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The pyroligneous acids (PAs) of woody biomass produced by torrefaction have pesticidal properties. Thus, PAs are potential alternatives to synthetic plant protection chemicals. Although woody biomass is a renewable feedstock, its use must be efficient. The efficiency of biomass utilization can be improved by applying a cascading use principle. This study is novel because we evaluate for the first time the pesticidal potential of PAs derived from the bark of hybrid aspen ( Populus tremula L. × Populus tremuloides Michx.) and examine simultaneously how the production of the PAs can be interlinked with the cascade processing of hybrid aspen biomass. Hybrid aspen bark contains valuable extractives that can be separated before the hemicellulose is thermochemically converted into plant protection chemicals. We developed a cascade processing scheme, where these extractives were first extracted from the bark with hot water (HWE) or with hot water and alkaline alcohol (HWE+AAE) prior to their conversion into PAs by torrefaction. The herbicidal performance of PAs was tested using Brassica rapa as the test species, and the fungicidal performance was proven using Fusarium culmorum . The pesticidal activities were compared to those of the PAs of debarked wood and of commercial pesticides. According to the results, extractives can be separated from the bark without overtly diminishing the weed and fungal growth inhibitor performance of the produced PAs. The HWE of the bark before its conversion into PAs appeared to have an enhancing effect on the herbicidal activity. In contrast, HWE+AAE lowered the growth inhibition performance of PAs against both the weeds and fungi. This study shows that hybrid aspen is a viable feedstock for the production of herbicidal and fungicidal active chemicals, and it is possible to utilize biomass according to the cascading use principle., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Korkalo, Hagner, Jänis, Mäkinen, Kaseva, Lassi, Rasa and Jyske.)

A substantial percentage of manure nitrogen (N) can be lost as gaseous ammonia (NH 3 ) during storage and field spreading. Lowering slurry pH is a simple and accepted method for preserving its N. Efficiency of slow pyrolysis liquid (PL) produced from birch (Betula sp.) as an acidifying agent, and its ability to reduce NH 3 emissions following surface application of cattle slurry, was studied in a field experiment. Untreated slurry (US) and slurries acidified with PL and sulfuric acid (SA) were applied to the second harvest of a grass ley. Immediate NH 3 emissions, grass biomass, N-yield and possible toxic impacts on soil nematodes and enchytraeids were examined. Furthermore, the effects on soil respiration, nitrogen dynamics and seed germination were studied in subsequent laboratory experiments. In the field, over one third of the water-extractable ammonium-N (NH 4 -N) applied was lost through NH 3 volatilization from US. SA and PL acidified slurries reduced NH 3 -N emission rate equally from 3.4 to <0.04 kg ha -1 h -1 . Acidification with SA resulted in the highest and that with PL in the lowest grass dry matter (DM) and N yield. Neither SA nor PL acidification had negative effects on soil enchytraeids or nematodes. Reduced yield production, seed germination and delayed microbial activity after PL slurry application were most probably caused by the PL containing organic compounds. However, later increase in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) production and improved seed germination suggest that these compounds were rapidly volatilized and/or degraded by soil microbes. Though PL efficiently cut NH 3 emission from surface-spread slurry, further studies on appropriate application methods and possible phytotoxicity are needed., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2021 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Immunocompromised patients are a heterogeneous and diffuse category frequently presenting to the emergency department with acute surgical diseases. Diagnosis and treatment in immunocompromised patients are often complex and must be multidisciplinary. Misdiagnosis of an acute surgical disease may be followed by increased morbidity and mortality. Delayed diagnosis and treatment of surgical disease occur; these patients may seek medical assistance late because their symptoms are often ambiguous. Also, they develop unique surgical problems that do not affect the general population. Management of this population must be multidisciplinary.This paper presents the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES), Surgical Infection Society Europe (SIS-E), World Surgical Infection Society (WSIS), American Association for the Surgery of Trauma (AAST), and Global Alliance for Infection in Surgery (GAIS) joined guidelines about the management of acute abdomen in immunocompromised patients., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Declining carbon (C) content in agricultural soils threatens soil fertility and makes soil prone to erosion, which could be rectified with organic soil amendments. In a 4-yr field trial, we made a single application of three different organic sludges from the pulp and paper industry and studied their effects on cereal yield, soil C content, and fungal and bacterial composition. In laboratory rainfall simulations, we also studied the effects of the soil amendments on susceptibility to erosion and nutrient mobilization of a clay-textured soil by measuring the quality of percolation water passing through 40-cm intact soil monoliths during 2-d rainfall simulations over four consecutive years after application. A nutrient-poor fiber sludge reduced wheat yield in the first growing season, but there were no other significant effects on cereal yield or grain quality. An input of ∼8 Mg ha -1 C with the soil amendments had only minor effects on soil C content after 4 yr, likely because of fast microbe-mediated turnover. The amendments clearly changed the fungal and bacterial community composition. All amendments significantly reduced suspended solids (SS) and total phosphorus (TP) concentrations in percolation water. The effect declined with time, but the reduction in SS and TP was still >25% 4 yr after application. We attributed the lower tendency for particle detachment in rain simulations to direct interactions of soil minerals with the added particulate organic matter and microbe-derived compounds that stabilize soil aggregates. In soils with low organic matter content, pulp and paper industry by-products can be a viable measure for erosion mitigation., (© 2020 The Authors. Journal of Environmental Quality © 2020 American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America.)

Background: In low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), infection is the most frequent complication in surgical procedures, and surgical site infections (SSIs) globally are the most frequent health-care-associated infections (HAIs). Preventing SSI is an important target for overall quality improvement and patient safety as well as supporting the infection prevention and control (IPC) global agenda. Methods: In 2018, the World Heath Organization (WHO) presented the first Global Guidelines for the Prevention of Surgical Site Infections. The WHO also simplified SSI surveillance materials and included process measures, critical to addressing the barriers existing in LMICs. Because surveillance activities alone will not lead to improvements and implementation is more challenging than guideline development, the WHO then outlined a novel, step by step approach for implementation based on its tried and tested improvement approach for IPC measures. These documents have been reviewed and summarized to achieve wider reach in the surgical community. Results: The WHO implementation guidance notes examples of current practice against the WHO SSI prevention guideline recommendations and considers LMIC settings. It identifies the related problem that needs to be addressed if the recommendation is not being applied consistently and reliably. It breaks down the steps required to make an improvement applying key elements known as the multi-modal improvement strategy. Conclusions: Implementation of IPC guidance documents and tools published by global organizations and national governments continues to be a challenge, especially for LMICs. Successful approaches need to include a science-based approach to implementation and improvement, as well as joined up working and learning across IPC and surgical communities. Real improvements can be only achieved, based on WHO workforce recommendations, with IPC programs including the staff to execute these programs and using a proven approach.

Short-term agronomic and environmental benefits are fundamental factors in encouraging farmers to use biochar on a broad scale. The short-term impacts of forest residue biochar (BC) on the productivity and carbon (C) storage of arable boreal clay soil were studied in a field experiment. In addition, rain simulations and aggregate stability tests were carried out to investigate the potential of BC to reduce nutrient export to surface waters. A BC addition of 30 t ha -1 increased soil test phosphorus and decreased bulk density in the surface soil but did not significantly change pH or water retention properties, and most importantly, did not increase the yield. There were no changes in the bacterial or fungal communities, or biomasses. Soil basal respiration was higher in BC-amended plots in the spring, but no differences in respiration rates were detected in the fall two years after the application. Rain simulation experiments did not support the use of BC in reducing erosion or the export of nutrients from the field. Of the C added, on average 80% was discovered in the 0-45 cm soil layer one year after the application. Amendment of boreal clay soil with a high rate of BC characterized by a moderately alkaline pH, low surface functionalities, and a recalcitrant nature, did not induce such positive impacts that would unambiguously motivate farmers to invest in BC. BC use seems unviable from the farmer's perspective but could play a role in climate change mitigation, as it will likely serve as long-term C storage., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Acute colonic diverticulitis is one of the most common clinical conditions encountered by surgeons in the acute setting. An international multidisciplinary panel of experts from the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) updated its guidelines for management of acute left-sided colonic diverticulitis (ALCD) according to the most recent available literature. The update includes recent changes introduced in the management of ALCD. The new update has been further integrated with advances in acute right-sided colonic diverticulitis (ARCD) that is more common than ALCD in select regions of the world.

Objective: Intraoperative sentinel lymph node biopsy is a universally accepted technique to identify patients who are candidates for axillary lymph node dissection during breast cancer surgery. However, there is controversy over its use in patients who underwent preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. This study aimed to examine the diagnostic value of gamma probe-assisted intraoperative sentinel lymph node examination with frozen section in breast cancer patients who had undergone preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy., Methods: This retrospective study included 94 tumors diagnosed with stage IIA, IIB or IIIA invasive breast cancer with locoregional lymph node metastasis who underwent surgical treatment after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Intraoperatively, axillary sentinel lymph node sampling was done using radioactive colloid and gamma probe and materials were examined with frozen section method. Patients with positive sentinel nodes underwent axillary resection. Histopathological examination of all surgical samples was done postoperatively., Results: In 87 of 94 tumors (92.6%), a sentinel lymph node could be identified using the method. The sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of the method for predicting axillary macro metastasis were 85.7, 86.5 and 86.2%, respectively, with 5.7% false negative rate., Conclusions: Sentinel lymph node identification using preoperative scintigraphy and intraoperative use of gamma probe seems to be a feasible and efficient method in terms of differentiating patients that require axillary lymph node dissection during breast cancer surgery, even when they have received neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Further large prospective studies allowing subgroup analyses are warranted.

A process model based on hot water extraction (HWE), slow pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion (AD) were used for pine and spruce bark utilisation. First tannins (32 mg/g and 11.8 mg/g, respectively) and polyphenols were recovered via HWE. Then, the residue was pyrolysed to produce biochar (marketable quality), gas (energy source) and liquid fractions. The liquid fraction was further separated into aqueous acidic fraction and to tar fraction. Bark, extracted bark residue and acidic liquid fraction from pyrolysis were treated in AD to produce biomethane and digestate. The methane yields from pine and spruce bark and extracted bark residue were low (from 42 to 96 mLCH4/gVSadded) and showed only small differences. In conclusion, cascade processing can improve the performance of subsequent single processes and utilise biomass sources with higher efficiency. The best processing chain may vary in different cases and the overall energy balance of processing needs further research., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

In the last three decades, Clostridium difficile infection (CDI) has increased in incidence and severity in many countries worldwide. The increase in CDI incidence has been particularly apparent among surgical patients. Therefore, prevention of CDI and optimization of management in the surgical patient are paramount. An international multidisciplinary panel of experts from the World Society of Emergency Surgery (WSES) updated its guidelines for management of CDI in surgical patients according to the most recent available literature. The update includes recent changes introduced in the management of this infection., Competing Interests: Not applicable.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Pore space characteristics of biochars may vary depending on the used raw material and processing technology. Pore structure has significant effects on the water retention properties of biochar amended soils. In this work, several biochars were characterized with three-dimensional imaging and image analysis. X-ray computed microtomography was used to image biochars at resolution of 1.14 μm and the obtained images were analysed for porosity, pore size distribution, specific surface area and structural anisotropy. In addition, random walk simulations were used to relate structural anisotropy to diffusive transport. Image analysis showed that considerable part of the biochar volume consist of pores in size range relevant to hydrological processes and storage of plant available water. Porosity and pore size distribution were found to depend on the biochar type and the structural anisotopy analysis showed that used raw material considerably affects the pore characteristics at micrometre scale. Therefore, attention should be paid to raw material selection and quality in applications requiring optimized pore structure.

Despite evidence supporting the effectiveness of best practices of infection prevention and management, many surgeons worldwide fail to implement them. Evidence-based practices tend to be underused in routine practice. Surgeons with knowledge in surgical infections should provide feedback to prescribers and integrate best practices among surgeons and implement changes within their team. Identifying a local opinion leader to serve as a champion within the surgical department may be important. The "surgeon champion" can integrate best clinical practices of infection prevention and management, drive behavior change in their colleagues, and interact with both infection control teams in promoting antimicrobial stewardship., Competing Interests: Not applicable.Not applicable.The authors declare that they have no competing interests.Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Soil test P (STP) concentration indicates whether annual P applications can be expected to give yield increases and can also indicate an elevated risk of P mobilization and potential for P transfer to surface waters and groundwater from a particular field. Changes in STP with time thus project agronomic benefits and environmental risks of different P use strategies. To predict STP changes with time, we constructed a simple dynamic model for which the input variables are P balance and initial STP. The model parameters (soil type-specific constants) were fitted using data originating from 44 P fertilizer experiments with different P rates. Model performance was evaluated using independent data sets that either had reasonably accurate input values ( = 103) or were obtained from farmers through interviews ( = 638). The simulations were in agreement with measured STP changes for both evaluation data sets when fittings were performed separately for four main soil types (clays, silts, coarse mineral soils, and organic soils). Statistical analysis confirmed that the model captured the trends in STP (NHOAc test) with acceptable accuracy and precision, with of 0.83 and 0.66 for the data with more accurate input and for farmer interview data, respectively; the corresponding model efficiency statistics were 0.88 and 0.66. The model is not restricted to use with one soil test, as fittings for several different types of soil tests can be generated. In this study, we fitted the model for Olsen P data retrieved from the literature. Agronomic use of the model includes evaluation of P use strategies, e.g., when a certain STP level is targeted or when long-term economy of P use is calculated. In an environmental context, the model can be used to predict STP changes with time under variable P balance regimes, which is essential for realistic assessment of changes in the potential for dissolved P losses., (Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.)

Conversion of dissolved P by ferric sulfate into a particulate form sparingly available to algae was studied in 15 ditches in Finland using stand-alone dispensers for ferric sulfate administration. Ferric sulfate typically converted 60-70 % of dissolved P into iron-associated form, a process which required 250-650 kg per kg dissolved P. Mean cost was 160 EUR per kg P converted (range 20-400 EUR kg(-1)). The costs were lowest at sites characterized by high dissolved P concentrations and small catchment area. At best, the treatment was efficient and cost-effective, but to limit the costs and the risks, ferric sulfate dispensers should only be installed in small critical source areas.

Background/aims: The treatment of morbid obesity by intragastric balloon (BioEnterics) placement is a safe and effective procedure. Cultural, social and economical factors are known to have an impact on the outcome of therapeutic interventions. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of this method on weight loss and long-term outcome following balloon removal in a cohort of Turkish patients., Methods: Twenty-five patients (11 male, 14 female) who selected BioEnterics intragastric balloon method for weight loss over surgery were included in the study. Their mean age was 35.2±13.4 and mean body mass index was 43.5±8.7 kg/m2. Patients who had any contraindication for endoscopic BioEnterics intragastric balloon placement were excluded. BioEnterics intragastric balloon was performed under deep sedation with propofol, and all patients were placed on a 1000 kcal/day diet for six months. Patients were reevaluated six months following balloon removal. Excess weight loss of greater than 25% was considered as end of treatment success. Maintenance of excess weight loss greater than 25% at the end of a six-month follow-up period was considered as long-term success. Results were reported as mean body mass index and mean %excess weight loss±SD. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS computer program., Results: One patient was excluded from the study because of psychological intolerance (1/25) prompting early balloon removal. Twenty-four patients completed both the initial phase and the follow-up period. At the end of the initial six months, the mean body mass index was 35.7±4.6 kg/m2 and mean excess weight loss was 46.9±11.3%. Although 22 out of 24 patients (91.6%) had achieved end of treatment success, the mean body mass index was back to 41.9±7.7 kg/m2 at the end of the follow-up period. Only two patients were able to maintain excess weight loss of 25% at the completion of the study, resulting in a long-term success rate of 8.3%., Conclusions: BioEnterics intragastric balloon is a safe and effective but temporary therapeutic modality for obesity treatment. After BioEnterics intragastric balloon removal, almost all patients had returned to their initial weights. Therefore, BioEnterics intragastric balloon must only be offered for patients who accept to undergo bariatric surgery after BioEnterics intragastric balloon removal. Losing weight by BioEnterics intragastric balloon before bariatric surgery will improve the morbidity and mortality rates of this modality.

Background/aims: The mechanism of impaired glucose metabolism that develops in most patients with pancreatic cancer is obscure. The association between pancreatic cancer and diabetes is controversial. Impaired glucose tolerance or diabetes mellitus may develop as a clinical manifestation of pancreatic cancer; however, diabetes may be a predisposing risk factor for pancreatic cancer. We aimed to investigate the relationship between diabetes and pancreatic cancer, and also the impact of tumor removal on glucose metabolism., Methods: Eighteen pancreatic cancer patients with resectable tumors and without previous diabetes history were enrolled. All patients underwent oral glucose tolerance test and measurement of insulin levels before and after Whipple procedure., Results: Eight of 18 (44.4%) patients were diabetic before surgery whereas 4 (22.2%) had impaired glucose tolerance. Only 6 (33.3%) patients had normal glucose metabolism at the first clinical admission. After pancreatectomy, only 4 (22.2%) patients were diabetic and 1 (5%) had impaired glucose tolerance. Thirteen patients (72%) had normal glucose metabolism after tumor removal. In 8 patients, impaired glucose metabolism improved after surgery. Only 1 patient out of 6 (16%) with normal glucose metabolism initially developed impaired glucose tolerance after surgery. All patients with diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance had hyperinsulinemia before and after surgery. Insulin levels were lower after surgery than before surgery, and glucose metabolism was improved postoperatively., Conclusions: Our results showed that tumor removal in pancreatic cancer patients improved glucose metabolism. This occurred despite a postoperative reduction in endocrine pancreas mass, which may suggest the presence of insulin resistance and diabetogenic effect of pancreatic cancer. The elucidation of the mechanism is of immense importance for providing an early tumor marker and preventative and therapeutic modalities.

The purpose of our study was to describe the efficacy of ultrasound (US)-guided aspiration and intracavitary irrigation of breast abscesses in the emergency setting. Ten cases of mastitis clinically suspected of having a breast abscess were referred from the emergency department for breast ultrasound. Eleven abscesses depicted at US were treated with US-guided aspiration and intracavitary irrigation. All patients were given antibiotics, and the success of US-guided treatment was determined. Three abscesses that were smaller than 3 cm were treated with single aspiration and irrigation. Ninety-one percent of patients were cured with US-guided aspiration and irrigation requiring no further surgical intervention. One case of chronic mastitis fistulized to the skin and was drained surgically. No recurrences were observed in the follow-up period. US-guided percutaneous aspiration and irrigation is a successful method for treatment of breast abscesses in the emergency setting. This method is more successful in abscesses with a maximum dimension smaller than 3 cm and should be preferred to the surgical drainage.

Excessive use of sodium chloride (NaCl) as de-icing chemical causes environmental problems, such as elevated chloride concentrations in groundwater. On vulnerable sites, this can be avoided by using alternative organic de-icing chemicals, such as potassium formate (KHCOO). The environmental impacts of KCHOO are, however, not well known. This study reports the potential effects of NaCl and KCHOO on mechanisms controlling the mobility of cadmium (Cd) in roadside soils as a result of vehicular traffic. Changes in the solubility of Cd in a coarse mineral soil treated with these two de-icing chemicals were studied in a 50-day incubation experiment under four different moisture and temperature combinations and an initial soil Cd concentration of 3 mg kg(-1). After incubation, the distribution of soil Cd into different fractions was analyzed using a sequential extraction method. Soil pH and soil redox potential were recorded and the occurrence of Cd-Cl complexes in the soil was estimated using published stability constants. During incubation, KCHOO lowered the soil redox potential, but this was not accompanied by a decrease in the sorption capacity of oxides and the release of oxide-bound Cd into soil solution. On the other hand, elevated pH (from 4.3 to 6.7-8.5) in the formate treatments increased the sorption of Cd onto the oxide surfaces (up to 80% of total sorbed Cd). In the NaCl treatments, cation competition and formation of Cd-Cl complexes increased the water-soluble Cd fraction. Consequently, the amount of bioavailable Cd was 3.5 times smaller in the KCHOO than in the NaCl treatments.

Background: Circulatory failure in multiple organ dysfunction syndromes (MODS) is characterized with systemic vasodilation, diminished blood flow to various vascular beds. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of selective inhibition of nitric oxide on the mesenteric arterial blood flow (MABF), survival and organ injury of the liver, kidney, lung and spleen in zymosan-induced MODS., Materials and Methods: Forty Swiss albino mice (20-40 g), 7 to 9 weeks old, were obtained. Animals were randomly divided into four groups. The first group were treated intraperitoneally (i.p) with vehicle (saline) and served as a sham group for aminoguanidine (AG) (n=10). The second group was treated with zymosan (500 mg/kg, suspended in saline solution, i.p). The mice in the third and fourth group received AG (15 mg/kg) 1 h and 6 h after zymosan or saline administration, respectively. Eighteen hours after the administration of zymosan, animals were assessed for MODS described subsequently. The signals from the flowmeter were also recorded on mesenteric arterial blood flow values., Results: In zymosan-treated animals, the MABF was significantly lower than that of solvent (saline)-treated controls (ml min(-1), controls: 4.6 +/- 0.6; zymosan: 1.6 +/- 0.9, P <0.05). When animals were treated with AG, there were no significant differences in MABF values between AG group and solvent (saline)-treated control group. However AG prevented zymosan-induced mesenteric MABF decrease. Treatment with aminoguanidine also decreased mortality., Conclusion: AG is capable of inhibiting both the induction and the activity of the already iNOS; it remains a potential therapeutic agent in patients with MODS.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of polyglycolic acid (PGA), an absorbable (ABS) mesh, and polypropylene (PP), a nonabsorbable (NA) mesh, on intestinal adhesion formation. Altogether 72 mice were divided into a control group of 24, an ABS mesh group of 23, and an NA mesh group of 25. All three groups were divided into two subgroups for evaluation of adhesion severity at postoperative (po) days 5 and 90. Adhesion severity was measured with adhesion grading and tissue hydroxyproline (OHP) levels. Adhesion degree was minimal (1) in all subjects on day 5. Also there was no difference in tissue OHP levels between three groups on day 5 (p > 0.05). Adhesion degree and tissue OHP levels as determinants of adhesion severity were higher in the PGA mesh group than the control group and the PP mesh group on day 90 (p < 0.001). There was no difference between the control group and the PP mesh groups (p > 0.05). Adhesion degree was higher on day 90 than on day 5 in the control group and the PGA mesh group (p < 0.05), whereas tissue OHP level was higher on day 90 than on day 5 in all three groups (p < 0.001). Also there was linear correlation between adhesion degree and tissue OHP levels (r = 0.86, p < 0.001). The study demonstrates that ABS PGA mesh has higher potential for adhesion formation than the NA PP mesh, probably related to the increased foreign body and inflammatory reactions during the absorption process of the mesh.

"The essay examines historic and current ethnodemographic trends in spatial and cultural contexts in the Baltic States. Fifty years of Soviet rule, with deliberate policies to dilute the relative homogeneity of the Balts through ethnocide, in-migration, and political dominance by Moscow, has left tensions between citizens of the Baltic States and illegal immigrants, mostly Russians. Estonians, and Latvians, in particular, fear ethnic and cultural extinction. The process of ethnic dilution and mixing under the Soviets is examined in terms of rural-urban contexts, the workplace, employment, housing, and education. Europe's smallest ethnic group, the Livs of Latvia, is also examined. Current demographic trends are analysed and prospects for ethnic harmony in these multi-ethnic societies are interpreted. A recurrent theme is that Latvia, with 52% of the population Latvian, is facing the most difficulties; Lithuania, with 80% Lithuanians, the least.", (excerpt)