What's the difference between ascertain and confirm?

Ascertain


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To render (a person) certain; to cause to feel certain; to make confident; to assure; to apprise.
  • (v. t.) To make (a thing) certain to the mind; to free from obscurity, doubt, or change; to make sure of; to fix; to determine.
  • (v. t.) To find out or learn for a certainty, by trial, examination, or experiment; to get to know; as, to ascertain the weight of a commodity, or the purity of a metal.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) We have investigated the effect of methimazole (MMI) on cell-mediated immunity and ascertained the mechanisms of immunosuppression produced by the drug.
  • (2) Prior to oral feeding, little or no ELA was detected in stools and endotoxinemia was ascertained in only six of 45 infants (13%).
  • (3) A total of 13 ascertainments of folate sensitive autosomal fragile sites is observed, of which 10q23 fragility appears to be the most frequent.
  • (4) A similar examination of the effects of PD was also carried out in vitro to ascertain whether PD itself or its metabolites are involved in its action.
  • (5) The purity and configuration of each isomer of the free acid and N-chloroacetylated derivative were ascertained by: (a) paper chromatography in five solvent systems, (b) elemental analysis, (c) Van Slyke nitrous acid determination of alpha-carbonyl carbon, and (d) Van Slyke ninhydrin determination of alpha-carbonyl carbon, and (e) optical rotation.
  • (6) In an anthropologic study of illness referral among Latin-American immigrants three phases were ascertained: First, there was extended use of self-treatment.
  • (7) In 20 adult patients with asthma, we evaluated bronchodilation to a single administration of metered-dose glycopyrrolate aerosol (GA) to ascertain its onset and duration of action along with evaluation of safety.
  • (8) 64% of the patients without nodular metastases and 45% of the patients with histologically ascertained nodular metastases and 45% of the patients with histologically ascertained nodular metastases survived the 3-year interval.
  • (9) The results indicated a very good comparability between the dot-blot assay and IF-tests, and this dot-blot method was ascertained as a simple and useful method for the scrub typhus serodiagnosis.
  • (10) Combinations of YM534 with other anti-cancer agents were examined to ascertain whether YM534 potentiated other anti-cancer agents against the KB cell line and its multidrug-resistant counterpart, VJ-300.
  • (11) Three experiments in person perception were conducted to investigate the conditions under which naive observers label an actor as aggressive and to ascertain how this label affects the reactions of the observers to the actor.
  • (12) This study was designed to ascertain the frequency of these problems in our RS patients, whether they were related to other clinical features of RS and what was the extent of the resulting disability.
  • (13) The nutritional requirements for optimal production of biologically active l-asparaginase by a strain of Escherichia coli have been ascertained.
  • (14) Fifty-seven strains of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli isolated from humans and pigs and producing thermolabile (LT) enterotoxin were used to ascertain the efficiency of the Biken test compared to the passive immune haemolysis test (PIH), considered as very sensitive for detecting that enterotoxin.
  • (15) In the formation of the transformation index the difference between the two groups could be statistically ascertained.
  • (16) This was a highly significant (p less than 0.0001) predictor of 5-year total mortality, whose ascertainment was virtually complete.
  • (17) On the basis of segregating phenotypes, the genetic potentials of these compatible nocardiae were ascertained as follows: the formation of a diploid with subsequent segregation of parental or haploid recombinant genomes or both; persistence of the diploid through many generations; continuing reassortment of genetic information by multiple matings between parental or recombinant organisms; and, very probably, second-round recombinations within the diploid.
  • (18) Based on the ratio of plasma membrane marker enzyme activity determined in the nuclear preparation, the purity of the isolated nuclei was ascertained.
  • (19) The amount of free testosterone in the saliva was also ascertained for 23 of the subjects.
  • (20) In addition, re-analysis of previous investigations of the MAB underscores the importance of ascertaining the reading level of subjects prior to the administration of the MAB.

Confirm


Definition:

  • (v. t.) To make firm or firmer; to add strength to; to establish; as, health is confirmed by exercise.
  • (v. t.) To strengthen in judgment or purpose.
  • (v. t.) To give new assurance of the truth of; to render certain; to verify; to corroborate; as, to confirm a rumor.
  • (v. t.) To render valid by formal assent; to complete by a necessary sanction; to ratify; as, to confirm the appoinment of an official; the Senate confirms a treaty.
  • (v. t.) To administer the rite of confirmation to. See Confirmation, 3.

Example Sentences:

  • (1) Clinical and roentgenographic criteria could not discriminate between patients with and without pneumonia, confirming the findings of previous investigations.
  • (2) The nuclear origin of the Ha antigen was confirmed by the speckled nuclear immunofluorescence staining pattern given by purified antibody to Ha obtained from a specific immune precipitate.
  • (3) Trifluoroacetylated rabbit serum albumin was 5 times more reactive with these antibodies and thus more antigenic than the homologous acetylated moiety confirming the importance of the trifluoromethyl moiety as an epitope in the immunogen in vivo.
  • (4) In vitro studies carried out in this Department confirmed the high activity of mecillinam against Salmonella spp.
  • (5) The results of our microscopic model confirm that the continuum hypothesis used in our previous macroscopic model is reasonable.
  • (6) Consensual but rationally weak criteria devised to extract inferences of causality from such results confirm the generic inadequacy of epidemiology in this area, and are unable to provide definitive scientific support to the perceived mandate for public health action.
  • (7) The results of the evaluation confirm that most problems seen by first level medical personnel in developing countries are simple, repetitive, and treatable at home or by a paramedical worker with a few safe, essential drugs, thus avoiding unnecessary visits to a doctor.
  • (8) This theory was confirmed by product analysis and by measuring the affinity of the substrate for the enzyme by its inhibition of p-nitrophenyl glucoside hydrolysis.
  • (9) In 1 of the 3, anterior capsular detachment was also demonstrated radiographically and confirmed surgically.
  • (10) These observations were confirmed by the killing curves in pooled serum obtained at peak and trough levels.
  • (11) The pancreatic changes are unlikely to be an artefact, but rather a direct toxic effect of the alcohol as confirmed by the biochemical changes.
  • (12) Thus, our study confirmed that male subjects with a history of testicular maldescent have an increased risk for testis cancer, although the magnitude of this risk was lower than suggested previously.
  • (13) The operative arteriograms confirmed vascular occlusive phenomenon.
  • (14) A specimen of a very early ovum, 4 to 6 days old, shown in the luminal form of imbedding before any hemorrhage has taken place, confirms that the luminal form of imbedding does occur.
  • (15) One of the main components was confirmed to be caffeic acid which had inhibitory effect on renal failure in mice by Ac1-P.
  • (16) Abbott also unveiled his new ministry, which confirmed only one woman would serve in the first Abbott cabinet.
  • (17) We have confirmed this directly by showing that pure CCK is a potent inhibitor of gastric emptying.
  • (18) According to some reports as many as 30 people were killed in the explosion, although that figure could not be independently confirmed.
  • (19) All masses had either histologic confirmation (n = 11) or confirmation with other imaging modalities (n = 4).
  • (20) An inverse relationship between the pumping capacity of the heart and vascular resistance was confirmed at different stages of examination and treatment of the patients.