8 research outputs found

    Mongolia’s efforts toward peace and stability in North East Asia

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    DOI: 10.5564/mjia.v0i14.19Mongolian Journal of International Affairs No.14 2007 pp.27-3

    Museum genomics provide insight into the extinction of a specialist North American warbler species

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    Museum genomics provide an opportunity to investigate population demographics of extinct species, especially valuable when research prior to extinction was minimal. The Bachman’s warbler (Vermivora bachmanii) is hypothesized to have gone extinct due to loss of its specialized habitat. However, little is known about other potential contributing factors such as natural rarity or changes to connectivity following habitat fragmentation. We examined mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and genome-wide SNPs using specimens collected from breeding and migration sites across the range of the Bachman’s warbler. We found no signals of strong population structuring across the breeding range of Bachman’s warblers in both mtDNA and genome-wide SNPs. Thus, long-term population isolation did not appear to be a significant contributor to the extinction of the Bachman’s warbler. Instead, our findings support the theory that Bachman’s warblers underwent a rapid decline likely driven by habitat destruction, which may have been exacerbated by the natural rarity, habitat specificity and low genetic diversity of the species

    Prevalence and Determinants of QuantiFERON-Diagnosed Tuberculosis Infection in 9810 Mongolian Schoolchildren.

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    BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the potential influence of vitamin D deficiency, exposure to environmental tobacco smoke, BCG vaccination, season, and body habitus on susceptibility to Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) infection. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to identify determinants of a positive QuantiFERON-TB Gold (QFT) assay result in children aged 6-13 years attending 18 schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Data relating to potential risk factors for MTB infection were collected by questionnaire, physical examination, and determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Risk ratios (RRs) were calculated with adjustment for potential confounders, and population attributable fractions (PAFs) were calculated for modifiable risk factors identified. RESULTS: Nine hundred forty-six of 9810 (9.6%) participants had a positive QFT result. QFT positivity was independently associated with household exposure to pulmonary tuberculosis (adjusted RR [aRR], 4.75 [95% confidence interval {CI}, 4.13-5.46, P < .001]; PAF, 13.1% [95% CI, 11.1%-15.0%]), vitamin D deficiency (aRR, 1.23 [95% CI, 1.08-1.40], P = .002; PAF, 5.7% [95% CI, 1.9%-9.3%]), exposure to environmental tobacco smoke (1 indoor smoker, aRR, 1.19 [95% CI, 1.04-1.35]; ≥2 indoor smokers, aRR, 1.30 [95% CI, 1.02-1.64]; P for trend = .006; PAF, 7.2% [95% CI, 2.2%-12.0%]), and increasing age (aRR per additional year, 1.14 [95% CI, 1.10-1.19], P < .001). No statistically significant independent association was seen for presence of a BCG scar, season of sampling, or body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Vitamin D deficiency and exposure to environmental tobacco smoke are potentially modifiable risk factors for MTB infection

    On enhancement of cooperation between universities for implementation of the program «Sustainable development–2030»

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    The article is focused on one of the pressing issues of our time – the international training of qualified personnel in higher education institutions with the aim of developing a stable economic system of the state, the main elements of which are interrelated stages of economic activity (exploration, prospecting, extraction, processing, and use of mineral resources). The question of the contribution and role of universities of different countries cooperating in the sphere of sustainable development of this sector is considered. The necessity of practical solution of this task for the implementation of UNESCO's program «Sustainable Development – 2030» is determined. In this relation, the concept of «sustainable development», its philosophical, scientific-theoretical and cultural aspects are considered, the special significance of the connection between the sustainable development of society and its individual fragments with modern education is emphasized. It is stated that education, in the context of sustainable development, should be anticipating, advancing and open. Given the current trends in higher education, it is possible to mention the work carried out by the Mining Institute of the Mongolian State University of Science and Technology in the direction of international cooperation

    Vitamin D supplements for fracture prevention in schoolchildren in Mongolia: analysis of secondary outcomes from a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.

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    BACKGROUND: Vitamin D supplementation has been shown to increase total hip areal bone mineral density in healthy children and adolescents. We aimed to investigate whether supplementing schoolchildren living in Mongolia with weekly vitamin D3 for 3 years affected fracture risk. METHODS: We did a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial across 18 public schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Schoolchildren were eligible if they were aged 6-13 years at screening, had a negative QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-tube assay (QFT) result, were not hypersensitive to vitamin D or immunocompromised, did not use vitamin D supplements, did not have clinical signs of rickets, and had no intention of leaving Ulaanbaatar within 3 years. Participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive either vitamin D (oral dose of 14 000 international units [IU] vitamin D3, once per week) or placebo for 3 years using permuted block randomisation stratified by school of attendance. Participants, care providers, and all trial staff were masked to group assignment during the intervention. Prespecified secondary outcomes were incidence of fractures and adverse events, ascertained using questionnaires. The fracture and safety analyses included participants who completed at least one follow-up fracture questionnaire. We estimated adjusted risk ratios (RRs) and 95% CIs using generalised linear models with binomial distribution and a log link function with adjustment for school of attendance. The trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02276755, and the intervention ended in May, 2019. FINDINGS: Between Sept 2, 2015, and March 20, 2017, 11 475 children were invited to participate in the study and 8851 were recruited and randomly assigned to receive either vitamin D (n=4418) or placebo (n=4433). 8348 participants were included in the fracture and safety analyses (4176 [94·5%] in the vitamin D group and 4172 [94·1%] in the placebo group). Of these, 4125 (49·4%) were female, 4223 (50·6%) were male, and 7701 (92·2%) were of Khalkh ancestry. Median age was 9·2 years (IQR 8·0-10·7) and 7975 (95·5%) participants had baseline serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations less than 50 nmol/L. During a median follow-up of 3·0 years (IQR 2·9-3·1), 268 (6·4%) participants in the vitamin D group and 253 (6·1%) in the placebo group reported one or more fractures (adjusted RR 1·10, 95% CI 0·93-1·29; p=0·27). Incidence of adverse events did not differ between study groups. INTERPRETATION: Oral vitamin D supplementation at a dose of 14 000 IU/week for 3 years was safe, but did not influence fracture risk in schoolchildren living in Mongolia who had a high baseline prevalence of vitamin D deficiency. FUNDING: US National Institutes of Health

    Risk factors for active tuberculosis in 938 QuantiFERON-positive schoolchildren in Mongolia: a community-based cross-sectional study.

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    BACKGROUND: There is controversy regarding the relative influence of 'exogenous' versus 'endogenous' factors on the risk of progression from latent tuberculosis infection to active tuberculosis (TB) disease in children. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional analysis to identify risk factors for active tuberculosis in QuantiFERON®-TB Gold (QFT-G)-positive children aged 6-13 years attending 18 schools in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia. Children underwent clinical and radiological screening for active tuberculosis, and data relating to potential risk factors for disease progression were collected by questionnaire and determination of serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations. Risk ratios were calculated using generalized estimating equations with adjustment for potential confounders. RESULTS: 129/938 (13.8%) QFT-positive children were diagnosed with active tuberculosis. Risk of active tuberculosis was independently associated with household exposure to pulmonary TB (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] 2.40, 95% CI 1.74 to 3.30, P < 0.001), month of sampling (adjusted risk ratio [aRR] for March-May vs. June-November 3.31, 95% CI 1.63 to 6.74, P < 0.001; aRR for December-February vs. June-November 2.53, 95% CI 1.23 to 5.19, P = 0.01) and active smoking by the child (aRR 5.23, 95% CI 2.70 to 10.12, P < 0.001). No statistically significant independent association was seen for age, sex, socio-economic factors, presence of a Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) scar, tobacco exposure or vitamin D status. CONCLUSIONS: Household exposure to active TB, winter or spring season and active smoking were independently associated with risk of active tuberculosis in QFT-positive children. Our findings highlight the potentially high yield of screening child household contacts of infectious index cases for active tuberculosis in low- and middle-income countries.National Institutes of Health 1R01HL122624–01
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