Background: Basketball involves repeated high-intensity, explosive movements that depend largely on anaerobic energy systems. Accordingly, anaerobic capacity and body-composition parameters such as skeletal muscle mass and fat distribution are key determinants of performance. However, data-driven studies integrating conditioning training, anaerobic performance, and body composition in Mongolian professional players are limited, and the application of machine-learning approaches in this context remains underexplored. Aim: To examine the relationships between conditioning training, anaerobic capacity, and body composition in professional basketball players and to develop a machine-learning model for injury-risk prediction. Materials and Methods: Eleven healthy professional male basketball players (21–28 years) from the Omni Erdenet Miners were evaluated. Body composition was measured using the InBody 970, and anaerobic performance was assessed by a 30-s Wingate test on a Monark 894E ergometer. Measurements were obtained at three time points. Changes were analyzed using Friedman and Wilcoxon tests, while associations were examined by Pearson correlation and multivariate regression. Injury-risk models were developed using Random Forest and regression-based machine-learning methods. Research Ethics Committee, approval number 24-25/04-01 Result: Phase angle increased from 6.8±0.5 to 7.3±0.6° (p =0.021), and body-fat percentage decreased from 20.5±3.2% to 16.2±2.0% (p =0.015), with no change in skeletal muscle mass. Visceral fat decreased and anaerobic peak and mean power improved (p <0.05). Fat percentage was negatively correlated with anaerobic performance. Heart-rate recovery improved, indicating enhanced exercise tolerance. Random Forest identified phase angle, visceral fat, fat percentage, and fatigue index as the strongest predictors of injury risk. Conclusion 1. The body composition of professional basketball players was closely associated with anaerobic performance and recovery indices, with higher body fat percentage and central adiposity tending to be linked to reduced anaerobic capacity. 2. Reducing fat mass while preserving muscle mass did not adversely affect anaerobic performance and demonstrated potential improvements in performance efficiency, load tolerance, and recovery regulation. 3. A Random Forest Regression model based on body composition and anaerobic capacity indicators demonstrated a high level of accuracy in predicting performance decline and injury risk.

Background: More than 60 zoonotic diseases can be transmitted from dogs (Canis lupus familiar’s) to humans, one of which is cystic echinococcosis (CE). Approximately 270 million people in Central Asia live in areas at risk for CE, and Mongolia is included in this region. The transmission of zoonotic infection is facilitated by the movement of humans, livestock, and dogs, as well as trade and cross-border interactions between countries. Aim: To determine the helminth fauna in the dog populations of selected soums of Bayan-Ulgii Province, identify zoonotic pathogens, and investigate Taeniidae infection. Materials and Methods: Seven soums of Bayan-Ulgii province bordering the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China were selected using a targeted sampling approach. Domestic dogs belonging to 300 individuals who underwent abdominal ultrasound screening for cystic echinococcosis were included after obtaining consent for deworming. Anthelmintic treatment (5 mg/kg) was administered, and fecal samples from 95 dogs were collected post-treatment. Helminth eggs were identified to determine the helminth fauna. DNA was extracted from samples positive for Taeniidae eggs using a DNA extraction kit (Qiagen, Stool DNA kit, Germany). The mitochondrial cox1 gene was amplified by PCR using F/COI and R/COI primers to determine infection status. Results: The helminth fauna of the dog population in Bayan-Ulgii province consisted of members of the Taeniidae family and the genus Ascaris, as well as Toxocara canis, Trichuris vulpis, Macracanthorhynchus catulinus, Oncicola canis, Strongyloides canis, and Alaria canis. Prevalence rates were as follows Taeniidae 10.5%, T. canis 4.2%, S. canis 3.2%, A. canis 2.1%, Ascaris 2.1%, T. vulpis 2.1%, O.canis 3.2%, M. catulinus 5.2%. Among these, T. canis, T. vulpis, A. canis, and members of the Taeniidae family are zoonotic parasites transmissible from dogs to humans. DNA was extracted from 10 samples positive for Taeniidae eggs. Amplification of the cox1 gene using COI primers revealed an 880 bp band in 9 samples (90%), confirming infection. Conclusions 1. The helminth fauna of dogs in selected soums of Bayan-Ulgii Province consisted of helminths belonging to 1 family, 1 genus, and 6 species. 2. Taeniidae infection was detected in 9.0% of dogs in the selected soums of Bayan-Ulgii Province.

Background: The family Taeniidae (Ludwig, 1886) belongs to the class Cestoda, phylum Platyhelminthes, and order Cyclophyllidea. Zoonotic parasites within this family, particularly Taenia and Echinococcus species, impose a significant socio-economic burden in developing countries. Aim: To determine the prevalence of Taeniidae infection in the domestic dog population of selected soums in Sukhbaatar Province and to identify associated risk factors. Materials and Methods: A total of 135 domestic dogs from seven soums bordering China in Sukhbaatar Province were dewormed, and post-treatment fecal samples were collected for the detection of Taeniidae eggs. DNA was extracted from egg-positive samples using the QIAamp Fast DNA Stool Mini Kit (QIAGEN, Germany). The cox1 gene was amplified using F/COI and R/COI primers through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to confirm infection. Associations between Taeniidae infection and potential risk factors were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses. Results: Taeniidae eggs were detected in 35 of 135 fecal samples (25.9%). The mean number of eggs per gram of feces varied among samples. PCR amplification confirmed Taeniidae infection in 30 of the 35 egg-positive samples (85.7%), producing an 880-base pair fragment. The analysis revealed that several owner-related and management-related factors were significantly associated with an increased risk of Taeniidae infection in domestic dogs, including type of residence (OR=12.18; 95% CI: 1.51-98.89; p<0.019), allowing dogs to roam freely (OR=8.08; 95% CI: 2.19–29.73; p<0.002), and feeding dogs raw livestock viscera (OR=265.12; 95% CI: 16.2-4561.7; p<0.0001). Conclusion A 22.2% prevalence of Taeniidae infection was identified among domestic dogs in selected soums of Sukhbaatar Province. Household living conditions, allowing dogs to roam freely without restraint, and feeding dogs raw livestock organs and offal were identified as significant risk factors associated with Taeniidae infection.

Background: Although a considerable number of oral health studies have been conducted among children in Mongolia, most have focused on dental caries in school-aged children, and data on non-carious oral conditions in preschool children remain scarce. Aim: To determine the prevalence of oral mucosal, gingival and traumatic dental conditions among preschool children in Ulaanbaatar. Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional pilot study, 686 children from six randomly selected kindergartens in Ulaanbaatar underwent oral examination in accordance with the World Health Organization (WHO) 2013 guidelines, using the WHO Oral Health Assessment Form for Children. The main outcomes were oral mucosal changes, including pigmentation, gingival bleeding, dental trauma and dental erosion. Analyses were restricted to the 598 children with complete records for these outcomes, and frequencies, percentages and Wilson 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using this common denominator (n=598). Results: Of the 598 children analysed, 86 (14.38%; 95% CI 11.80–17.42%) had at least one of the four main conditions. Dental erosion was observed in 74 children (12.37%; 95% CI 9.97–15.26%), confined to the enamel in 45 (7.53%) and extending into the dentine in 29 (4.85%). Oral mucosal changes were recorded in 10 children (1.67%; 95% CI 0.91–3.05%), gingival bleeding in 7 (1.17%; 95% CI 0.57–2.40%) and dental trauma in 1 (0.17%; 95% CI 0.03–0.94%), whereas oral mucosal pigmentation was observed in 64 children (10.70%; 95% CI 8.47–13.44%). Of the 86 children with findings, 85 (98.84%) attended two of the six participating kindergartens. Conclusion When dental caries was excluded, dental erosion was the most prevalent condition among preschool children, whereas oral mucosal changes, gingival bleeding and dental trauma were observed in a small proportion of children. The concentration of these findings in two of the six kindergartens may reflect local demographic and socioeconomic factors, as well as differences in examination and recording practices. Future studies should therefore standardise examination criteria in advance and include a larger number of kindergartens.

Background: Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, accounting for approximately 1.8 million deaths annually and representing 18% of all cancer deaths¹. According to the GLOBOCAN 2024 report, 2.4 million new cases were registered globally, ranking second after breast cancer². Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) constitutes 85% of lung cancer cases, with adenocarcinoma being the most common subtype³. The objective of this study is to map the prevalence of HER2 activation and mutations in EGFR, EML4-ALK, ROS1, BRAF, and KRAS genes among lung cancer patients in Mongolia, and to evaluate their correlations with clinical and morphological parameters (age, sex, smoking status, stage, and morphology). Aim: To determine the distribution pattern of HER2 activation and EGFR, EML-ALK, ROS1, BRAF, KRAS gene mutations among patients with lung cancer in Mongolia, and to evaluate their associations with clinical and morphological characteristics. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study was conducted using archived materials from lung cancer patients at the Clinical Pathology, Molecular Genetics, and Pathology Laboratories of the National Cancer Center of Mongolia, covering the period from 2019 to June 2025. DNA Extraction from Tumor Tissue: Formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue blocks from patients diagnosed with lung cancer, stored in the pathology department archives, were selected for the study. Sections of 5–10 μm thickness were cut, mounted on glass slides, stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E), and reviewed by a pathologist. Areas containing ≥20–30% tumor cells were identified and macro-dissected for analysis. Real-Time PCR Assay for Detection of EGFR/BRAF/KRAS/EML4-ALK/ROS1 Mutations: EGFR mutation detection was performed using the PANAMutyper™ EGFR Mutation Detection Kit (Panagene, Daejeon, South Korea) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. PCR reactions were carried out on a compatible instrument (Roche LightCycler 480, Germany) as recommended by the manufacturer. Statistical analysis was performed using Prisma-10 software. Results: A total of 282 lung cancer cases were included in the study. EGFR mutations were detected in 44% of cases and were absent in 56%. No significant age-related differences were observed (p=0.2636); however, EGFR mutations were significantly more frequent in females (36.6% vs. 19.6%, p=0.0019). No statistically significant differences were found across disease stage, T, N, or M classifications (p>0.05). No association was identified between smoking status and EGFR mutations (p=0.4178). Morphologically, EGFR mutations were significantly more prevalent in adenocarcinoma (54.83%) compared to squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) (31.8%; p=0.002). Of the 282 cases, adenocarcinoma accounted for 155 (54.9%) and SCC for 116 (41.1%). Overall, EGFR mutations were positive in 43.97% of cases, with a higher prevalence in adenocarcinoma (24.82%) than in SCC (13.1%). By exon: - Exon 18 mutations were detected in 6% of cases, predominantly in adenocarcinoma (6%, 4.25%). - Exon 19 mutations occurred in 8.15% and are associated with sensitivity to targeted therapy. - Exon 20 mutations were found in 3.19%, with the T790M resistance variant in 1.77%. - Exon 21 mutations were observed in 9.57%, more common in adenocarcinoma (9.57%) than in SCC (3.19%). Survival analysis stratified by stage at diagnosis showed significantly longer median survival in early-stage patients (18.6 months). Kaplan-Meier curve comparison, log-rank test, and hazard ratio calculations confirmed statistically significant differences (p < 0.05), indicating that disease stage is a key prognostic factor. Conclusion The study findings reveal a high prevalence of EGFR mutations among Mongolian patients with lung adenocarcinoma, underscoring the need for widespread implementation of targeted therapy (EGFR-TKIs). In contrast, mutation rates were lower in SCC and other morphological subtypes, highlighting the importance of investigating alternative molecular markers in these subgroups.

Background: Vulnerable populations at risk of micronutrient deficiencies include children and women, especially pregnant women, lactating mothers, infants and young children. According to WHO guidelines, a population with a micronutrient (vitamin and mineral) deficiency of more than 20% is considered a public health problem.
Although Mongolia has made significant progress in improving the nutritional status of the population, especially children and women, the 2024 VI survey found that micronutrient deficiencies are high among pregnant women.
The MMS (Multi-ingredient Micronutrient Supplement) distributed to pregnant women by soum and household health centers contains all the essential vitamins and minerals for pregnant women, but coverage has remained inadequate for more than 10 years. Goal: To establish the prevalence of micronutrients deficiency in pregnant women Materials and Methods: Totally 2796 pregnant women included in cross-sectional study from urban and rural area. Survey procedures consisted of interview, anthropometric measurements, clinical examinations, and the collection of biological (blood and urine) samples for pregnant women. Micronutrient deficiencies were assessed by tests for hemoglobin, serum, ferritin, soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR), 25-hydroxyvitamin D {25(ОН)D}, spot urine samples for determination of urinary iodine concentration. Statistical processing : The data from the survey questionnaires were entered into a database created in the “EpiData 3.1” software environment. The data created and verified in the EpiData software environment were converted to the “SPSS–25” program, and statistical analysis was also performed using the SPSS-25 program. The results table was prepared using Microsoft Word 2021 and Microsoft Excel 2021 programs. Research ethics: The research methodology was discussed at the meeting of the Medical Ethics Review Committee under the Ministry of Health on 2023.03.27 (23/017), and permission to conduct the study was obtained Result : The prevalence of anemia, as measured by hemoglobin, was 22.3% and the iron deficiency anemia (IDA), as measured by adjusted serum ferritin or soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) was (39.8%/9.0%). Prevalence of iron deficiency as measured by serum ferritin was also highest in Western 41.9% and lowest in Khangai region 40.2% (P<0.01). The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women was high at 92.5%, and 7.5% of all pregnant women had adequate vitamin D status. The median concentration of 76.4µg/l indicates inadequate iodine status in pregnant women, as the desired range for adequate iodine nutrition in pregnancy 150-249 µg/l. Conclusions 1. 22.3 percent of pregnant women are anemic, and the prevalence of anemia has not decreased from 2017 levels and remains common.
2. The prevalence of iron deficiency (as measured by ferritin levels) was 39.8 μg/L and the soluble transferrin receptor level was 9.0 μg/L, which is higher than previous studies.
3. The prevalence of vitamin D deficiency among pregnant women remains common, with 76.6% having severe or moderate deficiency, and 15.9% having mild deficiency.

Background: Men’s health is a vulnerable associated with higher risk behaviors and is less considered to their health compared to women. According to NSO, of the total population, 49.3 percent were males and 50.7 percent were females in Mongolia. There is a difference in average life expectancy between man and woman, and males live in average eight years (9.2) fewer compared to females. Objective: To determine nutrition status among men aged 15-49 in Mongolia Materials and Methods: The target population was divided into 5 strata based on Mongolia’s socio-economic regions and Ulaanbaatar City. 1950 men aged 15-49 were randomly selected. The confidence interval was set at 95%, with a precision of ±5% or less for all indicators. The sample size was sufficient to obtain representative data on the nutrition status of men at the national level and to calculated using WHO recommendation for adults. Ethics consideration: The survey methodology was discussed at the Scientific committee of National Center for Public Health, on February 6, 2023. Ethics approval was obtained from Medical Ethics Review Committee under the Ministry of Health on March 27, 2023. All participants were participated voluntarily and written informed consent were obtained from participants. Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among men was 57.4%, with 17.0% classified as obese. Overweight and obesity rates were highest in men aged 30-39 years (62.2%) and 40 49 years (64.5%) among other age groups. Conclusion In Mongolia, the prevalence of overweight and obesity among men aged 15–49 increased by 9.4 percentage point to reach 57.4%, since 2017 and 17.0% of men aged 15-49 years are now classified as obese, with biggest increase in age group 20-29. The prevalence of obesity was higher among men in the above-average and affluent groups (20.0% and 20.6%) compared to men aged 15-49 living in the average and below-average income groups (10.8% and 13.1%).
Conclusion: In Mongolia, one in two men age between 15-49 years were overweight and obese. The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increase age between 30-49 years compared with other groups.

Intrauterine devices (IUDs) are often considered a form of contraception by women of reproductive age because of their reversible, effective, safe, and convenient nature. However, its complications include bleeding, infection, displacement, and uterine perforation. Effective contraception can minimize the risk of unintended pregnancy, particularly for women who have additional health risks associated with unintended pregnancy. Intrauterine device (IUD) is considered to be a highly effective and reversible method of contraception (long-acting reversible contraceptives) that is suitable for most women, highly effective, affordable, and requires minimum patient compliance [1]. Despite being infrequent, perforation constitutes a significant complication associated with IUD insertion, with an estimated incidence of 0.8–2.2 per 1,000 insertions [2, 3]. Ultrasound is the preferred diagnostic modality in cases where partial embedding of the IUD is suspected. However, when the IUD extends near or beyond the uterine serosa, radiologists can more confidently diagnose embedding [4]. The patient is a 44-year-old woman with four children. She gave birth for the first time in 1997. A contraceptive device was inserted in 1999, and another was placed four months after her 2009 delivery. She does not recall the date when she had the latter device removed and has no record of having seen it. This case represents a rare instance of secondary bladder stone formation resulting from migration of an intrauterine device (T-shaped IUD) into the bladder. Rapid diagnostic methods, including ultrasonography, CT, and cystoscopy, along with endoscopic surgical intervention, proved to be the most effective approach for both diagnosis and treatment.

Background: Tick-borne encephalitis is human viral infection involving the nervous system and transmitted by the bite of infected tick. The TBE Virus is distributed in different geographical areas by three widespread subtypes of the virus: The Far East, Europe, and Siberia. The Far East type has a mortality rate was 30-35%, the European type has a mortality rate of 2.2%, and the Siberian type has a mortality rate of 6-8% (A.G. Pletnev, 1998) [2].
In recent years, human cases of tick-borne infections have been reported in 19 European countries and four Asian countries (Mongolia, China, Japan, and South Korea) [3].
Human cases of tick-borne encephalitis, tick-borne rickettsiosis, and tick-borne borreliosis have been registered in Mongolia since 2005. Deaths have been reported year by year [5].
During 2005 to 2021, tick-borne rickettsiosis (71.6%), tick-borne encephalitis (17.3%) and tick-borne borreliosis (52.9%) were confirmed by epidemiological, clinical and laboratory tests at the NCZD.
Tick-borne encephalitis was registered in 63 soums of 15 provinces and 9 districts of the capital city, of which 90% were infected with tick bites in Selenge and Bulgan provinces. The average mortality rate is 4.9% (14), of which 28.6% in Bulgan province and 2.7% in Selenge province.
Tick-borne encephalitis is the leading cause of death in Bugat soum of Bulgan province and more infected men about 40 years of age [7]. Purpose : Collect ticks from selected soums of the provinces, identify tick species, species composition, distribution, tick densities, pathogens of tick-borne diseases, conduct population surveys to assess the risk of tick-borne infections, and identify tick-borne infections. Material and Method: Ticks were collected by flag from birch trees in birch forests and meadows with biotope and overgrown berries, determined morphological analyze and molecular biological investigation for detecting tickborne pathogens.
Questionnaires were collected from selected soum residents according to a specially designed randomized epidemiological and clinical survey card, collected information and forms were submitted to soum hospitals with a history of tick bites (according to clinical criteria). Serological tests were performed to detect IgG-specific antibodies to the collected serum mites. Result and conclusion Collected 121 ticks (120 I. persulcatus and 1 D. nuttalli) and not wound egg, larvae, nymphs. By molecular biological investigation detected 3.5% of I.persulcatus from Khutag-Undur soum of Bulgan province, 3.5% of anaplasmosis, and 14.1% of I.persulcatus mites from Bugat soum. 1.5% borreliosis, 3.1% anaplasmosis.
Detected DNA of 100% tick-borne rickettsiosis from D.nutalli ticks and determined circulation of infection among tick in Bugat and Khutag-Undur soums of Bulgan province.
247 people were surveyed, 56 blood serum from cases. Detected Q fever, erysipelas, and anaplasmosis, tick-borne borreliosis 3 (5.4%), tick-borne rickettsiosis 26 (46.4%), Japanese encephalitis 3 (5.4%), tick-borne encephalitis tick-borne rickettsiosis 6 (13.0%), tick-borne rickettsiosis tick-borne borreliosis 1 (1.8%), tick’s rickettsiosis Japanese encephalitis 1 (1.8%), tick-borne encephalitis tick-borne borreliosis 1 (1.8%).
By investigation, vaccination (88%) and wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants (81%) were the most effective ways to prevent tick bites (81%) [15]. According to our research, the percent of population knowledge in Bulgan province was insufficient (40.9%) which there is a lack of information, training and advertisement among the population in the province.

Introduction: The introduction of minimally invasive surgery has revolutionized multiple disciplines of surgical practice. Objectives: This meta-analysis of matched case control studies aimed to compare the perioperative outcomes of video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) with open thoracotomy for patients with early-stage non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Methods: We searched from PubMed and Embase electronic database and revealed seven relevant studies. Endpoints included perioperative mortality and morbidity, postoperative complications and duration of hospitalization. Two investigators (L.S and D.N) independently reviewed each retrieved article. The values of RR and 95% CI were estimated. We used the fixed and random-effects models to estimate the size of the treatment benefit. Results: Results indicate that perioperative mortality was similar between VATS and open thoracotomy (RR-0.62(95%CI 0.39-0.98). However, patients who underwent VATS were found to have fewer overall complications (RR-0.68(95%CI 0.59-0.78), and patients who underwent VATS had a significantly shorter length of hospitalization compared with those who underwent open thoracotomy (MD= -2.98(95%CI-4.09:-1.87)). Conclusions The present meta-analysis demonstrated superior perioperative outcomes for patients who underwent VATS, including overall complication rates and duration of hospitalization. Therefore, our study suggests that VATS should be performed widely to treat patients with lung cancer in the future.