Some procedures for discriminating between earthquakes (Q) and explosions (X) set aside a region of the discrimination parameter space (x) in which no decision is made; this may be called the "unidentified" or "undecided" region, (U). Tile existing statistical literature seems not to explicitly provide any such option, although an undecided region may be rigorously supported by the decision theory literature on "action spaces." In this report we show how the concept of U arises naturally from the concept of the costs of classification: positive costs from misclassifications and "no decisions", and negative costs (benefits) from correct classifications. The resulting approach is a generalization of the "Expected Cost of Misclassification" (ECM) approach; we call the generalization the "Expected Cost of Classification" (ECC) approach. We also show how thresholds for detecting X as outliers of a Q population may be derived from cost considerations together with uniform distributions for X, and, together with plausible prior probabilities for Q and X, lead to reasonable thresholds in realistic scenarios.

Among the major challenges facing society today, seeking renewable alternatives to petroleum-based fuels and manufactured goods is critically important to reducing society’s dependency on petroleum and tackling environmental issues associated with petroleum use. In recent years there has been considerable research targeted toward the development of plant-derived bioproducts to replace petrochemical feedstocks for both fuel and manufacturing. Plants not only provide a large amount of renewable biomass, but their biochemical diversity also offers many chemical and molecular tools for the production of new products through biotechnology. Plant Bioproducts is an introduction to the production and application of plant bioproducts, including biofuels, bioplastics, and biochemicals for the manufacturing sector. Contributing authors examine various bioproducts with respect to their basic chemistry, relationship to current petrochemical-based products, and strategies for their production in plants. Chapters cover the integrated roles of agronomy, plant breeding, biotechnology, and biorefining in the context of bioproduct development. Environmental, economic, ethical, and social issues surrounding bioproducts, including the use of genetically modified crops, challenges to food security, and consumer acceptance, are also covered.

Investment in Latin America is continuously developing in complex patterns due to the region’s increasing role in the global economy. The Handbook of Research on Economic Growth and Technological Change in Latin America helps readers to better understand the importance of Latin America in today’s global economy. The book discusses the developments of investments involving Latin American Multinational Corporations (“Multilatinas”) within the region. This investment is having profound influences on the state of business, government, and technological development in Latin America, which are all explored in this reference publication for use by researchers, scholar-practitioners, business executives, students, and academicians.

A twelfth-century poem by the creator of the Arthurian romance describes the courageous exploits and triumphs of a brave lord who tries to win back his deserted wife's love

We’ve all taken a dislike to someone for no real reason. But few of us nurture this hatred like the narrator of "Moon-Face". The target of his irrational malice is a man named John Claverhouse. With cold precision, the narrator sets to planning the man’s downfall. Why he has this urge, he can’t explain. But he knows he’ll feel immense satisfaction when John Claverhouse is made to suffer. In this macabre little tale, Jack London pinpoints a very common but unpleasant human trait. And then takes it to a horrifying extreme. This short story collection also includes "All Gold Canyon", which was adapted as part of the Netflix anthology movie "The Ballad of Buster Scruggs". Jack London (1876–1916) was one of the first American writers to achieve worldwide celebrity. He did so with rugged adventure stories set in forbidding landscapes. And heroes who survive by embracing their most primal instincts. His breakthrough best seller was "The Call of the Wild". Inspired by his time in the Klondike Gold Rush, this hard-hitting novel is told from the perspective of a sled dog named Buck. It’s inspired many adaptations, including a big-budget movie starring Harrison Ford. Among London’s other notable works are "White Fang", also featuring a canine protagonist, as well as "The Sea-Wolf", "Martin Eden" and "The Iron Heel".

"Fletcherism: what it is: or, How I became young at sixty" by Horace fletcher is a fascinating book on nutrition and diet. The author here relates briefly the story of his regeneration, of how he rescued himself from the prospect of an early grave, and brought himself to his present splendid physical and mental condition. He tells of the discovery of his principles, which have helped millions of people to live better, happier, and healthier lives. The book is a good fit if you are concerned about health and diet.