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At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2026

Does Inquiry-Based Learning Improve Students' Critical Thinking? A Meta-Analysis Accounting for Control Group Variations.

BACKGROUND: Inquiry learning is widely recognized, through empirical studies, as an appropriate instruction in enhancing students' critical thinking, yet the results were varied across context. The previous meta-analysis did not include the control group variations as a potential moderator and the studies subject domain was limited only to science subjects. Consequently, it is difficult to generalize the effectiveness of IBL in enhancing critical thinking. This meta-analysis aims to investigate whether inquiry learning is effective in improving the students' critical thinking skills and examine the moderating roles of each study characteristic. Methods The literature search applying the PRISMA protocol 2020 was conducted by utilizing SCOPUS, ERIC, and DOAJ databases. A total of 57 studies from 51 articles, published from 2015 to 2025, were synthesized using a random-effects model with standardized mean difference (SMD). RESULTS: The analysis revealed that IBL has a large and significant effect on enhancing students' critical thinking (g = 1.336; 95% CI [1.061, 1.611]). However, substantial heterogeneity was observed (I 2 = 92.09%), suggesting variability across contexts. Moderator analyses revealed that the main moderator, control group variations, was statistically significant in moderating the effectiveness of IBL (Qm = 5.21; p = .022). in contrast, subject domain (Qm = 1.43; p = .698), education level (Qm = 1.11; p = .774), and country ( Q m  = 3.33; p = .650), were insignificantly moderating the effectiveness of inquiry learning. CONCLUSIONS: The present meta-analysis highlighted that IBL is effective in improving students' critical thinking. However, the effectiveness of IBL was relative to the type of control group variations. Its effect on critical thinking was greater when compared with teacher-centered learning but smaller when compared with other student-centered learning.

Thinking↗
PubMed1976

Some implications of variations in techniques of group therapy for social controls.

Variations in techniques of group psychotherapy are related to the clients' ego strength. Clients with developmental or pathological ego deficit have different needs for social controls than those with good ego endowment. This paper illustrates differential use of such controls in three areas. 1. Constacy of the treatment milieu as a frame of reference: For patients with good ego endowment, time and place of group meetings should be kept constant to allow them to look inwards and permit experience of feelings hitherto avoided. A patient is described who, following a break-through of feelings in the group, attempted to disrupt the therapy by usurping control over time and place of sessions. Holding time and place of group meetings constant allows patients with ego deficit to anticipate events and helps them build additional controls over impulses. Responses of borderline patients to changes in the treatment milieu are described. 2. Control of group interactions: Matching group members for ego strength is considered essential. Clinical vignettes illustrate contrasts in group interactions considered therapeutic for patients with ego deficit and those with good ego endowment. Techniques for the first group include ritualising the group process, emphasis on reality rather than fantasy and dilution of inter-patient rapport; techniques that aid patients with good ego endowment to relinquish pathological controls include support of basic questions concerning the individual's identity, free flow of fantasy, tolerance of tension, silences or strong ventilation of affect and facilitating observations from patients concerning the process of interaction. 3. Relationship to the leader: For patients with developmental or pathological ego deficit, it is essential that the therapist be ready to set limits and lend defences when the patient's controls fail. Patients with good ego endowment often have too much control. It follows that the therapist will intervene, clarify and provide structure in the first group much more frequently than in groups for psychoneurotics. For patients with ego deficit the relation to the therapist may have to be moderated lest it further weaken ego boundaries. Such patients often need personal distance. Transference to the institution, to the treatment milieu and to the group as a concrete object provides these patients with a natural means of distancing relationships. The therapist should attempt to fit into this series. He should be highly visible in the benign exercise of his professional function. Rapport should be kept stable and primarily positive even after termination of treatment. In contrast, groups of patients with good ego endowment may relate to the therapist more intensively if he is less visible. These patients, unless they can move back and forth between positive and negative rapport, can hardly be said to be working. They will often attempt to control rapport with the therapist by splitting the transference...

Adult↗
PubMed1999

A preventive intervention program in adolescent schoolgirls: a longitudinal study.

BACKGROUND: To explore the impact of a prevention program on the eating and body attitudes of a sample of adolescent schoolgirls. METHODS: The program involved lessons and group discussions of general adolescent problems and eating disorders. A total of 254 16-year-old schoolgirls were evaluated, of whom 154 participated in the program and a further 154 subjects formed the control group. Variations in weight, Eating Attitudes Test and Eating Disorders Inventory at a 1-year follow-up were compared for the two groups. RESULTS: Among high-risk subjects, no significant differences were found between the prevention and the control group. The preventive program appeared to reduce significantly body dissatisfaction and to decrease the risk of bulimic attitudes in low-risk subjects. CONCLUSIONS: Providing schoolgirls with the correct information about eating disorders did not encourage unhealthy attitudes to eating and weight regulation practices. However, for high-risk subjects more intensive and specific intervention may be required, for which further research is needed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2026

Safety and efficacy of Meridian sinew tuina (MST) for post-surgical upper limb lymphedema: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Complex Decongestive Therapy (CDT) is the non-operative standard for breast cancer-related lymphedema (BCRL), but many patients experience persistent subcutaneous stiffness, pain, and restricted mobility. This study systematically reviews the safety and clinical efficacy of Meridian Sinew Tuina (MST) protocols for BCRL. METHODS: Global and regional databases (PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang, VIP) were searched from inception to January 15, 2026, with alerts monitored through April 30, 2026. Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating MST (deep tissue mobilisation along the six-hand meridian sinew [Jingjin] lines via plucking, kneading, and pressing) were included. Two reviewers independently extracted data, evaluated risk of bias using Cochrane RoB 2, and assessed evidence certainty via GRADE using a random-effects model. RESULTS: Fifteen RCTs were included. For the primary anthropometric outcome, MST significantly reduced upper limb circumference compared to controls (SMD = 1.59; 95% CI: 1.44 to 1.74; Z&#x2009;=&#x2009;20.81; p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.0001; I2=0.0%; N&#x2009;=&#x2009;924; GRADE: Moderate certainty). The Clinical Response Efficacy Rate (&#x2265; 30% swelling reduction and symptom relief) favoured MST (RR = 1.69; 95% CI: 1.54 to 1.87; Z&#x2009;=&#x2009;10.62; p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.0001; I2=0.0%; N&#x2009;=&#x2009;1,114; GRADE: Moderate certainty). Trial Sequential Analysis confirmed sample size sufficiency. For secondary outcomes (N&#x2009;=&#x2009;924; GRADE: Low to Very Low certainty due to performance bias and clinical heterogeneity), MST showed favourable 3-month improvements in DASH functional scores (SMD&#x2009;=&#x2009;-1.81; 95% CI: -2.11 to -1.51; I2=45.1%), pain intensity (SMD&#x2009;=&#x2009;-2.44; 95% CI: -2.93 to -1.95; I2=50.4%), and quality of life (SMD = 1.04; 95% CI: 0.79 to 1.29; I2=0.0%). No serious adverse events occurred. CONCLUSIONS: MST protocols are associated with favourable short- and mid-term reductions in upper limb swelling. However, confidence is tempered by unblinded performance bias and control group variations. MST cannot be unconditionally recommended for standalone implementation but represents a promising, optional supportive adjunctive intervention within oncological rehabilitation.

Humans↗
PubMed1989

Teratogenic assessment of 2,4-dichlorophenol in Fischer 344 rats.

The potential maternal, embryotoxic, and teratogenic parameters of 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) were evaluated in Fischer 344 rats following oral administration in corn oil on Days 6 through 15 of gestation. Dose levels were 0, 200, 375, and 750 mg/kg/day. Females were sacrificed on Gestation Day 20 and cesarean sections performed. The fetuses were weighed, sexed, measured for crown-rump length, and examined for external malformations. A skeletal examination was conducted on one-half of the fetuses after staining with alizarin red S. The remaining fetuses were fixed in Bouin's solution and examined for visceral anomalies and developmental variations. Maternal body weight gain inhibition occurred in all 2,4-dichlorophenol-treated groups during the treatment period. Four treatment-related deaths occurred in the 750 mg/kg/day group. Additional indicators of maternal toxicity included urogenital staining of the fur at all levels tested, and an increased incidence of hair loss and respiratory rales at the 750 mg/kg/day level. Fetal examinations did not reveal differences in the incidence of external, visceral, or skeletal fetal malformations in any treatment group, when compared with the control group. A slight increase in early embryonic death occurred in the high-dose group only. Fetal weights were lower in the high-dose group than in the control group. Variations in skeletal structure were expressed among fetuses exposed to 750 mg/kg/day during organogenesis. These included delayed ossification of sternal elements and vertebral arches. The reduced fetal weights, intrauterine survival, and retarded ossification may represent a slight degree of embryotoxicity or fetotoxicity in this group. The test material was not teratogenic at any dose level.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Does dance-based training improve balance in adult and young old subjects? A pilot randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Loss of balance is a major risk factor for falls in the elderly, and physical exercise may improve balance in both elderly and middle-aged people. We propose a clinical trial to test the efficacy of an exercise program based on dance in improving balance in adult and young old subjects. METHODS: We carried out a mono-institutional, randomized, controlled clinical trial. 40 subjects (aged 58 to 68 yr) were randomly allocated in two separate groups: the exercise group (n = 20) followed a 3-month exercise program; the control group (n = 20) did not engage in physical activities. Differences in balance between the end of the training period and the baseline were assessed using four different balance tests: Tinetti, Romberg, improved Romberg, Sit up and go. RESULTS: Results showed a significant improvement in balance in the exercise group at the end of the exercise program, whereas the control group did not show any significant changes. The comparison between exercise and control group variations in balance test scores showed a highly significant difference. 17 out of 20 subjects in the exercise group reported great or moderate satisfaction with the dance activity. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that physical activity based on dance may improve balance and hence be a useful tool in reducing the risk of falling in the elderly. The exercise program also revealed interesting psychosocial benefits.

Accidental Falls↗
PubMed2002

Blood lymphocyte subsets in pigs vaccinated and challenged with Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae.

Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae bacterins do not induce protection in pigs while infection with low doses of the CM5 strain of A. pleuropneumoniae given by aerosol induces complete protection. To evaluate possible correlates of protection in blood lymphocyte subset phenotypes, pigs were treated with a commercial bacterin given intramuscularly, low dose (10(5)cfu/ml) aerosol infection with CM5 or control treatments of the bacterin adjuvant or phosphate buffered saline. All pigs were challenged with a high dose (10(7)cfu/ml) of A. pleuropneumoniae. Lymphocytes and sera were collected prior to and following primary and secondary immunizations and challenge, for evaluation of B- and T-cell markers and antibody to four A. pleuropneumoniae antigens. IgM(micro)+ B-cells were increased following primary exposure to antigen in the bacterin-vaccinated group only. An increase in CD4+ cells in the LD aerosol-infected group was apparent following secondary exposure to antigen. These early changes suggest little difference in lymphocyte populations between treatment groups, however, greater differences were observed following high-dose challenge; CD4+ lymphocytes were increased significantly in both bacterin and LD-challenged groups (p<0.05) while CD8+ cells decreased in the LD-group at this time period. Consequently, there were significant differences (p<0.05) in the CD4:CD8 ratio after high-dose challenge compared to earlier time points and control groups. Variation in cellular expression of SLA-DR and DQ was observed but trends correlating to treatment group were not evident. Complete protection or lack of protection associated with LD challenge or immunisation resulted in significant differences in B-cell frequencies and CD4:CD8 ratio phenotypes in pigs, but only changes in CD4:CD8 ratios appeared relevant to protection.

Actinobacillus Infections↗
PubMed1998

Depression after mild traumatic brain injury: a review of current research.

Research pertaining to the occurrence of depression and/or depression symptomatology after a Mild Traumatic Brain Injury (MTBI) was reviewed. We found that methodological differences such as the criteria used to assess MTBI and depression, time that elapsed since brain injury, and control group variations confounded comparisons across studies. Nevertheless, the studies are consistent with at least a 35% prevalence of, and left frontal damage with depression after MTBI, an overlap of symptoms of depression and Postconcussion Syndrome (PCS), and indicate that depression can continue for many years following the injury. Our conclusion is that MTBI is the triggering event for a set of pathophysiological changes and a concomitant depressive episode in a vulnerable subset of the population. Due to a paucity of research, it cannot be definitively concluded that the underlying substrates of depression seen after MTBI and clinical depression are the same. Implications for future investigations are discussed.

Antidepressive Agents↗
PubMed2006

Optoelectronic movement analysis to measure motor performance in patients with chronic low back pain: test of reliability.

OBJECTIVE: To assess test-retest reliability of the Posturo-Locomotion-Manual(PLM) test in patients with chronic low back pain. DESIGN: A controlled study in which the PLM test was used repeatedly on patients with chronic low back pain and persons without back pain. SUBJECTS: Twelve patients with treatment-resistant chronic low back pain, selected by 2 orthopaedic spine surgeons and 12 age- and sex-matched individuals with no back pain history. METHODS: An optoelectronic camera and a computer were used to quantify the performance during a simple test in which subjects picked up an object from the floor and transported it up to a shelf, thereby forcing the body through postural, locomotor and manual movements. The outcome measures were: movement time, simultaneity index and phase times for postural, locomotion and arm movement phases. Statistical analyses regarding intra-individual agreement between the measurements (reliability analysis) and changes over time were carried out. RESULTS: The effect of test movement habituation was minimized when the lowest mean value of any of 3 consecutive measures (tri-average) was used. In the control group, variation between test occasions was small. In the group of patients with chronic low back pain there was a random measurement error before intervention (sensory motor learning). After intervention the PLM test had the same precision in both groups. CONCLUSION: When the tri-average measure is used, the influence of test movement habituation is minimized and the optoelectronic PLM test is found to be reliable and responsive. It proved to be a useful tool to quantify dynamic performance in freely moving patients with chronic low back pain.

Adult↗
PubMed1975

Complement fixation test as an aid in the diagnosis of farmer's lung.

Complement-fixing antibodies to Micropolyspora faeni were measured in farmers and controls. Farmers with known or suspected farmer's lung showed significantly higher titers than control groups. Variations in titer were measured and correlated with the clinical disease.

Antibodies, Bacterial↗
PubMed2006

[DNA repair gene XRCC3 Thr241Met polymorphism and susceptibility to cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer: a case-control study].

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between genetic polymorphisms of XRCC3 Thr241Met gene and susceptibility to gastric cardia and/non-cardia gastric cancer, and to investigate the combined effect between genes and surrounding environment. METHODS: A case-control study with respective control group was conducted. Genotypes were investigated by PCR-RFLP. Unconditional logistic regression models were used to estimate odd ratios (ORs) and their 95% confidence intervals(95% CI). RESULTS: The frequency of XRCC3 CC, CT and TT genotypes were 43.2%, 46.5% and 10.3%, respectively in cardia cancer cases and 53.2%, 40.9% and 5.8% respectively in non-cardia gastric cancer cases while 59.6%, 35.1%, 5.3%, respectively in control group. Variated genotypes (CT and TT) increased the risk of cardia cancer after adjusting for potential confounders (OR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.07-2.90). On cardia cancer risks, there seemed combined effects between variated genotype and high rate of alcohol drinking, low intake of fresh vegetables and having chronic gastritis. Combined effects between variated genotype and smoking, having chronic gastritis were observed in non-gastric cancer group. CONCLUSION: XRCC3 variated genotype was one of the risk factors of cardia cancer while different risks of factors might exsit between cardia and non-cardia gastric cancer.

Cardia↗
PubMed1981

Nuclear magnetic resonance study of cancer: systemic effect on the proton relaxation times (T1 and T2) of human serum.

Increased spin-lattice T1 and spin-spin T2 proton relaxation times of malignant tissues are by now well documented phenomena. A "systemic effect" of cancer, evidenced by NMR, has been demonstrated in different experimental models. The present study was undertaken to examine systemic effect in man by measuring serum relaxation times and related biochemical variables in 224 healthy control individuals and 311 patients with solid tumors at different stages of growth. The increase in T1 values is statistically significant in the advanced cancer group but not in the nonevolutive disease group, compared to healthy control group. Variations of T2 values are not significant in this study. There is no correlation of T1 increase with serum ions, total proteins or protein fractions.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1996

Feeding and the diurnal variation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and its responses to CRH and ACTH in rats.

Daytime restriction of food availability phase-shifts the diurnal periodicity of plasma corticosterone (B) concentration in rats. However, the changes at the various functional levels in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis are not completely understood. We performed studies in two groups of Wistar rats, a control group with free access to food and a food-restricted group with access to food only from 09.00 to 11.00 h for 14 days. The basal plasma B and ACTH concentrations in the control group presented diurnal variation with higher values in the afternoon than in the morning. In the food-restricted group there was a 12-hour shift of peak B values. Plasma ACTH levels were high in the morning, but there was no significant difference between morning and afternoon values. Plasma AVP presented no diurnal variation in the control group. In the food-restricted group, the diurnal variations of plasma AVP and ACTH-B did not coincide. There was no detectable nycthemeral variation of pituitary ACTH or hypothalamic CRH and AVP contents in either group. Plasma ACTH did not exhibit any diurnal variation in response to CRH in free-fed or food-restricted rats anesthetized with chlorpromazine-morphine-pentobarbital. The administration of ACTH (1-24) resulted in higher B levels in the afternoon in control rats pretreated with dexamethasone once or twice. In the food-restricted group there was a 12-hour shift in the adrenal response to ACTH (1-24). These patterns of response were abolished in both groups when the rats were anesthetized. An in vitro study showed no diurnal variation in adrenal responsiveness to 10(-6) M-10(-9) M ACTH (1-24) stimuli. Our results suggest that anesthesia-related neural or humoral factor(s) other than ACTH are involved in the diurnal periodicity of the HPA axis in free-fed rats and in its shifts in food-restricted rats.

Adrenal Glands↗
PubMed1994

Mast cells and macrophages in endometrial lesions.

One hundred and forty cases of endometrial lesions including 128 endometrial polyps, 7 cases of atypical hyperplasia and 5 cases of endometrial carcinoma were studied for mast cells and macrophages. Thirty six uteri with normal cyclic variations served as a control group. A cyclical variation in the mean mast cell value was observed in the control group with an increase in the secretory phase. Endometrial polyps showed a decrease in average mast cell count compared to the proliferative phase controls. Mast cells were significantly decreased in atypical hyperplasia and were absent in endometrial carcinoma. The observations indicate a hormonal basis for the significant variation in mast cell. Their presence probably suggests benign nature of the lesion. PAS positive macrophages were seen only in 4 endometrial polyps, too small for assessment of their significance.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Adaptation of transferrin protein and glycan synthesis.

We report the patterns of variability in transferrin structure in pregnancy, iron deficiency anemia, women using oral contraceptives, nonanaemic rheumatoid arthritis, iron deficient rheumatoid arthritis and anemia of the chronic diseases. Changes in microheterogeneity were assessed by crossed immuno isoelectric focusing of serum transferrin. Intra-individual variation in the control group was minimal. Equally, inter-individual variation in controls and groups with established stable disease was very limited. In pregnancy an increase in transferrin concentration was accompanied by redirection of glycan synthesis to the highly sialylated and highly branched glycans, an effect also shown in women using oral contraceptives. Iron deficiency anemia was accompanied by increased protein core synthesis without the large shifts in the microheterogeneity pattern as seen in pregnancy at similar transferrin concentration. In contrast to this, rheumatoid arthritis was accompanied by decreased protein synthesis while the microheterogeneity pattern shifted significantly towards the highly branched glycans. Interpreted in the respective pathophysiological contexts results show that: (1) N-linked glycosylation of transferrin is a strictly controlled process, both in the physiological states and in disease. (2) Microheterogeneity is determined independently from transferrin protein synthetic rate. (3) Provisionally observed changes in the glycosylation can modulate the biological activity of the glycoprotein and as a result redirect internal iron fluxes. This proposition can be applied to altered iron metabolism in both pregnancy, oral contraceptives and rheumatoid arthritis. Changes are not operative in iron deficiency because qualitatively iron metabolism is not altered in this state.

Adult↗
PubMed2004

Backscatter evaluation of myocardial functional and textural findings in children with right ventricular pressure and/or volume overload.

Integrated backscatter (IBS) analysis represents a recent echocardiographic technique for evaluating the textural and functional state of the right ventricular (RV) myocardium. We undertook our study to (1) define the potential impact of age or morphometric parameters (height, weight, and body surface area) on RV IBS indexes, and (2) compare RV IBS data among normal subjects and children with different conditions of RV overload. We studied 34 patients (mean age 14.6 +/- 4.7 years) divided into 3 groups: 14 patients with RV volume overload related to moderate to large atrial septal defect (group I); (2) 10 patients with RV pressure overload due to transposition of the great arteries after the Mustard procedure (group II); and (3) 10 patients with RV volume and pressure overload due to pulmonary regurgitation and stenosis after corrective surgery for tetralogy of Fallot (group III). In addition, 20 children with structurally normal hearts were enrolled as the control group. The 4 groups were comparable with regard to age and morphometric parameters. IBS parameters were assessed as the magnitude of cyclic variation, determined as the difference between peak and nadir IBS values and the averaged myocardial IBS intensity. In the control group and group I, IBS parameters did not change significantly with age, height, weight, and body surface area. In contrast, in groups II and III, a significant correlation was found between cyclic variation and age at the study (p = 0.021, r = -0.71, and p = 0.006, r = -0.79, respectively). Furthermore, compared with the control group, cyclic variation and IBS intensity were significantly different only in groups II (p = 0.01 and p = 0.006, respectively) and III (both p <0.0001) but not in group I (p = 0.23 and p = 0.38, respectively). The lowest values of cyclic variation and the highest values of intensity were detected in group III patients. Thus, our data suggest that (1) in normal subjects, there is no correlation between RV IBS indexes and age or any morphometric parameters, and (2) IBS analysis is able to noninvasively detect differences in myocardial functional and textural properties in the presence of different conditions of RV overload.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2002

Issues in the selection of a summary statistic for meta-analysis of clinical trials with binary outcomes.

Meta-analysis of binary data involves the computation of a weighted average of summary statistics calculated for each trial. The selection of the appropriate summary statistic is a subject of debate due to conflicts in the relative importance of mathematical properties and the ability to intuitively interpret results. This paper explores the process of identifying a summary statistic most likely to be consistent across trials when there is variation in control group event rates. Four summary statistics are considered: odds ratios (OR); risk differences (RD) and risk ratios of beneficial (RR(B)); and harmful outcomes (RR(H)). Each summary statistic corresponds to a different pattern of predicted absolute benefit of treatment with variation in baseline risk, the greatest difference in patterns of prediction being between RR(B) and RR(H). Selection of a summary statistic solely based on identification of the best-fitting model by comparing tests of heterogeneity is problematic, principally due to low numbers of trials. It is proposed that choice of a summary statistic should be guided by both empirical evidence and clinically informed debate as to which model is likely to be closest to the expected pattern of treatment benefit across baseline risks. Empirical investigations comparing the four summary statistics on a sample of 551 systematic reviews provide evidence that the RR and OR models are on average more consistent than RD, there being no difference on average between RR and OR. From a second sample of 114 meta-analyses evidence indicates that for interventions aimed at preventing an undesirable event, greatest absolute benefits are observed in trials with the highest baseline event rates, corresponding to the model of constant RR(H). The appropriate selection for a particular meta-analysis may depend on understanding reasons for variation in control group event rates; in some situations uncertainty about the choice of summary statistic will remain.

Anti-Inflammatory Agents, Non-Steroidal↗