Use this glossary when a catalogue listing, analytical report and scientific paper appear to describe the same thing. The goal is to identify what actually matches and what still needs checking.
Compound name, alias and molecular form
A name helps find a record. An alias is an alternative label, which may be used inconsistently. Molecular form describes the actual entity under consideration, including relevant modifications or complexation. Record enough detail to distinguish the material required by your method.
For worked nomenclature cases, consult the CJC-1295 record, which separates DAC and non-DAC terminology, and the TB-500 record, which distinguishes fragment evidence from full-length thymosin beta-4. The linked dossiers carry the primary sources and analytical limitations; this glossary does not assign identity to an untested batch.
Batch, sample and report
A batch identifier connects manufacturing or supply records. A sample identifier refers to the material submitted for testing. A report documents the laboratory’s result for that sample. Check the relationship between all three; a report about one sample should not silently become a claim about every item sharing a product name.
Purity, content, concentration and quantity
| Term | Question it answers | Useful next step |
|---|---|---|
| Area purity | What proportion of the included detector signal is assigned to a target under the method? | Read the analytical method and its limits |
| Content assay | How much target material was measured on the stated reporting basis? | Check method, reference and units in the report |
| Nominal quantity | What amount does the label or preparation record state? | Keep the stated basis distinct from an independent measurement |
| Concentration | How much material is present per volume of solution? | Check mass, final volume and units |
Evidence stage: what changed between models?
Analytical evidence addresses a measured property of a sample. Cell or biochemical evidence concerns the experimental system used. Animal evidence retains the species and model. Human evidence must still identify the participants, intervention, design and endpoint. None of these labels removes the need to inspect the actual study.
A mechanistic observation is not automatically a clinical outcome. A controlled human trial can support conclusions within its design, but does not identify a supplier’s batch. The editorial evidence standards describe how these distinctions are applied across the library.
Primary study, review and source identifier
A primary study reports the investigators’ own research. A review discusses existing work and can help locate relevant studies. A DOI or PMID helps resolve the source, but a correctly formatted identifier is useful only if it leads to the paper supporting the claim. Check the title, authors, year and experiment after opening the link.
Use a three-part reading note
- Identity: the exact molecule, preparation or sample.
- Measurement: what the experiment actually recorded.
- Limit: what cannot be concluded from that record.
For a worked study-reading exercise, see comparing weight-loss research evidence. For a purchasing assessment, transfer unresolved questions into the supplier evaluation worksheet.