31.   The increased buyback is designed to lessen the impact on profits of shares that will have to be issued for employee stock plans.

32.   The flare that burns unused natural gas was laid horizontally to lessen impact on the surrounding forest.

33.   The study also looked at base-isolated buildings, shorter structures built on rubber shock absorbers designed to lessen earthquake impacts, and came up with disappointing results.

34.   There are simpler measures that can be taken in the house to lessen the impact of fleas.

35.   Two small biotechnology companies are developing drugs they say have shown promise in clinical trials in lessening the impact of sickle crises.

36.   Webster will account for the transaction as a pooling of interests rather than a takeover to lessen the impact on earnings.

37.   While a slowdown in flights would make some layoffs inevitable, she said, some steps could be taken to lessen the impact.

38.   Whitman blames the increase on inherited debt-service and education costs, but that does not lessen its impact.

39.   Yes, this was steamy stuff, all right, but no punches could be pulled, no euphemisms allowed to lessen the impact of the facts.

40.   And some of the cast replacements are not as effective as the originals, lessening the impact of several musical numbers.