How to read the ledger
Evidence, uncertainty and AI assistance
The Mechanism Ledger is a working biological evidence collection. It connects independently recorded molecules, proteins, events and experimental situations to help people examine mechanisms and generate research questions.
Sources stay attached to their claims
Original source material is preserved. Each structured claim can retain its exact source passage, experimental context, participants, evidence status and corrections. Follow its citations and complete record before interpreting a connected route.
AI helps extract and explore; it does not establish truth
AI and LLM tools assist with extraction, plain-language explanations and recursive exploration. An extracted statement is a draft until its recorded review status says otherwise. Extraction validation checks structure and source references; it does not independently verify a biological conclusion against primary studies.
A mechanism is not automatically a clinical result
Species, cell model, tissue, compartment, exposure, dose, timing and experimental contrast can change what a finding means. Event membership and shared participants are unsigned connections. A metabolite's effect cannot automatically be assigned to its parent nutrient or compound.
Corrections and disagreements mean different things
A correction supersedes an earlier error while preserving its history. A scientific disagreement retains the opposing observations and their contexts. Hypotheses and unanswered questions remain separate from measured findings.
Reading the evidence labels
- Draft from source: extracted or supplied wording that still needs verification.
- Verified: a claim with that recorded status; inspect its evidence and the scope of its review.
- Contested: recorded disagreement or uncertainty requiring examination.
- Superseded: historical wording replaced by a correction.
- Hypothesis: a proposed connection requiring testing.
Help improve the record
Use the source and extraction templates to prepare evidence for review. Discuss a recorded scientific disagreement on its discussion page where contribution access is available. New material is not imported or published automatically.
This educational research prototype is not medical advice. It does not establish diagnoses, supplement prescriptions or treatment recommendations. A complete retrieval is not a completed scientific review.