The improvements appear to be permanent, he added.

For now, the improvement in productivity, or output per hour, appears to be holding up, a development that should also help hold down inflation pressures.

The improvement appears to last for up to 24 weeks.

By most accounts, however, the improvement appears stronger and more durable this time, with a magnified impact on the industry's profits.

In the case of Los Angeles, the improvements and the marketing appear to have paid off.

The improvement in symptoms appears to be stable, with little deterioration after 2 years.

But over the longer term, significant improvement appears to be lagging.

Later that year, additional improvements appeared, including a four-spoke black steering wheel.

The improvement from last year's report, or the backslide, appears in parenthesis.

Street cars, water works, electric lights and other improvements appeared.