1.   A falling mark would help Germany meet the ratio by boosting exports, thereby increasing economic growth.

2.   If the hospitals cannot hire enough nurses to meet the ratios, the association has warned, some hospitals may be forced to close units or cut services.

3.   Instead, it asked the state to meet certain ratios of staff to residents, improve training, add services and make a host of repairs.

4.   State law requires insurers to offer a plan only if the number of physicians who accept it meets a specific doctor-patient ratio.

5.   Yet recently the government said banks with only domestic operations have an extra year to meet the ratio.