Impacts of natural and anthropogenic factors on soil erosion

Soil erosion is a serious issue that is caused by both natural and anthropogenic factors. Natural processes, including water and wind erosion, as well as higher temperatures, have been identified as leading causes of soil erosion. Additionally, anthropogenic factors, such as urbanization, road construction, agriculture, industry, mining, and others significantly contribute to this problem. These factors have resulted in the loss of biological productivity of the land and have inflicted damage on the entire ecosystem. Since 2000, soil erosion and desertification have become even more severe, exacerbating the problem. The soil of Mongolia, characterized by an arid and semi-arid climate with low precipitation and high temperature fluctuations, is highly susceptible to erosion with approximately 55% of it being classified as high or very easy to erode. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the natural processes and anthropogenic factors that contribute to soil erosion, as well as the current status of soil in various regions of Mongolia

Sejtadhéziós molekulák szerepe a daganatok, kiemelten a májrákok patogenezisében = The role of cell adhesion molecules in the pathogenesis of tumors, with emphasis on liver cancers

A sejtkapcsolatok a daganatokban megváltoznak, különösen a tight junction (TJ) gerincét alkotó claudin (CLDN) fehérje család komponensei, melynek 24 típusa ismert emberben. Több daganatban elsőként vizsgálatuk a CLDN expresszió eltéréseit protein és mRNS szinten. Megállapítottuk, hogy az egyes CLDN-ok expressziója jelentősen nő a nyelőcső rákban, a Barrett oesophagusban és adenocarcinomában (ACC). A CLDN mintázat elkülöníti a hepatoblastoma és endometrialis carcinoma formáit, a pancreas endocrin tumorait és a ductalis ACC-t, valamint a tüdőtumorokat, a primer és metasztatikus májdaganatokat. Egyes extracellularis matrix (ECM) komponensek, így az agrin, valamint a matrilin2 expressziója és lokalizációja megváltozik a cirrhosisban és májrákokban. Fenti vizsgálatok jelentősége, hogy számos daganatban feltárta a sejtkapcsolatok és ECM változásait és igazolta, hogy az eltérések jellemzők az egyes tumorokra, követik a kiindulási szövet sejtkapcsoló struktúráinak fehérje összetételét, bár expressziójuk mértéke változik. A vizsgált daganatok CLDN mintázata diagnosztikus értékű. A vizsgálatok igazolták, hogy a TJ dinamikusan változó protein összetétele a carcinogenesis során bonyolult funkcionális változást takar és az egyes összetevők aránya és egymással való kapcsolata a döntő az intakt sejtkapcsolat kialakulásában. | Cell junctions change in tumors, especially the components of the claudin (CLDN) protein family (24 types of which are known in humans) forming the backbone of tight junctions (TJ). We were first to study CLDN expression alterations in several tumors at protein and mRNA levels. Our studies confirmed that expression of certain CLDNs shows significant increase in oesophageal squamous cell carcinoma, Barrett?s oesophagus and adenocarcinoma (ACC). The CLDN pattern differentiates components of hepatoblastomas and 2 types of endometrial carcinomas, endocrine tumors of the pancreas, ductal ACCs, lung tumors, primary and metastatic liver tumors. Certain extracellular matrix (ECM) components, as agrin, matrilin-2 exhibited altered expression and location in cirrhosis and liver cancers. Our observations revealed TJ and ECM changes in several tumor types, confirming that the changes are characteristic to the tumor. The CLDN pattern of the studied tumors are of diagnostic significance. Our studies confirmed that the dynamically changing protein composition of TJs covers complex functional changes during carcinogenesis, and the proportion and interrelationship of various components are decisive in the development of intact TJs

Free and universal, but unequal utilization of primary health care in the rural and urban areas of Mongolia

Abstract Background The entire population of Mongolia has free access to primary health care, which is fully funded by the government. It is provided by family health centers in urban settings. In rural areas, it is included in outpatient and inpatient services offered by rural soum (district) health centers. However, primary health care utilization differs across population groups. The aim of this study was to evaluate income-related inequality in primary health care utilization in the urban and rural areas of Mongolia. Methods Data from the Household Socio-Economic Survey 2012 were used in this study. The Erreygers concentration index was employed to assess inequality in primary health care utilization in both urban and rural areas. The indirect standardization method was applied to measure the degree of horizontal inequity. Results The concentration index for primary health care at family health centers in urban areas was significantly negative (−0.0069), indicating that utilization was concentrated among the poor. The concentration index for inpatient care utilization at the soum health centers was significantly positive (0.0127), indicating that, in rural areas, higher income groups were more likely to use inpatient services at the soum health centers. Conclusions Income-related inequality in primary health care utilization exists in Mongolia and the pattern differs across geographical areas. Significant pro-poor inequality observed in urban family health centers indicates that their more effective gatekeeping role is necessary. Eliminating financial and non-financial access barriers for the poor and higher need groups in rural areas would make a key contribution to reducing pro-rich inequality in inpatient care utilization at soum health centers

Expression of Matrilin-2 in Liver Cirrhosis and Hepatocellular Carcinoma

The recently described matrilin protein family is part of the extracellular matrix, their pathophysiological role as well as distribution in liver diseases, however, have not yet been studied. Considering that matrilins have been found to play role in cell growth and tissue remodeling, their possible involvement in carcinogenesis has been raised. The main objective of this study was to investigate the changes in matrilin-2 expression which is one of the main components of basement membranes. Thirty-five cases of surgically resected hepatocellular carcinomas, 35 corresponding surrounding liver tissues and 10 normal liver samples were used for the study. In 15 of 35 cases the tumor developed on the basis of cirrhosis. Matrilin-2 protein expression was detected in normal liver around bile ducts, portal blood vessels, while sinusoids were negative by immunohistochemistry. Cirrhotic surrounding tissue showed intensive matrilin-2 staining along the sinusoids. Tumorous neovasculature was found strongly positive by immunohistochemistry. No differences, however, were detected by morphometry regarding the amount of protein expression based on the grade of hepatocellular carcinomas. Real-time RT-PCR did not show significant differences in matrilin-2 mRNA expression between normal, cirrhotic and tumor samples. This suggests posttranslational modification of matrilin-2 manifesting in altered distribution in liver fibrosis. Our data indicate that matrilin-2 is a novel basement membrane component in the liver, which is synthetised during sinusoidal "capillarization" in cirrhosis and in hepatocellular carcinoma. This is the first report to describe the expression and distribution of matrilin-2 in human normal and cirrhotic liver as well as in hepatocellular carcinoma

Expression and localisation of claudin-1,-2,-3,-4,-5,-7 and-10 proteins in the normal canine mammary gland

The recently identified claudins are dominant components of tight junctions, responsible for cell adhesion, polarity and paracellular permeability. Certain claudins have been shown to have relevance in tumour development. The aim of the present study was to analyse the expression of claudin-1,-2,-3,-4,-5,-7 and-10 in normal canine mammary glands. Samples from the inguinal mammary regions of 20 non-castrated, 1–13 years old female dogs were studied. Immunohistochemical analysis was performed on conventional specimens and tissue microarrays. The results of the immunohistochemical reactions detecting claudins in tissue sections were photodocumented. The immunoreactivity of claudins was quantitatively analysed on digital images using Leica QWin morphometry software. Intense membranous immunolabelling was found for claudin-1,-3 and-7, intense membranous with non-granular cytoplasmic immunolabelling for claudin-2, moderate membranous immunolabelling for claudin-4 and-5, and weak membranous immunolabelling for claudin-10. The occurrence of tight junctions was confirmed by ultrathin section electron microscopy. The available data suggested that claudins might be proteins preserved throughout the evolution of mammals. The results of our study support the concept that they are indeed preserved, since the same type of claudins, in identical distribution, could be detected in our canine mammary tissue samples as could be found in human mammary tissue