Augmented laminography, a correlative 3D imaging method for revealing the inner structure of compressed fossils

Non-destructive imaging techniques can be extremely useful tools for the investigation and the assessment of palaeontological objects, as mechanical preparation of rare and valuable fossils is precluded in most cases. However, palaeontologists are often faced with the problem of choosing a method among a wide range of available techniques. In this case study, we employ x-ray computed tomography (CT) and computed laminography (CL) to study the first fossil xiphosuran from the Muschelkalk (Middle Triassic) of the Netherlands. The fossil is embedded in micritic limestone, with the taxonomically important dorsal shield invisible, and only the outline of its ventral part traceable. We demonstrate the complementarity of CT and CL which offers an excellent option to visualize characteristic diagnostic features. We introduce augmented laminography to correlate complementary information of the two methods in Fourier space, allowing to combine their advantages and finally providing increased anatomical information about the fossil. This method of augmented laminography enabled us to identify the xiphosuran as a representative of the genus Limulitella

Nonparametric relevance-shifted multiple testing procedures for the analysis of high-dimensional multivariate data with small sample sizes

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>In many research areas it is necessary to find differences between treatment groups with several variables. For example, studies of microarray data seek to find a significant difference in location parameters from zero or one for ratios thereof for each variable. However, in some studies a significant deviation of the difference in locations from zero (or 1 in terms of the ratio) is biologically meaningless. A relevant difference or ratio is sought in such cases.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>This article addresses the use of relevance-shifted tests on ratios for a multivariate parallel two-sample group design. Two empirical procedures are proposed which embed the relevance-shifted test on ratios. As both procedures test a hypothesis for each variable, the resulting multiple testing problem has to be considered. Hence, the procedures include a multiplicity correction. Both procedures are extensions of available procedures for point null hypotheses achieving exact control of the familywise error rate. Whereas the shift of the null hypothesis alone would give straight-forward solutions, the problems that are the reason for the empirical considerations discussed here arise by the fact that the shift is considered in both directions and the whole parameter space in between these two limits has to be accepted as null hypothesis.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>The first algorithm to be discussed uses a permutation algorithm, and is appropriate for designs with a moderately large number of observations. However, many experiments have limited sample sizes. Then the second procedure might be more appropriate, where multiplicity is corrected according to a concept of data-driven order of hypotheses.</p