Count Distribution Research Articles

A clinical and hematologic approach to basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses.

Basophils are the rarest blood leukocyte in most healthy domestic mammals and the clinical significance of basophilia is poorly understood. To empirically determine magnitude thresholds for basophilia, identify its hematologic correlates, and identify associations between breeds, specific diseases, disease categories, organ systems, and basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses. CBCs and clinical information from dogs, cats, and horses were collected from the University of California-Davis School of Veterinary Medicine between 2000 and 2020. Relationships between basophil concentration and other CBC parameters were evaluated by computing Pearson's correlation (r). Magnitude thresholds for basophilia (ie, mild, moderate, severe) were determined by evaluating the distribution of basophil counts for each species. For severe cases of basophilia, the clinical diagnoses were categorized by the organ system affected and the underlying pathomechanism. Basophilia groups were compared to a time-matched, randomly selected control group, and chi-square analyses were performed to evaluate associations with disease. A total of 143 841 (dog), 32 576 (cat), and 44 887 (horse) CBCs were collected. For all three species, basophilia was over-represented in some breeds. Basophilia was associated with respiratory disease in both dogs and cats. In dogs, lymphoma and mast cell neoplasia were associated with basophilia. In horses, an increased incidence of basophilia was not associated with any disease category or organ system. This is the largest study evaluating the hematologic correlations and disease associations with basophilia in dogs, cats, and horses. While basophilia was reported alongside many diseases, certain associations may aid clinicians in narrowing down underlying causes.

Comparing Step Counting Algorithms for High-Resolution Wrist Accelerometry Data in NHANES 2011-2014.

To quantify the relative performance of step counting algorithms in studies that collect free-living high-resolution wrist accelerometry data and to highlight the implications of using these algorithms in translational research. Five step counting algorithms (four open source and one proprietary) were applied to the publicly available, free-living, high-resolution wrist accelerometry data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) in 2011-2014. The mean daily total step counts were compared in terms of correlation, predictive performance, and estimated hazard ratios of mortality. The estimated number of steps were highly correlated (median = 0.91, range 0.77 to 0.98), had high and comparable predictive performance of mortality (median concordance = 0.72, range 0.70 to 0.73). The distributions of the number of steps in the population varied widely (mean step counts range from 2,453 to 12,169). Hazard ratios of mortality associated with a 500-step increase per day varied among step counting algorithms between HR = 0.88 and 0.96, corresponding to a 300% difference in mortality risk reduction ([1 - 0.88]/[1 - 0.96] = 3). Different step counting algorithms provide correlated step estimates and have similar predictive performance that is better than traditional predictors of mortality. However, they provide widely different distributions of step counts and estimated reductions in mortality risk for a 500-step increase.

Role of molecular alterations in transplantation decisions for patients with primary myelofibrosis

AbstractThe aim of our study was to analyze the potential survival benefit associated with hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) according to clinicobiological scores, which incorporate molecular data (MIPSS70 and MIPSS70+V2) to facilitate decision-making in this context. One transplant (n = 241) and 1 nontransplant cohort (n = 239) were used to test the hypothesis that patients with primary myelofibrosis with higher risk molecular score benefit from HSCT. A weighted propensity score was applied to balance confounding factors with the transplanted cohort as reference. Weighted Cox proportional hazard models and logistic regression analyses were performed. Overall, 105 patients who did not receive transplant could be matched to the 239 patients who did receive transplants. Mean age in matched patients who did and did not undergo transplant was 55.5 and 57.9 years, respectively. Blood cell count and Dynamic International Prognostic Scoring System (DIPSS) score distribution were similar in both groups. HSCT was associated with a higher 6-year overall survival rate in intermediate-2 (60.1% vs 41.5%) and high-risk DIPSS patients (44.4% vs 6.55%), high-risk MIPSS70 (46.5% vs 23.9%), high-risk (73.2% vs 39.7%) or very high-risk MIPSS70+V2 (51.8% vs 24%). Patients with intermediate MIPSS70 scores have an advantage of survival with HSCT only when their myelofibrosis transplant scoring system (MTSS) were low or intermediate. Patients who received transplant had an increased mortality risk the first year, but a significant benefit with HSCT after the 1-year landmark was observed in higher risk patients. This study confirms that, similar to DIPSS, MIPSS70 and MIPSS70+V2 risk score in addition to MTSS can be used to determine which patients with primary myelofibrosis have survival benefit from HSCT over non-HSCT strategies.

Ecological analysis of the structure and dendrometric characteristics of the population of Juniperus thurifera: a vulnerable species

ABSTRACT Juniperus thurifera was selected for this study due to its crucial ecological role in high mountain ecosystems and the increasing threats it faces, such as habitat degradation and regeneration challenges. The analysis of stand structure by altitude shows that the distribution of individuals and stem count vary with elevation, highlighting the species’ adaptability to mountainous conditions. Altitudinal degradation significantly impacts seed production, with a positive correlation (r = 0.65) between stem and fruit numbers in females. J. thurifera also plays a vital role in soil retention, as indicated by the positive correlation (r = 0.511) between ground projection and soil thickness, emphasizing its importance in slope stabilization and erosion prevention. Sexual dimorphism reveals dendrometric differences between males and females, affecting regeneration and reproduction. Age estimation based on circumference shows the predominance of aging, non-reproductive trees, threatening future regeneration. Principal component analysis (PCA) further refines recommendations by revealing complex relationships between dendrometric characteristics and environmental factors, providing precise guidelines for J. thurifera conservation.

Use of agrochemicals resulted in anemia and inflammation among farmers in Fako Division, Cameroon

The use of agrochemicals as plant growth regulators, pesticides, and soil fertilizers can result in insults among farmers and other non-targeted organisms. The adverse effects of agrochemicals are of global concern, though limited studies have delineated their toxicity on blood cells and inflammatory parameters in Fako division in Cameroon. This study examined the impact of occupational exposure on haematological and inflammatory parameters among farmers in Fako division. Briefly, 165 farmers who occupationally applied agrochemicals and a reference population of 75 non-farmers were interviewed on types of agrochemicals used, knowledge and safety during use of agrochemicals, as well as related symptoms of exposure. Serum cholinesterase (acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase) activities were measured as biomarkers of exposure to agrochemicals. Complete blood count and serum levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and nitric oxide (NO) were determined as haematological and inflammatory biomarkers. Results disclosed frequent use of insecticides, fungicides, herbicides and fertilizers with neglect of personal protective equipment. Reported symptoms of exposure to agrochemicals were consistent with decrease in cholinesterase activities. Exposure to agrochemicals decreased erythrocyte count and red cell distribution width, as well as increased mean cell volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, serum levels of NO and IL-6 in farmers; suggesting anemia and increased cellular inflammation. In conclusion, the use of agrochemicals resulted in inhibited cholinesterase activities, induced anemia, and promoted cell inflammation in farmers. These findings call for more sensitization and training of the farmers to minimize agrochemical exposure and related health hazards.

The outcomes of electronic personal health records in patients with heart failure or coronary artery disease.

There are limited data on the efficacy of smartphone-based personal health records (PHRs) in patients with cardiovascular disease. This study aimed to examine the processes, outcomes and challenges associated with the implementation of integrated PHRs in patients with heart failure (HF) or coronary artery disease (CAD). This prospective single-group study evaluated the effects of a PHR system with the capability to capture electronic health records and vital signs in patients with HF or CAD. The outcomes measured were the 6-month changes in blood pressure (BP), body weight (BW), brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels, lipid profiles and haemoglobin (Hb) A1c levels. Between June 2021 and March 2022, we enrolled 111 patients (median age: 61years and 47% women) with CAD and/or HF. Over 6months, the PHR review count distribution was skewed: median 749 times (lowest 2, highest 5724)/180days, suggesting both low and excessive PHR users. After 3days, 23% of the patients discontinued inputting their vital signs and medication status. At 6months, compared with patients who discontinued, those who continued to input their vital signs (N=86) showed a significant decrease in their systolic BP and LDL-C levels but not in the diastolic BP, BW, BNP, HDL-C, triglyceride or HbA1c levels. The implementation of smartphone-based PHRs in daily practice is challenging for patients with HF or CAD. However, we observed positive indications of the benefits of PHR in these patients. UMIN000044369.

COVID-19 latent age-specific mortality in US states: a county-level spatio-temporal analysis with counterfactuals.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, which spanned much of 2020-2023 and beyond, daily case and death counts were recorded globally. In this study, we examined available mortality counts and associated case counts, with a focus on the estimation missing information related to age distributions. In this paper, we explored a model-based paradigm for generating age distributions of mortality counts in a spatio-temporal context. We pursued this aim by employing Bayesian spatio-temporal lagged dependence models for weekly mortality at the county level. We compared three US states at the county level: South Carolina (SC), Ohio, and New Jersey (NJ). Models were developed for mortality counts using Bayesian spatio-temporal constructs, incorporating both dependence on current and cumulative case counts and lagged dependence on previous deaths. Age dependence was predicted based on total deaths in proportion to population estimates. This latent age field was generated as counterfactuals and then compared to observed deaths within age groups. The optimal retrospective space-time models for weekly mortality counts were those with lagged dependence and a function of caseload. Added random effects were found to vary across states: Ohio favored a spatially correlated model, while SC and NJ favored a simpler formulation. The generation of age-specific latent fields was performed for SC only and compared to a 15-month, 13-county data set of observed >65 age population. It is possible to model spatio-temporal variations in mortality at the county level with lagged dependencies, spatial effects, and case dependencies. In addition, it is also possible to generate latent age-specific fields based on estimates of death risk (using population proportions or more sophisticated modeling approaches). More detailed data will be needed to make more calibrated comparisons for future epidemic monitoring. The proposed discrepancy tool could serve as a useful resource for public health planners in tailoring interventions during epidemic situations.

Forecasting age distribution of life-table death counts via α-transformation

We introduce a compositional power transformation, known as an α-transformation, to model and forecast a time series of life-table death counts, possibly with zero counts observed at older ages. As a generalisation of the isometric log-ratio transformation (i.e. α = 0 ), the α transformation relies on the tuning parameter α, which can be determined in a data-driven manner. Using the Australian age-specific period life-table death counts from 1921 to 2020, the α transformation can produce more accurate short-term point and interval forecasts than the log-ratio transformation. The improved forecast accuracy of life-table death counts is of great importance to demographers and government planners for estimating survival probabilities and life expectancy and actuaries for determining annuity prices and reserves for various initial ages and maturity terms.

Global trends in CD4 count measurement and distribution at first antiretroviral treatment initiation.

While people with HIV (PWH) start antiretroviral treatment (ART) regardless of CD4 count, CD4 measurement remains crucial for detecting advanced HIV disease and evaluating ART programmes. We explored CD4 measurement (proportion of PWH with a CD4 result available) and prevalence of CD4 <200 cells/µL at ART initiation within the International epidemiology Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) global collaboration. We included PWH at participating ART programmes who first initiated ART at age 15-80 years during 2005-2019. We described proportions of PWH (i) with CD4 (measured within 6 months before to 2 weeks after ART initiation); and (ii) among those with a CD4, with CD4 <200; by year of ART initiation and region. We included 1,355,104 PWH from 42 countries in 7 regions; 63% were female. Median (interquartile range) age at ART initiation was 37 (31-44) in men and 32 (26-39) in women. CD4 measurement initially increased, or remained stable over time until around 2013, but then declined to low levels in some regions (Southern Africa, except South Africa: from 54 to 13%; East Africa 85 to 31%; Central Africa 72 to 20%; West Africa: 91 to 53%; and Latin America: 87 to 56%). Prevalence of CD4<200 declined over time in all regions, but plateaued after 2015 at ≥30%. CD4 measurement has declined sharply in recent years, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Among those with a CD4, the prevalence of CD4 <200 remains concerningly high. Scaling up CD4 testing and securing adequate funding are urgent priorities.

Thrombus aspiration in people living with HIV- a night mare for interventionist

Abstract Background Cardiovascular disease, particularly atherosclerosis, and its complications are a growing cause of morbidity and mortality among individuals living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the post-antiretroviral therapy era. The role of thrombus aspiration combined with primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) within this population remains contentious. While PCI is the preferred strategy for immediate revascularization in acute STEMI, challenges persist, with about 30% of patients experiencing persistent chest pain and ST-segment elevation despite achieving TIMI III flow in the culprit vessel. Methods We conducted a prospective observational study spanning from January 2015 to September 2023, involving ten consecutive HIV-infected patients presenting with STEMI to our acute coronary care unit. The study encompassed an analysis of baseline clinical characteristics, response to fibrinolytic therapy, angiographic findings, thrombus aspiration using the Export Aspiration Catheter, and the outcomes of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Patients were closely monitored for in-hospital outcomes and followed up for five years, during which they received adjuvant highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART). Results The mean age of the patients was 46 years, lower than their uninfected counterparts. Most patients presented with a lower Killip class, indicating favorable outcomes. CD4 count distribution showed variability, with ten patients undergoing rescue angioplasty with thrombus aspiration using the Export Catheter. The cohort was followed for five years, receiving consistent HAART therapy. Conclusion HIV-associated atherosclerosis presents a considerable health burden, characterized by distinctive non-calcified and inflammatory plaques vulnerable to rupture. Thrombus aspiration during PCI emerged as a valuable strategy, reducing thrombotic burden and contributing to improved clinical outcomes in people living with HIV.

Enhancing Laboratory Outcomes Through “Stacked” Professional Credentials: A Study of ASCP BOC Trends

Abstract Introduction/Objective Laboratory medicine and pathology are rapidly evolving, requiring laboratory professionals to continuously adapt and enhance their skills to ensure high standards of patient care. The American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP), Board of Certification (BOC) has observed a notable increase in the number of credential holders obtaining multiple, or stacked, BOC credentials. This phenomenon is not limited to the U.S. but is also evident in various countries globally. This study aims to explore the trends of stacking credentials among BOC credential holders, examining its implications for professional development, career progression, and the overall impact on laboratory outcomes. Methods/Case Report This study utilized a comprehensive analysis of ASCP BOC’s credentialing data, focusing on individuals with multiple credentials. Data were segmented by degree (Bachelor’s, MBA, PhD, etc.), credential count (ranging from 2 to 10), and geographical distribution across the U.S. and internationally. The analysis sought to identify patterns, growth trends, and the professional demographics most inclined towards obtaining stacked credentials. Results (if a Case Study enter NA) The study revealed that approximately 11% of BOC credential holders possess two or more credentials, indicating a significant trend towards continuous professional development and specialization. The breakdown of stacked credentials by degree shows a higher percentage propensity among individuals with MBAs (as one degree type). Geographical analyses highlighted hotspots for professionals seeking multiple credentials both at the domestic U.S. level and internationally. Conclusion This suggests the BOC, and by extension the laboratory medicine and pathology community, can greatly benefit from promoting and facilitating the acquisition of multiple credentials. By doing so, the field can ensure a workforce that is not only highly qualified but also adaptable to the changing dynamics of healthcare, thereby reinforcing the indispensable role of laboratory professionals in the broader healthcare ecosystem.

On the Conflation of Negative Binomial and Logarithmic Distributions

In recent decades, the study of discrete distributions has received increasing attention in the field of statistics, mainly because discrete distributions can model a wide range of count data. One common distribution used for modeling count data, for instance, is the negative binomial distribution (NBD), which performs well with over-dispersed data. In this paper, a new count distribution is introduced, called the conflation of negative binomial and logarithmic distributions, which is formed by conflating the negative binomial and logarithmic distributions, resulting in a distribution that possesses some of the properties of negative binomial and logarithmic distributions. The distribution has two parameters and is verified by a positive integer. Two modifications are proposed to the distribution, which includes zero as a support point. The new distribution is valuable from a theoretical perspective since it is a member of the weighted negative binomial distribution family. In addition, the distribution differs from the NBD in the sense that the probability of lower counts is inflated. This study discusses the characteristics of the proposed distribution and its modified versions, such as moments, probability generating functions, likelihood stochastic ordering, log-concavity, and unimodality properties. Real-world data are used to evaluate the performance of the proposed models against other models. All computations shown in this paper were produced using the R programming language.

Platelet Indices – Are They Really Biomarkers in Psoriasis? A Cross-sectional Study

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory disorder with multiple systemic manifestations in common with other inflammatory disorders. Platelet activation has recently been proposed a major pathogenic factor in psoriasis. Mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) are considered platelet activation markers. Although there are various inflammatory markers reported to be abnormal in psoriasis, a simple cost-effective and clinically useful marker that could predict the severity of the disease and be used to know about its association with systemic abnormalities and response to treatment is still under study. Aim: The aim of our study was to look at the association of platelet indices with psoriasis and its severity. Methods: This was a single-center cross-sectional study in which 50 patients with psoriasis and 50 apparently healthy age and sex-matched controls who fulfilled the inclusion and exclusion criteria were enrolled after obtaining informed consent. A detailed history was elicited, and a clinical examination was done including anthropometric measurements and calculation of psoriasis area and severity index (PASI). Investigations including hemoglobin, red blood cell (RBC) count, packed cell volume (PCV), mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin (MCH), MCH concentration, white blood cell (WBC) and platelet count, plateletcrit, MPV, PDW, and red cell distribution width (RDW) were done. Results: Out of 50 psoriasis patients recruited, 40 (80%) had moderate-to-severe psoriasis, whereas 10 had mild psoriasis (10%) based on PASI scores. In majority of cases, the hemoglobin, PCV, RBC, and WBC counts were within the normal range and were comparable with that of controls. There was no statistically significant difference in the mean values of platelet count, MPV, PDW, plateletcrit, and RDW between cases and controls. There was no significant association between platelet indices and severity of psoriasis. Conclusion: There was no significant association between platelet indices including RDW and the presence or absence of psoriasis in our study. Furthermore, among patients with psoriasis, there was no significant association between platelet indices and severity of the disease.

Patterns of soil-transmitted helminth aggregation in the human host population after several years of intensive mass drug administration.

Community-wide mass drug administration (cMDA) is known as an effective, albeit costly, control strategy for soil-transmitted helminth (STH) parasites. A better understanding of STH aggregation after many rounds of cMDA could help shape more cost-effective policies. This analysis uses data from the Geshiyaro project, aiming to break STH transmission by cMDA and water, sanitation and hygiene interventions. Ascaris lumbricoides infection prevalence is derived from egg count data and parasite aggregation is obtained by fitting a negative binomial distribution to the frequency distribution of faecal egg counts. The relationship between parasite dispersion and infection prevalence is approximately linear. Parasite aggregation increases as infection prevalence decreases. A minority of individuals carry most parasites as prevalence decreases in the community. These individuals could be selectively targeted for repeated treatment.

Quantum jump photodetector for narrowband photon counting with a single atom

Using a single neutral Rb87 atom held in an optical trap, and “quantum jump” detection of single-photon-initiated state changes, we demonstrate a single-photon quantum jump photodetector (QJPD) with intrinsically narrow bandwidth and strong rejection of out-of-band photons, of interest for detecting weak optical signals in the presence of a strong broadband background. By analyzing fluorescence photon count distributions for the bright and dark states with and without excitation, we measure quantum efficiency of 2.9(2)×10−3, a record for single-pass quantum jump production, and signal-photon-unprovoked “dark jump” rate—analogous to the dark count rate of other detectors —of 3(10)×10−3jumps/s during passive accumulation plus 4.0(4)×10−3 jumps per readout, orders of magnitude below those of traditional single-photon detectors. Available methods can substantially improve QJPD quantum efficiency, dark jump rate, bandwidth, and tunability. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Robust safety monitoring and signal detection using alternatives to the standard poisson distribution

ABSTRACT Proper and timely characterization of the safety profile of a pharmaceutical product under development is imperative for assessing the overall benefit-risk relationship of the product and for making key development decisions. For ongoing clinical development, a comprehensive and robust safety monitoring and safety signal detection program which is based upon quantitative statistical reasoning is critical. Methods presented here can be applied to safety signal detection and periodic safety monitoring. Various statistical properties, distributions, and models, all utilizing a Bayesian framework are considered and further examined in order to identify robust methods applicable to a broad set of scenarios and situations. Methods developed for incidence counts (including those with under-dispersed distributions) with variable time-at-risk and with underlying constant or non-constant hazard rates, are proposed and compared to traditional methods designed to assess adverse event incidence rates or binomial incidence proportions (which assume an underlying constant hazard rate and subsequent Poisson distribution for modeling event counts).

A Localization Method of High Energy Transients for All-sky Gamma-ray Monitor

Fast and reliable localization of high-energy transients is crucial for characterizing the burst properties and guiding the follow-up observations. Localization based on the relative counts of different detectors has been widely used for all-sky gamma-ray monitors. There are two major methods for this count distribution localization: χ 2 minimization method and the Bayesian method. Here we propose a modified Bayesian method that could take advantage of both the accuracy of the Bayesian method and the simplicity of the χ 2 method. With comprehensive simulations, we find that our Bayesian method with Poisson likelihood is generally more applicable for various bursts than the χ 2 method, especially for weak bursts. We further proposed a location-spectrum iteration approach based on the Bayesian inference, which could alleviate the problems caused by the spectral difference between the burst and location templates. Our method is very suitable for scenarios with limited computation resources or time-sensitive applications, such as in-flight localization software, and low-latency localization for rapidly follow-up observations.

Bounds on galaxy stochasticity from halo occupation distribution modeling

The joint probability distribution of matter overdensity and galaxy counts in cells is a powerful probe of cosmology, and the extent to which variance in galaxy counts at fixed matter density deviates from Poisson shot noise is not fully understood. The lack of informed bounds on this stochasticity is currently the limiting factor in constraining cosmology with the galaxy–matter probability distribution function (PDF). We investigate stochasticity in the conditional distribution of galaxy counts along lines of sight with fixed matter density, and we present a halo occupation distribution (HOD)-based approach for obtaining plausible ranges for stochasticity parameters. To probe the high-dimensional space of possible galaxy–matter connections, we derive a set of HODs that conserve the galaxies’ linear bias and number density to produce REDMAGIC-like galaxy catalogs within the ABACUSSUMMIT suite of N-body simulations. We study the impact of individual HOD parameters and cosmology on stochasticity and perform a Monte Carlo search in HOD parameter space subject to the constraints on bias and density. In mock catalogs generated by the selected HODs, shot noise in galaxy counts spans both sub-Poisson and super-Poisson values, ranging from 80% to 133% of Poisson variance for cells with mean matter density. Nearly all of the derived HODs show a positive relationship between local matter density and stochasticity. For galaxy catalogs with higher stochasticity, modeling galaxy bias to second order is required for an accurate description of the conditional PDF of galaxy counts at fixed matter density. The presence of galaxy assembly bias also substantially extends the range of stochasticity in the super-Poisson direction. This HOD-based approach leverages degrees of freedom in the galaxy–halo connection to obtain informed bounds on nuisance model parameters and can be adapted to study other parametrizations of shot noise in galaxy counts, in particular to motivate prior ranges on stochasticity for cosmological analyses.

Source Count Distribution of Fermi LAT Gamma-Ray Blazars Using Novel Nonparametric Methods

We utilized a sample from the Fermi-LAT 14-year Source Catalog by adjusting the flux detection threshold, enabling us to derive the intrinsic source count distribution dN/dF25 of extragalactic blazars using nonparametric, unbinned methods developed by Efron and Petrosian and Lynden-Bell. Subsequently, we evaluated the contribution of blazars to the extragalactic gamma-ray background. Our findings are summarized as follows: (1) There is no significant correlation between flux and spectral index values among blazars and their subclasses FSRQs and BL Lacs. (2) The intrinsic differential distributions of flux values exhibit a broken-power-law form, with parameters that closely match previous findings. The intrinsic photon index distributions are well described by a Gaussian form for FSRQs and BL Lacs individually, while a dual-Gaussian model provides a more appropriate fit for blazars as a whole. (3) Blazars contribute 34.5% to the extragalactic gamma-ray background and 16.8% to the extragalactic diffuse gamma-ray background. When examined separately, FSRQs and BL Lacs contribute 19.6% and 13% to the extragalactic gamma-ray background, respectively.

Identifying unmeasured heterogeneity in microbiome data via quantile thresholding (QuanT).

Microbiome data exhibit technical and biomedical heterogeneity due to varied processing and experimental designs, which may lead to spurious results if uncorrected. Here, we introduce the Quantile Thresholding (QuanT) method, a comprehensive non-parametric hidden variable inference method that accommodates the complex distributions of microbial read counts and relative abundances. We apply QuanT to synthetic and real data sets and demonstrate its ability to identify unmeasured heterogeneity and improve downstream analysis.