The paradox of argument strength: how weak arguments undermine the persuasive effects of strong arguments.

This paper analyzes effects of the mutual presentation of weak and strong arguments. Departing from the prevalent "the-more-the-better" heuristic, our research scrutinizes whether the inclusion of weak arguments enhances or diminishes the persuasive impact of strong arguments. Leveraging insights from judgment formation literature, we conducted four experimental studies on political and health-related topics to unravel whether the presenting weak arguments strengthens the persuasive effect of a strong argument (adding) or actually weakens this persuasive effect (averaging).

Health-related quality of life of children with X-linked hypophosphatemia in Germany.

Background: X-linked hypophosphatemia (XLH) is a rare inherited phosphate-wasting disorder associated with bone and dental complications. Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is reduced in XLH patients on conventional treatment with phosphate supplements and active vitamin D, while information on patients treated with burosumab is rare.

Methods: HRQoL was assessed in 63 pediatric XLH patients participating in a prospective, observational study and patient registry in Germany using the KIDSCREEN-52 survey instrument and standardized qualitative interviews.

Advanced and Invasive Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) Techniques as an Adjunct to Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

Background: Despite numerous promising innovations, the chance of survival from sudden cardiac arrest has remained virtually unchanged for decades. Recently, technological advances have been made, user-friendly portable devices have been developed, and advanced invasive procedures have been described that could improve this unsatisfactory situation.

Methods: A selective literature search in the core databases with a focus on randomized controlled trials and guidelines.

[Sepsis in out-of-hospital emergency medicine].

Background: Sepsis is a challenge in emergency medicine, as this life-threatening organ dysfunction, caused by a dysregulated host response to an infection, presents manifold and therefore is often recognized too late.

Objectives: Recently published surviving sepsis campaign and German S3 guidelines provide recommendations for diagnosis and therapy of sepsis in an in-hospital or intensive care setting, but do not particularly address out-of-hospital emergency medical care. We aim to work out the evidence base with regard to the out-of-hospital care of patients with suspected sepsis and to derive treatment recommendations for emergency medical services.

Low-Density Granulocyte Contamination From Peripheral Blood Mononuclear Cells of Patients With Sepsis and How to Remove It - A Technical Report.

Elucidating the mechanisms contributing to the dysregulated host response to infection as part of the syndrome is a current challenge in sepsis research. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells are widely used in immunological studies. Density gradient centrifugation, a common method, is of limited use for blood drawn from patients with sepsis.

Automated mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices versus manual chest compressions in the treatment of cardiac arrest: protocol of a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing machine to human.

Introduction: Cardiac arrest is a leading cause of death in industrialised countries. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) guidelines follow the principles of closed chest compression as described for the first time in 1960. Mechanical CPR devices are designed to improve chest compression quality, thus considering the improvement of resuscitation outcomes.

[Diagnostics and Invasive Techniques in the Treatment of Chest Trauma].

Chest Trauma is a complex injury pattern whose diagnostics and therapy demand everything from an emergency response team. Chest trauma subsumes thoracic injuries in all facets from the bounce mark of a seat belt to fatal rollover trauma with contusion or disruption of organs located in the thorax. Possible causes comprise blunt or penetrating trauma, as well as decelerations, chemical and thermal damage.

Application of mechanical cardiopulmonary resuscitation devices and their value in out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A retrospective analysis of the German Resuscitation Registry.

Background: Cardiac arrest is an event with a limited prognosis which has not substantially changed since the first description of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) in 1960. A promising new treatment approach may be mechanical CPR devices (mechanical CPR).

Methods: In a retrospective analysis of the German Resuscitation Registry between 2007-2014, we examined the outcome after using mechanical CPR on return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in adults with out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA).

A Comprehensive Physical Impedance Model of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cell Cathodes in Oxygen-free Atmosphere.

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) is an indispensable tool for non-destructive operando characterization of Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs). However, in order to interpret the PEFC's impedance response and understand the phenomena revealed by EIS, numerous semi-empirical or purely empirical models are used. In this work, a relatively simple model for PEFC cathode catalyst layers in absence of oxygen has been developed, where all the equivalent circuit parameters have an entire physical meaning.

Diffusion properties of dye molecules in nanoporous TiO2 networks.

The adsorption of ruthenium-dye molecules out of ethanol solution onto TiO2 particles of nanoporous TiO2 films was used to study the molecules' diffusion through these layers by means of optical absorption spectrometry. Dependent on pore size, porosity, and particle size, effective diffusion constants as low as D(eff) = 4 x 10(-9) cm2/s were deduced from the uptake curves by applying a simple model for combined diffusion and adsorption. These diffusion constants for diffusion through the nanoporous network are up to 3 orders of magnitude lower than in bulk ethanol and are discussed with respect to the properties of the nanoporous material.

Low-temperature fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cells by transfer of composite porous layers.

Dye-sensitized solar cells have established themselves as a potential low-cost alternative to conventional solar cells owing to their remarkably high power-conversion efficiency combined with 'low-tech' fabrication processes. As a further advantage, the active layers consisting of nanoporous TiO2 are only some tens of micrometres thick and are therefore in principle suited for flexible applications. However, typical flexible plastic substrates cannot withstand the process temperatures of up to 500 degrees C commonly used for sintering the TiO2 nanoparticles together.

A telemedical approach to the screening of diabetic retinopathy: digital fundus photography.

Objective: The importance of screening for diabetic retinopathy has been established, but the best method for screening has not yet been determined. We report on a trial of assessment of digital photographs by telemedicine compared with standard retinal photographs of the same fields and clinical examination by ophthalmologists.

Research Design And Methods: A total of 129 diabetic inpatients were screened for diabetic retinopathy by slit-lamp biomicroscopy performed by an ophthalmologist and by two-field 50 degrees non-stereo digital fundus photographs assessed by six screening centers that received the images by electronic mail.

[Teleconsultation network for ophthalmology--experiences and results].

Motivation: Telemedical services for ophthalmology are developed within the OPHTEL project, which has been funded by the European Union and by the Bavarian government in the Bavaria-online initiative.

Methods: Seven private ophthalmologists, one university eye clinic, one clinical Diabetes center and an informatics research institute are connected within a teleconsultation network. Asynchronous (based on Internet E-Mail) and synchronous (based on ISDN-mediated videoconferencing tools) types of teleconsultations are realized.

[Scientific role of German ophthalmology in the European telecommunication project OPHTEL].

Background: In Denmark, France, Germany, Great Britain and Italy, the OPHTEL project combines clinical centers of ophthalmology and internal medicine, an institute for medical informatics and health services research, a publishing company and different industrial partners in the EDP market.

Aims: With the aid of visual telecommunication and rapid data transfer, methods and conditions will be developed and proved so that any physician can very easily obtain sufficient information for treating his patient. Thus, the regional differences in the quality of structured health service (e.

Displacement correction and surface reconstruction of the retina using scanning laser ophthalmoscopic images.

A method for a three-dimensional surface reconstruction of the retina in the area of the papilla is presented. The surface reconstruction is based on a sequence of discrete gray-level images of the retina recorded by a scanning laser ophthalmoscope (SLO). The underlying assumption of the surface reconstruction algorithm developed here is that the depth information is also encoded in the brightness values of the single pixels in addition to the ordinary spatial 2D information.