41.   And because they see consolidation as critical to making the industry more efficient and competitive, they want assurances that any mergers will not run into antitrust problems.

42.   And counting them thoroughly is critical to their long-term well-being.

43.   And if there is one thing he has learned, it is that what students do at home is critical to maintaining their success in the classroom.

44.   And critical to that makeover was the transformation of Yzerman.

45.   And as odd as it sounds, the pain was critical to her new understanding of life.

46.   And critical to that endeavor is to educate people about the importance of clinical research for medical progress as well as to be brutally honest about the risks involved.

47.   And in a year rife with setbacks and failures, the decision is also critical to the biotech industry.

48.   And outside Israel, at least, the notion persists that his agreement is critical to any peace settlement.

49.   And Saudi cash was critical to the Afghan resistance to the Soviet Union.

50.   And the outcome, some experts say, could be critical to which party controls the House and state legislatures in the beginning of the next century.