On March 24 at 18:00, presentation of ‘Tao-Klarjeti research expedition 2015 reports’ took place at George Chubinashvili National Research Centre for Georgian Art History and Heritage Preservation. Caucasus University and Georgian Cultural and Tourist Resources’ Research Centers executed the project “Catalog of the Cultural Monuments of Georgian historic provinces: Tao - Klarjethi and Kola-Artaani on Turkish territory”, financially supported by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation. Within the framework of this project, five expeditions (56 days) took place on major historic territories of Shavsheti and Klarjeti. In order to get a real picture of the area, expeditions were made to 283 villages and surrounding territories. As a result, expedition defined ongoing conditions of 116 well-known cultural and historic monuments. In addition, they have discovered 108 Georgian cultural monuments not known to us, including: 48 churches, 47 church ruins, 66 towers, 24 stone-arched bridges, 32 other constructions (megalithic, underground, cave, residential etc.) as well as unknown scripts – 1 Georgian script ‘Asomtavruli’, 1 Armenian script and 5 newly discovered ornamented stones. Besides, the expedition defined ongoing conditions of Armenian, Greek, Russian and Turkish cultural and historic monuments.     In 2014, 9 expeditions were held (56 days) in historic Artaani, Kola, Palakatsio, Phoso, Erusheti, Javakheti and some part of Samtskhe; The 314 nearby villages, settlements and surrounding territories studied. As a result, expedition defined ongoing conditions of 119 well-known cultural and historic monuments. In addition, they have discovered 143 cultural and historic monuments not known to us. 

"Modern and old glaciers of Georgia"  is the first monograph in English language describing how Caucasus glaciers have been changed during the last decades on the background of climate change. The monograph also foresees the study of dynamics and parameters of modern and old glaciers in Georgia, issues related to fresh water supply, problems such as the collapse of glaciers resulting from natural disasters (including May 2014 debris flow of Darial Gorge glacier Devdorak and so forth). The monograph and catalogue is prepared by support of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation (2014-2016 Applied Research call winning project ‘Glaciological Catalogue of Georgia’). Glaciers Catalog of Georgia is the first bilingual glaciological research work, describing all big glaciers and river basins existing in Georgia, as well as giving picture of dynamics of number and area of glaciers studied during the last century. In the catalogue preparation process, glaciers database was created including complete information about glaciers.  The monograph and catalogue will be helpful to other university professors, PhD students and Master’s students interested not only in glaciology and geography, but also in earth and natural sciences. The Monograph and catalogue is based on the outcomes of the author’s theoretical and field research (of almost all glacial basins) carried out on the southern and northern slopes of the Caucasus. The main theory and findings are developed by the author at Vakhushti Bagrationi Institute of Geography. Part of the research was conducted at the Climate Change Institute at the University of Maine, United States in 2014-2015, and at the University of Northern British Columbia, Canada in 2015-2016.

Small workshop of the project ‘the screen-type problems for anisotropic Maxwell's equations: asymptotic analysis and numerical approximation’ was organized at Andrea Razmadze Institute of Mathematics, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. The project is funded by Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation. Short summary about the project outcomes was presented at the workshop. The project principal investigators gave general overview of the research activities, publication at referred and reviewed scientific journals, articles prepared to be published, ongoing research and future prospects. Professor Roland Duduchava presented the latest project outcomes to the event participants.  

On March 10, 2016 at 12:00, presentation ‘Development of scientific bases for obtaining nano-zeolite sorbents’ took place at Petre Melikishvili Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry, Iv.Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University. Number of scientists and researchers in a field of Chemistry and Nanochemistry attended the meeting.  The presentation was followed by discussion (Questions and Answers), where future prospects were determined. Nanuli Dolaberidze, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Chief Research Worker at Petre Melikishvili Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry, Iv.Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University gave general overview of the project. The project was about creation of theoretical and experimental base for obtaining fine-dispersion samples of natural zeolites through alternate method, in particular by chemical treatment. The main direction of the research was the development of scientific grounds for making zeolite nano-materials, which includes determination of some regularity of gel-formation, hydrothermal crystallization and chemical modification processes going on in aluminum silicate systems, which will provide creation of highly efficient, pure zeolite nano-materials, which are highly demanded. The following cheap and easily obtainable natural zeolites from Georgian mines used in the research: clinoptilolite from Rkoni, phillipsite from Shukhuti, analcime from Gelati. Research objectives pursued were – study of technology of making gels obtained by recrystallization of natural zeolites of Georgia and creation of hydrothermal crystallization model, determination of optimal terms for basic, thermal and ion-exchange treatment. Based on the collected information, clear, highly dispersed faujasite and mordenite-like zeolite as well as prolonged reaction silver, gold, copper and zinc sorbents, having antibacterial and antivirus features, obtained by justified economic methods. Specialists can use those materials in different fields of medicine, including surgery and dentistry.

On November 4-8, 2015, the third international conference was held in the Portuguese capital Lisbon, which was devoted to the problem of advanced breast cancer. Since 2011, the conference has established itself as the first international forum, which aims at active coverage of all aspects of advanced breast cancer problem. Breast cancer growth is evident across the world, the disease burden is increasing annually by 1.5%. The prognosis is deplorable as well – by 2030, the advanced breast cancer related deaths will globally increase by 43%. There are many driving factors, however, the following were emphasized at the conference: gaps in early detection of the disease, inadequate level of preparation of physicians for diagnostic-treatment activities and mass media’s lack of interest towards the problem. Also, underlined, the necessity to revise the country’s health strategy to meet new challenges. Subject to the relevance of the topic, the conference was representative. It was attended by many well-known international experts, leading clinicians, medical staff, patients and medical and pharmaceutical industry representatives from 80 countries.  The conference had an ambitious strategic goal - to improve the advanced breast cancer problem solution, and in order to achieve this goal, develop modern medical achievements and evidence based international agreement guidelines. This new guidance document is provided by the European School of Oncology and the European Society of Medical Oncology and its active public discussion is going on in the final session of the conference. Agreed international guidelines should be adapted to the countries based on the medical services and access levels. Nanuli Ninashvili with her colleague Oncologists, at the conference she presented the report on the epidemiological features of advanced breast cancer and chronic pain management problems. Conference materials and reports were published in impact-factor journals.

International league against Epilepsy Neuropsychiatry commission and the Japan Epilepsy Society within the frame of the 49 th Japan Epilepsy Society annual meeting announced for the join meeting discussing the key areas around psychogenic non-epileptic seizures (PNES). The event was held in Nagasaki on 29 th October, 2015. In this meeting, entitled “PNES around the world: let’s learn more about this neglected disorder and see how we might help” various international experts were invited to deliver a lectures aiming to discuss key areas of need and solution to these, to reduce the burden on PNES on individuals and society. Among the speakers from all over the world the Georgian professor Dr.David Gigineishvili from Tbilisi State University was invited.  His presentation focused on the results of the PNES Task Force survey performed among the Georgian professionals during this year. The survey showed that overall health professionals (mostly neurologists & epileptologists) are well informed about the diagnosing process. They usually personally deliver the diagnosis to patient, however only minority was followed up. Difficulties with a delivering nonpharmacological treatment options are based on lack of experience and knowledge of physicians in psychotherapy concerning PNES, deficiency of professionals who could perform CBT (cognitive-behavioral therapy) and lack of money for cover this service. The policy of insurance companies and governmental medical programs at this stage do not support patients with paroxysmal events. This discrepancy between willingness of health professionals and absence of resources and trained psychotherapists require necessary intervention in this sphere from health policy makers.   In the first part of the meeting classification and nosological issues were discussed. In particular Dr.CurtLaFrance (USA) discussed possible, probable and definitive diagnostic criteria for PNES. He reviewed published paper to revile most reliable criteria (diagnostic and clinical tolls). Prof.Markus Reuber (UK) talked about biopsychosocial model of PNES. In this way he presented data showing psychological, biological and social aspects of PNES. Adverse early experience, unhelpful attachment styles, illness perception, emotion processing problems and avoidant coping tendencies were observed in patients with PNES. Also, attachment key relationship and social distress could be seen in PNES population. On the other hand, neuroanatomical and functional abnormalities in the brain were revealed using neuroimiging techniques. All these bring arguments to propose a conceptualized model of PNES. Other speakers highlighted different aspects of PNES – comorbidity, psychiatric diagnoses, PNES in intellectually disabled persons and in children etc. Last speaker (Prof.Mike Kerr, UK) outlined future directions and topic which from his point of view will be relevant in next decade: the role of mental health professional in a team serving patient with PNES.    

January 25, Ivane Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University hosted the exhibition "The Mysterious Underground World". Photos taken by Lasha Asanidze, Ph.D student at Tbilisi State University, scientist of Institute of Geography, in the various caves, were presented on this exhibition. According to the author, the aim of this exhibition was popularization and visualization of Speleological science in Georgia. The Photos of the various karst caves in the world: Muradi, Prometheus, Carlsbad Caverns, Sonora, Castellana and atc. were exhibited in the exhibition hall. Among them we must mention pictures of Cool Speleothems (spherical formations) in the "Muradi Cave" (Nakerala Range), which were explored by TSU Speleologists. Mr. Lasha Asanidze gathered these pictures, through the grant projects funded by the Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation during a several years. Photo exhibition at the university's museum exhibition hall will be until January 30.