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The article presents examination on the effects of government policy variables on bank risk behavior in the United States. Deposit interest rate ceilings, bank reserve ratio requirements, and the Federal Reserve interest rate paid on reserves are each outlined and analyzed concerning their influence over the market conditions of commercial banks. Conclusions are offered suggesting the effects relate to the measurement of bank risk. Accordingly, an alternative utility function is then derived with absolute risk aversion properties and generates explicit comparative statics.

The article looks at the effects of interest bearing required reserves on the riskiness of bank portfolios. The U.S. Federal Reserve Board instituted 2 policies relating to bank portfolio riskiness with variables including the level of the reserve requirement against negotiable order of withdrawal accounts and the rate of interest paid on bank reserves by the U.S. Federal Reserve Board. Banks are considered price-takers as well as quantity-setters in all economic markets on both the asset and liability sides.

The article focuses on the role of educator William Lowe Boyd in the formation of education policy dialogue in the U.S. In Boyd's notes, he believes that the concepts used to depict and debate American education policy had sharply changed since 1950 such as from the control of educator professionals to civic political domination of school governance. The book "Shaping Education Policy: Power and Process" has been written to analyze and interpret Boyd's notes in shaping public education policy.

Abstract: Intramembrane proteases are responsible for a number of regulated proteolysis events occurring within or near the plasma and intracellular membranes. Members of one large and diverse family of putative intramembrane metalloproteases are widely distributed in all domains of life, including the type II CAAX prenyl proteases and their prokaryotic homologs with putative bacteriocin-related functions. We used sensitive sequence similarity searches to expand this large CPBP (CAAX proteases and bacteriocin-processing enzymes) family to include more than 5800 members and infer its homologous relationships to several other protein families, including the PrsW proteases, the DUF2324 (DUF, domain of unknown function) family and the γ-secretase subunit APH-1 proteins. They share four predicted core transmembrane segments and possess similar yet distinct sets of sequence motifs. Remote similarity between APH-1 and membrane proteases sheds light on APH-1''s evolutionary origin and raises the possibility that APH-1 may possess proteolytic activity in the current or ancestral form of γ-secretase. Research Highlights: ► The CPBP intramembrane proteases are widely distributed in all domains of life. ► CPBP, PrsW, DUF2324 and γ-secretase subunit APH-1 are distantly related. ► APH-1 may possess proteolytic activity in the extant or ancestral form of γ-secretase. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Grid point pooling is a commonly used method to account for hurricane track variability in extreme value analysis. This paper presents a simplified mathematical interpretation of grid point pooling. Through logical arguments and numerical experiments, some general guidelines are then developed for a selection of grid points to include in the statistical pool. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the ongoing curriculum wars in reading and mathematics education. It presents an overview of an edited book that emanated from a conference hem at Harvard University titled Curriculum Wars: Alternative Approaches to Reading and Mathematics. With the historical view in mind, the article summarizes key points of agreement and conflict in an effort to say clearly why the conflict is so difficult to resolve. In addition, these curriculum conflicts are reexamined from the perspective of the globalization of contemporary social and economic processes. The article concludes with an acknowledgment that it is unlikely that curriculum conflicts will end any time soon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proposes a framework for analyzing the politics of language development research and school program implementation and its application to Proposition 227, an amendment which outlawed bilingual education in California. Basic models of language development; Language development models that emerge when the elements of linguistic theory, political commitment, and educational focus are combined; Testing of the model.

Determines the relationship between academic achievement and class size. Analysis of the report of Project STAR in Tennessee; Interpretation of the performance of the students; Impact of class size on students' achievement.

Discusses California education policy makers' control over most aspects of the state educational policy. Changes in California school finance; Factors affecting teacher work role definition; Developments in state student assessment policy; Development of curriculum materials; Funding for school construction and maintenance; School organization and governance; Political dynamics responsible for the formation and adoption of state educational policies.

Identifies the utility of the concept, assumptive worlds of education policy makers for explaining how values are translated through policy making in the United States. Definition of assumptive worlds of policy makers; Need for the identification of assumptive worlds; Analysis of a theory on the existence of assumptive worlds in all states; Findings on assumptive worlds; Effect of assumptive worlds on policy making; Implications of assumptive worlds.

Assesses the influence and power of policy actors on education policy making in the six states by the respondents in the United States. Variations in influence and power seen among states; Generation of a list of policy groups termed as policy actors; Most influential group in education policy making; Ranking of different policy groups; Distinctive features of policy making processes in each state.

Reconceptualizes the attributes of state political culture by education policy elites in the United States. Definition of political culture (PC); Distinctive types of PC according to Daniel Elazar; Origin of PC; Facts that are explained by Elazar's classification of PC; Measurement of PC; Use of multiple discriminant analysis.

This article reviews teacher labor relations in terms of four alternative approaches linking teacher unions and school policy in the U.S. Each of the four has advantages and disadvantages. The first option is to make no explicit changes in the statutes concerning labor relations. The second option is to review and alter the dispute-resolution practices. The third option is to repeal the collective-bargaining act altogether. The last option is to make deliberate changes in the focus and purpose of teacher unionism.

Discusses the health problem posed by lead absorption in children in the U.S. Sources of lead; Role of low level sources in lead poisoning; Presence of lead in canned fruit juices and beverages.