1.  Academic departments shrivel by attrition and sometimes by more drastic means.

2.  With any luck, though, Gray will soon be able to track the progression of arthritis through less drastic means.

3.  He also said less drastic means of crowd control, such as tear gas, were not provided.

4.  But as the struggle becomes grittier by the week, militants are turning to more drastic means, according to security officials.