1.   A mild winter would mute such concern.

2.   But such concerns have been muted so far, and her appointment drew wide praise in the United States.

3.   But she seemed determined to mute her concerns and demonstrate her enthusiasm for other aspects of American policy, particularly efforts to help open foreign markets to American business.

4.   Concern was muted by the perception that Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin would take over as head of state if Yeltsin was incapacitated.

5.   That side deal is designed to help mute any concerns about the United-US Airways merger with the US Department of Justice.

6.   The jobs data will mute concerns that interest rates may have to be raised to contain inflation, which in turn erodes the value of fixed-income securities.

7.   Nevertheless, concerns are muted by strong performance elsewhere.