Background: The cornerstone of medical education in training qualified physicians lies in foundational scientific knowledge, which forms the basis for clinical reasoning and diagnostic-therapeutic decision-making. Anatomy constitutes one of the core foundational subjects within the medical doctor training curriculum and exerts a direct influence on the development of students’ baseline knowledge and the formation of their clinical thinking. This study was conducted to evaluate the anatomy curriculum through assessments by first-year students enrolled in the basic medical education program, with the aim of enhancing instructional quality and improving the structure and organization of the course. Aim: To investigate the satisfaction ratings of first-year students in the basic medical education program regarding the Anatomy-1 course. Material and Methods: The study was carried out using an analytical cross-sectional design during the first semester of the 2025–2026 academic year. Data were collected from a total of 289 first-year students of the basic medical education program at the School of Bio-Medicine of MNUMS (Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences) using a questionnaire comprising 24 items in total—3 demographic questions, 20 general satisfaction questions, and 1 open-ended question—with each item rated on a 5-point Likert scale. Data were processed using SPSS 23.0 software, employing descriptive statistics, two-sample t-tests, ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation, and factor analysis. Results: Of the study participants, 14.2% were male and 85.8% were female, with the cohort distributed across programs as follows: TAM 10.38%, TMS 17.30%, MDS 44.29%, PDS 13.15%, and DSS 14.88%. The overall satisfaction level was 4.59±0.66, falling within the “good” range. The highest rating was attributed to “Faculty members possess strong professional knowledge and skills” (DSS, 4.91±0.37), whereas the lowest rating was assigned to “Students’ knowledge and skills are evaluated objectively and fairly” (PDS, 4.16±0.75). The internal consistency coefficient of the questionnaire yielded α=0.909, indicating excellent reliability. Correlation analysis revealed strong positive associations among instructors’ respect for students’ viewpoints (Q4), instructors’ communication and demeanor (Q5), and professional ethics (Q6) (r=0.787; r=0.755; p<0.01). Factor analysis produced a KMO value of 0.865 and a Bartlett’s test result of p=0.000; accordingly, all 20 items were grouped into two factors—”Faculty Professional Competence” and “Learning Environment and Organization”—which collectively accounted for 58.74% of the total variance. Conclusions 1. The findings indicate that the overall satisfaction of first-year basic medical education students who participated in the study was at a favorable level. 2. Faculty professional competence and the learning environment and organization were identified as factors influencing student satisfaction, explaining 58.74% of the total variance in the results. It was further established that adherence to professional ethics, respect for students’ perspectives, and equitable treatment are contingent upon the instructor’s knowledge and professional expertise.

Background: Allergic and atrophic forms of chronic rhinitis are common among the population, characterized by a chronic progressive course with a tendency toward increasing prevalence. Worldwide, allergic rhinitis affects approximately 10–40% of adults and 2–25% of children. According to a study conducted in Mongolia, the prevalence of allergic rhinitis among adults in Ulaanbaatar was reported to be 23.6%, with an increasing trend anticipated in the future. In allergic and atrophic rhinitis, structural alterations occur in the nasal mucosa, including disruption of the normal architecture of the pseudostratified epithelium and ciliated cells, accompanied by changes in goblet cell number and dysfunction of their activity, resulting in a complex pathological process. In otorhinolaryngology practice in Mongolia, there is a relative lack of studies investigating the ultrastructural changes of the nasal mucosa in allergic and atrophic rhinitis. Aim: To compare ultrastructural and histological changes of the nasal mucosa in allergic and atrophic rhinitis. Materials and Methods: Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Review Committee of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences at the meeting held on April 24, 2020 (Protocol No. 2020/З-04). Appropriate ethical permission was also obtained from the EMJJ ENT Hospital. Nasal mucosal tissue samples were collected from surgically resected specimens of patients aged 20–45 years diagnosed with allergic and atrophic rhinitis. The mucosal specimens were processed at the Institute of Biomedical Sciences of the Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences. Samples were fixed and dehydrated according to the protocol, coated with 100 Å gold, and examined using a scanning electron microscope (FEI Quanta FEG 250, USA). In addition, paraffin blocks were prepared, sectioned at 4 μm thickness, stained with Hematoxylin and Eosin, and analyzed histologically. Results: In allergic rhinitis, the pseudostratified epithelium was relatively preserved; however, disorganization of ciliated cells, partial loss of cilia, and goblet cell hyperplasia were observed. In contrast, atrophic rhinitis showed epithelial thinning, near-complete loss of ciliated structures, glandular atrophy, and submucosal fibrosis. Conclusion Allergic rhinitis is associated with relatively mild and predominantly functional mucosal alterations, whereas atrophic rhinitis demonstrates severe structural damage with irreversible impairment of mucosal protective function.

Background: The Anatomy course, which provides general foundational knowledge on the structure of all organ systems of the human body, is a core professional course in the bachelor’s curricula of Pharmacy, Biomedical Science, Hygiene and Epidemiology, Public Health, Occupational Safety and Health, and Nutrition and Dietetics. Student satisfaction is not only an important indicator of the quality of medical education, but also influences graduates’ knowledge, skills, and attitudes; therefore, continuous research in this area is necessary. Aim: To determine the level of satisfaction with the Anatomy curriculum among first-year students in basic health science programs and to identify factors influencing their satisfaction, with the aim of improving the quality of teaching. Materials and Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted from September 2025 to February 2026 among 182 first-year students enrolled in the following programs at Mongolian National University of Medical Sciences (MNUMS): Biomedical Research, Pharmacy, Health Epidemiology, Public Health, Health Informatics, and Traditional Medicine Therapy. Student satisfaction with the quality of the Anatomy course was assessed using a 24-item questionnaire. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26, applying descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), Pearson correlation, factor analysis, and multiple regression analysis. A p-value of <0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The internal consistency of the satisfaction scale was very high (Cronbach’s α=0.928). The mean overall satisfaction score of the participants was 4.61±0.67. There was no significant difference in overall satisfaction by gender (p > 0.05). Factor analysis identified two main factors influencing the evaluation of teaching quality (KMO=0.894; Bartlett’s test p<0.001), which together explained 52.73% of the total variance. The first factor was “Teachers’ professional competence, communication, attitude, and assessment,” and the second factor was “Course organization, learning environment, and instructional materials.” Correlation analysis showed that better course organization and higher teacher engagement were positively associated with students’ satisfaction (p<0.01). Conclusions 1. Among first-year basic health science students, satisfaction with the Anatomy course was influenced by teachers’ professional competence, ethics, interpersonal communication, and fair, objective assessment. 2. Adherence to professional ethics and maintaining respectful communication with students were found to be closely related to teachers’ knowledge and professional skills.

Background: The study of the anatomical structure of the ankle joint ligaments is essential for understanding the stability, axis, and movement of the joint, as well as their interrelationship with the function. It also provides fundamental quantitative data for the training and research of physiotherapists, as well as the practice of injury and trauma medicine. Proper diagnosis and treatment of ankle joint injuries, as well as understanding the mechanism of injury, are based on this knowledge. Ankle joint injuries are common, with ligament and tendon injuries accounting for 85% of ankle injuries. In Mongolia, 81.1% of ankle injuries are new, 9.4% are similar to the initial injury, 8.1% are recurrent injuries, and 0.7% have unknown causes. Depending on the mechanism of injury, certain ligaments and connective tissues can be damaged. Ankle ligament injuries are the most common cause of acute ankle pain, and chronic ankle pain is often due to structural changes in the ankle ligaments. Aim: To summarize the research on the normal anatomy of the ankle and subtalar joint, as well as the studies on joint injuries, using the dissection method. Materials and Methods: Literature search was conducted in Thomson Reuters, Pubmed central database, Google Scholar, and Web of Science databases, as well as the statistical data from the Health Development Center and the National Center for Trauma and Orthopedics. Keywords used include: ankle joint, subtalar joint, ankle joint and subtalar joint injuries. A total of 330 publications were identified, and 34 key articles on the normal anatomy of the ankle and subtalar joint, as well as joint injuries, were included in the review. Results: The ankle joint is formed between the distal end of the tibia and the superior articular surface of the talus. It allows plantar flexion and dorsiflexion movements, with a normal range of 30 degrees for plantar flexion and 50 degrees for dorsiflexion. The subtalar joint is formed between the posterior articular surfaces of the talus and calcaneus. It allows inversion and eversion movements, with a normal range of 35 degrees for inversion and 20 degrees for eversion. The ankle ligaments are divided into three groups: lateral, medial, and inferior tibiofibular (syndesmotic) ligaments. The most common cause of ankle joint injuries is excessive inversion of the subtalar joint, leading to injuries to the joint capsule, lateral and medial collateral ligaments, and the syndesmotic ligaments. Excessive plantar flexion and dorsiflexion of the ankle joint can also cause injuries to the posterior talofibular ligament, the osteochondral region of the talar neck, and the anterior-inferior margin of the tibia. Conclusion Comprehensive study of the ankle joint structure provides the basis for explaining the mechanism of injury. Further research in Mongolia is needed, combining dissection and imaging techniques, to develop standardized evaluation protocols that correlate with clinical outcomes.

Background: The study of small-molecule compounds with antitumor activity involves several crucial steps. These include determining their selective effects on cancer cells, understanding the type of cell death they induce, identifying the activated signaling pathways, pinpointing the target molecules, and elucidating the mechanisms of action. Among the plant-derived compounds with anticancer properties, flavonoids are notable for their ease of isolation and their abundance in food. Apigetrin, a representative flavonoid, is a secondary metabolite found in plants, and our previous study indicated that its anticancer selectivity index was 13.1. However, the specific mechanism by which apigetrin inhibits leukemia cell growth remains unclear. Aim: To study of the inhibitory action of apigenin on leukemia cell culture Materials and Methods: In this study, we evaluated the apoptosis of cells using flow cytometry and investigated the in volvement of the caspase pathway through the use of pancaspase inhibitors to explore the effects of apigetrin on leukemia cell growth. Results: After incubating leukemia RAW264.7 cells with 30 μM apigetrin for 24 and 48 hours, we did not detect any apoptosis through Annexin V and PI staining by flow cytometry. We compared the number of viable cells using the MTT assay after 24-hour treatment of apigetrin with or without pretreatment of Z-VAD, a pancaspase inhibitor, for 30 minutes. The results indicated that the pancaspase inhibitor did not reduce the inhibitory effect of apigetrin on the growth of RAW264.7 cells. In contrast, the positive control group, treated with doxorubicin—which induces apoptosis—showed not only significant apoptosis but also a reduction of the pancaspase inhibitor on the cell growth inhibition. Therefore, these data suggested that apigetrin likely has a cytostatic effect or inhibits the cell cycle rather than being cytotoxic. Future research should focus on determining which stage of the cell cycle RAW264.7 cells treated with apigetrin are in, as well as studying the signaling pathways involved in the cell cycle. Conclusions Apigetrin inhibits the proliferation of RAW264.7 leukemia cells in a caspase-independent and non-apoptotic manner.

Background: In recent years, the incidence of liver diseases due to complications of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has shown a significant upward trend in Southeast Asian countries. NAFLD is a hepatic disorder characterized by lipid accumulation in the microstructure of the liver in individuals who consume little to no alcohol. It is often associated with insulin resistance and is diagnosed when steatosis affects more than 5% of hepatocytes histologically, or when the fat signal intensity on MRI exceeds 5.6%, based on fat-to-water ratio measurements. In Mongolia, histological studies using frozen liver sections with routine and special staining techniques are limited, highlighting the necessity of this study. Aim: To determine and compare the degree of steatosis and fibrosis in frozen liver tissue samples of patients with NAFLD through histological analysis. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted at the the Department of Anatomy, School of Biomedicine and Bio medical Research Institute of MNUMS in collaboration with the Second State Central Hospital. Ethical approval was obtained from the Research Ethics Committee of MNUMS (Protocol No. 2024/3-06). All procedures adhered strictly to laboratory biosafety protocols. Participants were selected among patients undergoing elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, from whom informed consent was obtained. Based on inclusion criteria, five participants were grouped as follows: healthy control (n=1), NAFLD without fibrosis (n=2), and NAFLD with fibrosis (n=2). Liver biopsies (approx. 1 cm in size) were obtained intraoperatively, immediately deep-frozen in liquid nitrogen, and prepared for histological evaluation. Results: In patients with NAFLD compared to the healthy liver group, disruption of hepatocyte columnar architecture and mild periportal lymphocytic infiltration were observed. Oil Red O staining revealed 34–66% micro- and macrovesicular steatosis, corresponding to grade 2 steatosis. Masson’s trichrome staining showed no fibrotic changes in perivenular or periportal areas (Ishak grade 0/4) at this stage. However, upon progression to grade 3 steatosis, early-stage fibrosis was observed in both perivenular and periportal regions (Ishak grade 1/4). Further progression to stage 4 fibrosis was characterized by the development of connective tissue septa, although no significant changes in droplet size were observed. Conclusions 1. Increasing stages of fibrosis are not directly influenced by the severity of hepatic steatosis in NAFLD. 2. Although the degree of steatosis increases, the absence of corresponding fibrotic changes in early stages indicates a complex progression pattern of NAFLD requiring further investigation.

Background: Studying the human embryonic and fetal organ systems development patterns and determining their quantitative indicators is of scientific and practical importance in medicine and health in every nation.
Distortions and pathologies during the development of the embryo are the causes of congenital disabilities. Among the congenital malformations, facial malformations are the 3rd place, including cleft lip and palate in 70% and Srouzon's syndrome in 30%. In addition, abnormalities due to changes in the size, shape, and position of the jaw are also mentioned in the 2021.04.21 issue of Morphology magazine in the study "Morphometric parameters of the bones of the skull and face during the development of newborns and fetuses". In our country, Ariuntuul G (2005) determined that cleft lip and cleft palate occur at 0.76/1000 or 1 in 1314 live births, while Ayanga G (2012) found that it occurs at 1 in 1072 live births or 0.93/1000. Moreover, the eye cup dimensions of Mongolian fetuses aged 16 36 weeks have a positive linear relationship with the gestational age determined using ultrasound by Nandintsetseg B (2015) et al. Compared with the other countries, the eyecup is slightly wider, and the outer edge distance is similar, whereas the inner edge distance is shorter. Purpose: To summarize research work and determine the embryonic development of bones involved in the formation of the face and facial parts, the period of bone formation, the point of ossification, and the period of formation. Methods: During fetal development, human organ systems grow and develop at different rates but in a particular relationship. This feature of growth and development is also clearly observed in the structure of the head and facial bones, and the results of researchers who have studied this aspect are selected in the articles. Results: Embryonic and fetal development of bone are clinically significant not only from the point of view of its morphogenesis but also from the point of view of congenital disabilities. Conclusion In the analysis of the sources, most of the works on the prenatal period of the development of the same body have studied the development of specific structures of the face and facial area, such as the palatine bones and nasal bones, or have generally covered the development of particular systems in the embryo and fetus, and face, there are relatively few works that show the entire dynamics of growth and development of facial bones.