Abbreviations and terms in statistics
Clinical trials and generic research
Abbreviations and acronyms used in ecotoxicology
Epidemiology glossary
Generally, an abbreviation refers to a truncated word. An acronym is parts of the phrase it stands for and is pronounced as a word, for example ELISA and AIDS, while an initialism is an acronym that is pronounced as individual letters, for example DNA. Here we use abbreviation to refer to all of these.
CD BioSciences has summarized a list of abbreviations and terms commonly used in statistics and research for you.
Abbreviations and terms in statistics
- Data sampling & sorting
| ni | (absolute) frequency (frequency count) |
| fi | relative frequency |
| Ni | cumulative (absolute) frequency |
| Fi | cumulative relative frequency |
| n | number of observations or sample size |
| max | maximum value in the data set |
| min | minimum value in the data set |
| h | width of class (interval) |
| m | number of classes (intervals) |
- Descriptive statistics
| x̄ | sample mean (read as „x bar“) |
| x-tilde | median |
| x-caret | mode |
| μ | population mean (read as „mju“) |
| IQR | interquartile range |
| R | range |
| Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4 | first, second, third and fourth quartile |
| σ2 | population variance (read as „sigma squared“) |
| S12 or s2 | sample variance |
| σ | population standard deviation (read as „sigma“) |
| s1 or s | sample standard deviation |
| CV | coefficient of variation |
| r1 | coefficient of skewness (read as „gamma“) |
| r2 | coefficient of skewness (read as „gamma“) |
| xi | coefficient of skewness (read as „gamma“) |
- Theory of probability
| P (A) | probability of an event A |
| X | random variable |
| CDF | cumulative distribution function |
| probability density function |
- Point and interval estimate
| CL | confidence level |
| CI | confidence interval |
| est | estimate |
| Δ | sampling error (read as „delta“) |
| 1-α | confidence level |
| α | level of significance, significance level (read as „alfa“) |
| Χ2 | Chi-square (read as „kai“) |
- Hypothesis testing
| H0 | null hypothesis |
| Ha or H1 | alternate hypothesis |
| CV | critical value |
| TS | test statistic |
| μ0 | a specific numerical value (constant) considered in the null and alternative hypotheses |
| μd | difference in the values of the population means |
| p-value | probablility value |
| σ02 | a specific numerical value (constant) considered in the null and alternative hypotheses |
| s112 | sample variance of the first sample (group) |
| s122 | sample variance of the second sample (group) |
| σ12 | sample variance of the second sample (group) |
| σ22 | population variance of the second sample (group) |
| F distribution | Fisher distribution |
- Analysis of variance (ANOVA)
| SS | sum of squares |
| df | degrees of freedom |
| MS | mean squares |
| F | test statistic |
| F crit | critical value |
- Chi-square test for independence
| E or (aibj )0 | expected (theoretical) frequencies |
| O or (aibj ) | observed (empirical) frequencies |
| ΣΣ | sum of sum |
| ai | sum of values (observed frequencies) in each row in the contingency table |
| bj | sum of values (observed frequencies) in each column in the contingency table |
- Regression and correlation analysis
| y | dependent variable |
| x | independent variable |
| LBF | line of best fit (least squares line) |
| r | correlation coefficient (multiple r) |
| r2 | coefficient of determination (r-squared) |
| yi | actual values of dependent variable |
| y-caret | predicted values of dependent variable (read as „y hat“) |
| ei | residuals |
| sei | standardized (standard) residuals |
Clinical trials and generic research
| ADR | Adverse Drug Reaction |
| AAHRPP | Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs |
| ACRP | Association of Clinical Research Professionals |
| ADE | Adverse Drug Experience |
| ADR | Adverse Drug Reaction |
| AE | Adverse Event |
| AUC | Area Under the Curve |
| BAA | Business Associates Agreement |
| BIMO | Bioresearcher Monitoring Program (FDA) |
| BLA | Biologic Licensing Application |
| BUN | Blood Urea Nitrogen |
| CAP | College of American Pathologists |
| CBER | Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research (FDA) |
| CCRA | Certified Clinical Research Associate |
| CCRC | Certified Clinical Research Coordinator |
| CCRP | Certified Clinical Research Professional |
| CDER | Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (FDA) |
| CDRH | Center for Devices and Radiological Health (FDA) |
| CFR | Code of Federal Regulations |
| CI | Confidence Interval |
| CIOMS | Council for International Organizations of Medical Sciences (post-approval international monitoring of ADRs) |
| CITI | Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative |
| CLIA | Clinical Laboratory Improvements Amendments |
| Cmax | Maximum Plasma Concentration |
| Cmin | Minimum Plasma Concentration |
| CNT | Consented but Not Treated |
| COI | Conflict of Interest |
| CPI | Certified Principal Investigator |
| Cr | Serum Creatinine |
| CRA | Clinical Research Associate |
| CRC | Clinical Research Coordinator |
| CRF | Case Report Form |
| CRO | Clinical Research Organization |
| CT | Computed Tomography |
| CT | Clinical Trial |
| CTA | Clinical Trials Agreement |
| CTC | Circulating Tumor Cell Count |
| CTCAE | Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events |
| CTM | Clinical Trail Material |
| CV | Curriculum Vitae |
| CYP | Cytochrome P450 |
| DAR | Drug or Device Accountability Records |
| DB | Double Blind |
| DCF | Data Correction Form/Data Clarification Form |
| DHEA | Dihydroepiandrosterone |
| DHHS | Department of Health & Human Services |
| DLT | Dose Limiting Toxicity |
| DMC | Data Monitoring Committee |
| DNA | Deoxyribonucleic Acid |
| DSMB | Data Safety Monitoring Board |
| DSMP | Data Safety Monitoring Plan |
| DUA | Data Use Agreement |
| EC | Ethics Committee; European Commission |
| ECG | Electrocardiogram |
| ECI | Event of Clinical Interest |
| ECOG | Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (Used to determine Performance Status) |
| eCRF | Electronic Case Report Form |
| EDC | Electronic Data Capture |
| EIR | Establishment Inspection Report |
| EMEA | European Agency for the Evaluation of Medicinal Products |
| FDA | Food and Drug Administration |
| FWA | Federal Wide Assurance |
| FWA number | Federal Wide Assurance number (number assigned to IRB) |
| GCP | Good Clinical Practices |
| GLP | Good Laboratory Practices |
| GMP | Good Manufacturing Practices |
| HAQ | Health Assessment Questionnaire |
| HDE | Humanitarian Device Exemption (must be in place to use a HUD) |
| HIPAA | Health Insurance Portability & Accountability |
| HRPP | Human Research Protection Program |
| HUD | Humanitarian Use Device (for less than 4, 000 subjects) |
| IB | Investigator’s Brochure |
| IC50 | Inhibitory Concentration 50% |
| ICF | Informed Consent Form |
| ICH | International Conference on Harmonization |
| IDE | Investigational Device Exemption |
| IEC | Independent Ethics Committee |
| IND | Investigational New Drug (Application) |
| INDSR | Investigational New Drug Safety Report |
| IO | Institutional Official |
| IP | Investigational Product (i.e., drug, biologic and/or device) |
| IRB | Institutional Review Board |
| ISR | Injection Site Reaction |
| ITT | Intent-to-Treat |
| IVRS | Interactive Voice Response System |
| IWRS | Interactive Web Response System |
| Ki | Inhibition Constant |
| LDH | Lactate Dehydrogenase |
| LDS | Limited Data Set |
| MDR | Medical Device Reporting |
| MedDRA | Medical Dictionary for Regulatory Activities |
| mmHg | Millimeters of Mercury |
| MOS | Medical Outcomes Study |
| MTA | Material Transfer Agreement |
| MTD | Maximum Tolerated Dose |
| NAF | Notice of Adverse Findings |
| NAI | No Action Indicated |
| NDA | New Drug Application |
| NSR | Non-Significant Risk (usually refers to device research) |
| NTF | Note to File |
| OAI | Official Action Indicated |
| OCR | Office of Civil Rights |
| OHRP | Office for Human Research Protections |
| OIG | Office of the Inspector General |
| PD | Pharmacodynamics |
| PFS | Progression-Free Survival |
| PHI | Protected Health Information |
| PHS | Public Health Service |
| PI | Principal Investigator |
| PK | Pharmacokinetic |
| PM | Project Manager |
| PMA | Premarket Approval (Application) |
| PMS | Post Marketing Surveillance |
| PRIM&R | Public Responsibility in Medicine and Research |
| prn | As Needed |
| QA | Quality Assurance |
| QC | Quality Control |
| QI | Quality Improvement |
| QOL | Quality of Life |
| QTcF | QT Interval Corrected by the Fridericia Correction Formula |
| RCT | Randomized Controlled Trial |
| RDE | Remote Data Entry |
| REB | Research Ethics Board |
| RECIST | Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (Oncology) |
| ROPI | Report of Prior Investigations |
| RSA | Research Subject Advocate |
| SADE | Serious Adverse Drug Experience |
| SAE | Serious Adverse Event |
| SC | Study Coordinator; Safety Cohort; Subcutaneous |
| SD | Standard Deviation |
| SDV | Source Document Verification |
| SEM | Standard Error for the Mean |
| SEV | Site Evaluation Visit |
| SIV | Site Initiation Visit |
| SMO | Site Management Organization |
| SR | Significant Risk (usually refers to device research) |
| t1/2 | Half-Life |
| Tbili | Total Bilirubin |
| TK | Toxicokinetics |
| TTP | Time to Progression |
| UPIRTSO | Unanticipated Problem Involving Risk to Subjects or Others |
| VAI | Voluntary Action Indicated |
| WBC | White Blood Cell Count |
| WHO | World Health Organization |
| WMA | World Medical Association |
Abbreviations and acronyms used in ecotoxicology
| AchE | acetylcholinesterase |
| ACR | acute-to-chronic toxicity ratio |
| AEC | adenylate energy charge |
| ADI | acceptable daily intake |
| AF | accumulation factor, application factor |
| AHH | aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase |
| ALAD | aminolaevulinic acid dehydrase [porphobilinogen synthase, 5-aminolevulinate dehydrase] |
| ALARA | as low as reasonably achievable |
| APTI | air pollution tolerance index |
| ATCN | asymptotic threshold concentration |
| AVS | acid-volatile sulfide |
| B | biomagnification factor |
| BAF | bioaccumulation factor |
| BAP | biodiversity action plan |
| BCC | bioaccumulative chemicals of concern |
| BCF | bioconcentration factor |
| BF | bioaccumulation factor |
| BI | bioavailability index |
| BLM | biotic ligand model |
| BOD | biochemical (biological) oxygen demand |
| BSAF | biota-sediment accumulation factor |
| BSF | biota-sediment factor |
| CBA | cost–benefit analysis |
| CBR | critical body residue |
| CF | concentration factor |
| CFC | chlorofluorocarbon |
| ChE | cholinesterase |
| CMPP | 2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) propionic acid |
| COD | chemical oxygen demand |
| COPC | contaminants of potential concern |
| CSM | conceptual site model |
| 2,4-D | 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid |
| 2,4-DB | 2,4-dichlorophenoxybutyric acid [4-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy) butyric acid] |
| p,p'-DDT | p,p '-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane [4,4'-(2,2,2-trichloroethane-1,1-diyl)bis(chlorobenzene)] |
| DEB | dynamic energy budget |
| DNOC | dinitro-orthocresol [3,5-dinitrobenzene-1,2-diol] |
| DO | dissolved oxygen |
| DOC | dissolved oxygen content, dissolved organic carbon |
| DOM | dissolved organic matter |
| DT | depuration time |
| DU | Dobson unit |
| EA | environmental assessment |
| EBI | ergosterol biosynthesis inhibitor (fungicide) |
| EC | effective concentration |
| ED | effective dose |
| EEC | estimated (expected) environmental concentration |
| EFcrust | enrichment factor (for the Earth’s crust) |
| EIA | environmental impact assessment |
| EIS | environmental impact statement |
| ELS | early life stage |
| EQO | environmental quality objective |
| EqP | equilibrium partitioning |
| EQS | environmental quality standard |
| EROD | ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase [7-ethoxyphenoxazin-3-one O-deethylase] |
| ET | effective time |
| FATS | fish acute toxicity syndrome |
| FAV | final acute value |
| FCV | final chronic value |
| FIAM | free ion activity model |
| FONSI | finding of no significant impact |
| FS | feasibility study |
| GABA | gamma-aminobutyric acid [4-aminobutyric acid] |
| GAS | general adaptation syndrome |
| GIS | geographic information system |
| GEM | genetically engineered microorganism |
| GLP | good laboratory practice |
| GMO | genetically modified organism |
| HCB | hexachlorobenzene |
| HCp, HCS | hazardous concentration |
| HEDSET | harmonized electronic data set |
| HI | hazard index |
| HMO | hepatic microsomal monooxygenase |
| HPVC | high production volume chemical |
| HQ | hazard quotient |
| HSP | heat shock protein |
| IC | inhibitory concentration |
| ID | inhibitory dose |
| IED | individual effective dose |
| IRIS | integrated risk information system |
| IT50 | median inhibitory time |
| KOA | octanol-air partition coefficient |
| KOW | octanol-water partition coefficient |
| LBB | lethal body burden |
| LC | lethal concentration |
| LD | lethal dose |
| LED | lowest effective dose |
| LFER | linear free energy relationship |
| LLE | loss of life expectancy |
| LOAEL | lowest-observed-adverse-effect level |
| LOEC | lowest-observed-effect concentration |
| LOEL | lowest-observed-effect level |
| LSER | linear solvation energy relationship |
| LT | lethal time |
| LTRE | life-table response experiment |
| LV | limit value |
| MAC | maximum allowable concentration |
| MAT | mean absorption time |
| MATC | maximum acceptable toxicant concentration |
| MCPA | (2-methyl 4-chloro-phenoxyacetic) acid [2-(4-chloro-2-methylphenoxy) propionic acid] |
| MF | modifying factor |
| MIC | minimum inhibitory concentration |
| MIT | median inhibitory time |
| MLE | maximum likelihood estimation |
| MO | monooxygenase |
| MRT | mean residence time |
| MSD | minimum significant difference |
| MTTD | median time to death |
| MVP | minimum viable population |
| NED | normal equivalent deviation |
| NOAEL | no-observed-adverse-effect level |
| NOEC(D) | no-observed-effect concentration (dose) |
| NOEL | no-observed-effect level |
| NRL | no-response level |
| NTE | neuropathy target esterase (acetylcholinesterase) |
| OC | organic carbon, organochlorine compound |
| OP | organophosphorus compound |
| POA | octanol-air partition coefficient |
| POW | octanol-water partition coefficient |
| PAH | polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon |
| PBT | persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic |
| PCB | polychlorinated biphenyl |
| PCDD | polychlorinated dibenzodioxin |
| PCDF | polychlorinated dibenzofuran |
| PD | population density |
| PEC | predicted environmental concentration |
| PFOA | perfluorooctanoic acid |
| PFOS | perfluorooctane-1-sulfonate |
| PICT | pollution-induced community tolerance |
| PIN | preferred IUPAC name |
| PIP | persistent inorganic pollutant |
| PMN | pre-manufacture notification |
| PNEC | predicted no-effect concentration |
| POM | particulate organic matter |
| POP | persistent organic pollutant |
| PSD | prevention of significant deterioration |
| PTI | pollution tolerance index |
| QSAR | quantitative structure–activity relationship |
| QSMR | quantitative structure–metabolism relationship |
| RfD | reference dose |
| RfDdt | developmental reference dose |
| RI/FS | remedial investigation and feasibility study |
| RME | reasonable maximum exposure |
| RR | rate ratio, relative risk |
| SAM | standardized aquatic microcosm |
| SAR | structure–activity relationship |
| SB | spiked bioassay |
| SCAS | semi-continuous activated sludge |
| SCE | sister chromatid exchange |
| SMR | structure–metabolism relationship |
| SSD | species sensitivity distribution |
| STI | salt tolerance index |
| STP | sewage treatment plant |
| 2,4,5-T | 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid |
| Tx | toxicity value |
| TBT | tributyl tin |
| TC | threshold concentration, teratogenic concentration |
| TCDD | tetrachlorodibenzodioxin |
| TDI | tolgerable daily intake |
| TEC | threshold-effect concentration |
| TEF | toxicity equivalency factor |
| TEQ | toxicity equivalent |
| TI | teratogenic index, time independent |
| TIE | toxicity identification and evaluation |
| TLm (TL50) | median tolerance limit |
| TL | threshold level, tolerance limit |
| TOC | total organic carbon |
| TU | toxicity unit |
| UF | uncertainty factor |
| WET | whole-effluent toxicity |
| WHAM | Windermere humic aqueous model |
| WWTP | waste-water treatment plant |
Epidemiology glossary
For more information about epidemiology glossary, please visit CDC Epidemiology Glossary.
Reference:
1. Nordberg, M., Templeton, D. M., Andersen, O., & Duffus, J. H. (2009) ‘Glossary of terms used in Ecotoxicology (IUPAC Recommendations 2009)’, Pure and Applied Chemistry, 81(5), 829-970.