Background: Otitis media is an inflammatory disease involving the mucous membrane of the middle ear, including the auditory tube, tympanic cavity, mastoid antrum, and air cells¹. Multiple factors contribute to the development of OM, one of which is adenoid hypertrophy5. However, to date, no study has been conducted in Mongolia to assess the relationship between the degree of adenoid hypertrophy and OM. Aim: To analyze cases of children who underwent adenotonsillectomy. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted using a cross-sectional observational research design. Clinical data from a total of n=215 cases of children who were diagnosed with adenoid and palatine tonsil hypertrophy and underwent surgical treatment at Gurvan Gal Hospital between October 2023 and October 2024 were analyzed. Statistical processing was performed using STATA 14.2, with statistical significance considered at p < 0.05. Results: Clinical data from 215 children were analyzed to evaluate the relationship between the degree of adenoid hypertrophy (AH) and otitis media. The children ranged in age from 2 to 17 years, with a mean age of 7.23 ± 3.4 years. Among them, 128 (59.53%) were male (7.09 ± 3.29 years) and 87 (40.46%) were female (7.45 ± 3.58 years). A statistically significant moderate negative correlation was found between age group and the degree of adenoid hypertrophy (rho = -0.3485, p < 0.001). A significant seasonal variation in otitis media was observed (p = 0.0001). A statistically significant correlation was found between the degree of adenoid hypertrophy and otitis media (p < 0.001). However, no significant correlation was observed between the degree of palatine tonsil hypertrophy and otitis media (p = 0.8762). Conclusion The incidence of adenoid hypertrophy is highest among children aged 6 to 9 years, and there is a moderate negative correlation between age and the degree of adenoid hypertrophy. The occurrence of otitis media varies by season, with the highest number of cases reported during the winter months. As the grade of adenoid hypertrophy increases, the number of otitis media cases also rises.

Background: Pneumonia caused by COVID-19 tends to be more severe in middle-aged and elderly individuals, often leading to decreased pulmonary ventilation function and negatively impacting quality of life post-recovery. However, studies on this topic are limited in Mongolia. Aim: To evaluate pulmonary ventilation function and exercise tolerance in middle-aged and elderly individuals after COVID-19 pneumonia. Materials and Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted from June 2022 to December 2023 at Gurvan Gal United Hospital and the First Central Hospital of Mongolia. The study group included 65 individuals aged 50- 69 who had recovered from COVID-19 pneumonia, while the control group consisted of 65 age-matched individuals who had not contracted the infection. Participants underwent a questionnaire, spirometry, and a 6-minute walk test (6MWT) to assess lung function and exercise tolerance. Results: A total of 123 participants were included in the study. The study group showed a significant reduction in FEV1 (P=0.015). compared to the control group. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in FVC or the 6MWT results between the two groups (P=0.464). Symptoms such as chest pain, cough, fatigue, and insomnia were significantly more common in the study group than in the control group (P<0.0001). Conclusion Individuals aged 50-69 who had COVID-19 pneumonia exhibited prolonged symptoms such as persistent cough, chest pain, nasal congestion, sore throat, fatigue, and sleep disturbances at a significantly higher rate compared to the control group (P<0.0001). Pulmonary ventilation function showed a mild decline, with FEV1% being lower than in the control group (P=0.015). Additionally, pulmonary fibrosis was significantly more prevalent among the post-COVID-19 group compared to the control group (P=0.026).

A total of 535 4th∼6th grade students in the Gyeonggi area were surveyed in an effort to increase vegetable preference and intake. They were divided into 3 groups according to the frequency of salad consumption (High-frequency group, HF, more than once a week G; Intermediate-frequency, IFG, 1∼3 times/month;Low-frequency group, LFG, less than once a month). The proportion of subjects who preferred salad over other vegetable dishes was much lower in the LFG than in the other groups. Compared to the HFG, more students in the LFG gave ‘dressing’ as the main reason for their preferring salads, and ‘because of vegetables in salad’ and ‘not knowing the necessity of eating salad’ as the main reasons. Compared to the HFG and MFG, the proportion of students responding ‘less than twice a week’ for vegetable and fruit consumption and ‘more than 2 hours/day on the internet/games’ was higher, while the preferences for namul, salads, saengchae, baechukimchi, chonggakkimchi, nabakkimchi, and fruits were lower in the LFG. The numbers of unfamiliar vegetables and dressings were lower in the HFG than in the other groups and were negatively correlated with the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and the preferences for aengchaes, bokkeum, salad, and namul. Also, this study compared the preferences for 14 vegetables and 9 dressings as ingredients of salads by gender, grade, and frequency of eating salads.

A total of 535 4th∼6th grade students in the Gyeonggi area were surveyed in an effort to increase vegetable preference and intake. They were divided into 3 groups according to the frequency of salad consumption (High-frequency group, HF, more than once a week G; Intermediate-frequency, IFG, 1∼3 times/month;Low-frequency group, LFG, less than once a month). The proportion of subjects who preferred salad over other vegetable dishes was much lower in the LFG than in the other groups. Compared to the HFG, more students in the LFG gave ‘dressing’ as the main reason for their preferring salads, and ‘because of vegetables in salad’ and ‘not knowing the necessity of eating salad’ as the main reasons. Compared to the HFG and MFG, the proportion of students responding ‘less than twice a week’ for vegetable and fruit consumption and ‘more than 2 hours/day on the internet/games’ was higher, while the preferences for namul, salads, saengchae, baechukimchi, chonggakkimchi, nabakkimchi, and fruits were lower in the LFG. The numbers of unfamiliar vegetables and dressings were lower in the HFG than in the other groups and were negatively correlated with the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and the preferences for aengchaes, bokkeum, salad, and namul. Also, this study compared the preferences for 14 vegetables and 9 dressings as ingredients of salads by gender, grade, and frequency of eating salads.

A total of 535 4th∼6th grade students in the Gyeonggi area were surveyed in an effort to increase vegetable preference and intake. They were divided into 3 groups according to the frequency of salad consumption (High-frequency group, HF, more than once a week G; Intermediate-frequency, IFG, 1∼3 times/month;Low-frequency group, LFG, less than once a month). The proportion of subjects who preferred salad over other vegetable dishes was much lower in the LFG than in the other groups. Compared to the HFG, more students in the LFG gave ‘dressing’ as the main reason for their preferring salads, and ‘because of vegetables in salad’ and ‘not knowing the necessity of eating salad’ as the main reasons. Compared to the HFG and MFG, the proportion of students responding ‘less than twice a week’ for vegetable and fruit consumption and ‘more than 2 hours/day on the internet/games’ was higher, while the preferences for namul, salads, saengchae, baechukimchi, chonggakkimchi, nabakkimchi, and fruits were lower in the LFG. The numbers of unfamiliar vegetables and dressings were lower in the HFG than in the other groups and were negatively correlated with the frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption and the preferences for aengchaes, bokkeum, salad, and namul. Also, this study compared the preferences for 14 vegetables and 9 dressings as ingredients of salads by gender, grade, and frequency of eating salads.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is one of the major etiologies of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with approximately 30% of HCC being due to HCV infection worldwide. HCV eradication by antivirals greatly reduces the risk of HCC; nevertheless, HCC remains to occur in chronic hepatitis C (CHC) patients who have achieved a sustained virological response (SVR). The proportion of post-SVR HCC among newly diagnosed HCC patients is increasing in the direct-acting antiviral (DAA) era and might be due to preexisting inflammatory and fibrotic liver backgrounds, immune dysregulation between host and virus interactions, as well as host epigenetic scars, genetic predispositions and alternations. By means of applying surrogate markers and adopting risk stratification, HCC surveillance should be consistently performed in high-risk populations. In this review, we discuss the possible molecular mechanism, risk factors, and HCC surveillance strategy for HCC development after HCV eradication in CHC patients.

Purpose: To examine trends of population-level semen quality over a 20-year period. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective review of data from the andrology lab of a high volume tertiary hospital. All men with semen samples between 2000 and 2019 were included and men with azoospermia were excluded. Semen parameters were reported using the World Health Organization (WHO) 4th edition. The primary outcome of interest was changes in semen parameters over time. Generalized least squares (GLS) with restricted cubic splines were used to estimate average-monthly measurements, adjusting for age and abstinence period. Contrasts of the estimated averages based on GLS between the first and last months of collection were calculated. Results: A total of 8,990 semen samples from subfertile non-azoospermic men were included in our study. Semen volume decreased over time and estimate average at the beginning and end were statistically different (p<0.001). Similarly sperm morphology decreased over time, with a statistically significant difference between estimated averages from start to finish (p<0.001). Semen pH appeared to be increasing over time, but this difference was not significant over time (p=0.060). Sperm concentration and count displayed an increase around 2003 to 2005, but otherwise remained fairly constant over time (p=0.100 and p=0.054, respectively). Sperm motility appeared to decrease over time (p<0.001). Conclusions In a large sample of patients presenting to a single institution for fertility assessment, some aspects of semen quality declined across more than two decades. An understanding of the etiologies and driving forces of changing semen parameters over time is warranted.

Purpose: Due to the shortage in the healthcare workforce, insufficient qualifications, a lack of infrastructure and limited resources in Mongolia, it is not always possible for healthcare workers in rural areas who wish to attend continuous training and retraining courses to do so. However, in order to provide high-quality care, the demand for distance learning and the upgrading of knowledge and practice of many medical topics (especially related to morbidity and mortality) are necessary for the rural population. This study aimed to assess the needs of e-learning medical education, of graduates in Mongolia. Methods: A cross-sectional research design was implemented. We collected data from 1,221 healthcare professionals (nursing professionals, physicians, midwives, and feldshers) who were randomly selected from 69 government hospitals in Mongolia. Data were collected using self-assessment questionnaires which captured the needs assessment in a survey for online continuous medical education in Mongolia. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Kruskal-Wallis statistical test. Results: Ninety percent of the respondents reported that they plan on attending online continuous medical education with the most preferred specialty area being emergency medicine. Results using the Kruskal-Wallis statistical technique suggested the preferred specialty area, educational content, appropriate time schedule, available devices, and tools were statistically significant and were different between the nursing professionals, physicians, midwives, and feldshers (p<0.05). Conclusion Findings provide important evidence for the implementation of measures and strategies which can assist healthcare professionals in low and middle-income areas/countries to constructively address their need for enhanced knowledge and practice through distance learning.

Background: Among Filipino females, breast cancer is the leading malignancy which warrants palliative care that includes spiritual care to help improve quality of life and well-being.

Objective: Determine the associations of perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual practices with perceived spiritual well-being among breast cancer patients consulting at the University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH).

Methods: This was an analytical cross-sectional study using non-probability convenience sampling of adult females with breast cancer at the UP-PGH Breast Cancer Clinic (BCC). The survey utilized a self-administered questionnaire with sections on general demographics, spiritual beliefs, spiritual practices, and spiritual well-being. Descriptive statistics were used and analysis of associations was done through Fisher's exact test at a 5% level of significance.

Results: Among 219 study participants, almost all reported having perceptions of strong spiritual beliefs, adequate spiritual practices, and good spiritual well-being. Associations were found between perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual well-being (F=51.2, p<0.001; R=0.4, p<0.001) and between perceived spiritual practices and spiritual well-being (F=62.0, p<0.001; R=0.4, p<0.001).

Conclusion: The associations found of perceived spiritual beliefs and spiritual practices with perceived spiritual well-being should be considered in providing spiritual care as part of the comprehensive management and palliative care for Filipino breast cancer patients.

Key Words: spirituality, well-being, cancer