Evaluate the collective function of references cited together in a given text segment.
Classify their combined role into one of the following categories: 'method', 'background', or 'result'.

Text:Elevated blood pH is consistent with one reported result (56) but differs from most other studies in which pH of hibernating and euthermic ground squirrels do not differ (15, 16, 27, 29, 40).
Category: