Sometimes simpler is better: VLog, a general but easy-to-implement log-like transform for cytometry.

The fundamental purpose of log and log-like transforms for cytometry is to make measured population variabilities as uniform as possible. The long-standing success of the log transform was its ability to stabilize linearly increasing gain-dependent uncertainties and the success of the log-like transforms is that they extend this notion to include zero and negative measurement values. This study derives and examines a transform called VLog that stabilizes the three general sources of variability: (1) gain-dependent variability, (2) photo-electron counting error, and (3) signal-independent sources of error. Somewhat surprisingly, this transform has a closed-form solution and therefore is relatively simple to implement. By including some quantitation elements in its formulation, the shape-dependent arguments, α and β, usually do not require optimization for different datasets. The simplicity and generality of the transform may make it a useful tool for cytometry and possibly other technologies. © 2016 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry.