetected men who offended or are at risk of offending are rare. This study aims to investigate hypersexuality and impulsivity in treatment-seeking men with and without a diagnosis of (exclusive) pedophilia who committed child sexual abuse (CSA), consumed child sexual abuse images (CSAI), or feel at risk of offending sexually. Data were obtained from three child abuse prevention projects in Bamberg, Germany. We employed self-report (BIS-11, HBI), objective measures (TSO), and risk assessment tools (STABLE-2007). We computed Bayesian ordinal logit and binomial generalized linear models to explore differences between groups and to predict lifetime CSA and CSAI. Hypersexuality scores were particularly pronounced in patients with exclusive and non-exclusive pedophilia. Patients without pedophilia scored similarly to nonclinical samples. Impulsivity measures did not consistently differ between groups. We could not predict lifetime CSA and CSAI using impulsivity and hypersexuality measures. Sexual rather than general impulsivity seems to be an issue in men with pedophilia. The motivation to offend in patients without pedophilia is discussed., Competing Interests: Declaration of Conflicting InterestsThe author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.