1.   And as their ranks grow, nannies have begun asserting themselves, demanding to be treated as, well, employees.

2.   And the ranks are growing as personal bankruptcy filings surge to near records and continuing corporate layoffs turn more people with previously pristine credit records into unwilling deadbeats.

3.   And their ranks are growing, though by how much is hard to say.

4.   And their ranks are growing worldwide.

5.   And, euthanasia activists say their ranks are growing.

6.   As more people seek professional help, the ranks of psychotherapists grow, and the technical terminology proliferates.

7.   Even with the challenging requirements, program directors say their ranks are growing.

8.   Experts say their ranks are growing, with baby boomers taking early retirement and an older generation holding higher expectations and an energy level to match.

9.   In the once-enviable public systems of California and New York City, full-time faculty have dwindled as the adjunct ranks have grown.

10.   In the years before World War II, they prospered and their ranks grew.