Review of Medical and Scientific Projects Sponsored by the Jepa-Limmat Foundation in Kazakhstan (Altinshash Jaxybajeva)

The first stager who received an educational grant from the Foundation was Dr. Marzhan Lepessova (1997-1998). She was the Head of the Child Neurology Department at the Almaty State Medical Institute of Advanced Education. She established a contact with Prof. P. Curatolo, Director of the Department of Child Neurology and Child Psychiatry at the Tor-Vergata University in Rome, where she attended training courses. After returning home she presented her Doctoral Thesis and obtained the degree of Doctor in Medical Sciences. Later she became a Professor of Child Neurology. Next, two young doctors from the same Department of Child Neurology received educational grants from the Foundation: Dr. Altynshash Jaxybayeva (1998-1999) and Dr. Latina Tekebayeva (1999-2000). They also spent six months at the Department of Child Neurology and Child Psychiatry at the University of Tor-Vergata. After returning home, Dr. Tekebayeva and Dr. Jaxybayeva successfully passed their theses and obtained PhD degrees in Child Neurology.

Dr. Lepessova Marzhan organized a Kazakh Child Neurology Association as well as a Neurology Center for Children with neurological diseases within the Child Neurology Department at the Municipal Hospital № 2 in Almaty. With the help of a sponsor selected by the Foundation (Mrs. C. Lindenmeyer), a subscription to the Journal of Child Neurology was initiated in 1999. Every four years, the Association of Child Neurology organizes an International Conference for Child Neurologists, particularly neurologists from Central Asian Countries. The latest conference was organized in June 2009 jointly with the International Child Neurology Association (ICNA). The conference included an educational seminar organized by ICNA. Local faculty included Prof. Marzhan Lepessova, Dr. Latina Tekebayeva and Dr. Altynshash Jaxybayeva.

In 2001 the Foundation sponsored the stage of Mrs. Nazym Izzhanova, a chemical engineer from Almaty, at the Institute for Didactic Technologies of the National Research Council in Genoa, Italy. She studied distant education methodology.

In 2004 the Foundation supported educational training courses for Dr. Agzam Jumadilov and Dr. Arman Myrzhakypov, both from the National Scientific Centre of Surgery. The former studied at the La Sapienza University in Rome, Department of Anesthesiology (directed by Prof. P. Pietropaoli). The latter also studied at the La Sapienza, Department of Liver Transplantation (directed by Prof. P. Berlocco). The main objective for their specialization was the preparation of a group working on liver transplants. They have already executed work with animal models. In 2008 the first liver transplantation for humans was carried out.

In 2006 the Foundation supported other two doctors from Kazakhstan: Dr. Gulzhan Kydyrbayeva from the Kazakh Scientific Centre of Oncology, and Dr. Rosa Abedimova from the State Centre for Psychiatric Problems. Dr. Kydyrbayeva attended the Regina Elena Cancer Institute in Rome (directed by Prof. F. Cognetti) to specialize on head and neck tumors. She organized a meeting between Directors of the Regina Elena Centre and the Kazakh Scientific Centre of Oncology. The Directors agreed about future cooperation. In 2007 she was named Head of the Department of Microsurgery where she implements new techniques of operation. Dr. Abedimova attended the Department of Child Neurology and Child Psychiatry at the Tor-Vergata University in Rome, and successfully introduced in Kazakhstan new directions of medical science such as neuroendocrinology.

In 2006, the Foundation assigned a three year research grant to Prof. S. Kudaibergenov, Director of the Institute of Polymer Materials and Technology in Almaty. Prof. Kudaibergenov will be investigating the purification of wastewater by amphoteric gels. In cooperation with Prof. Ciferri, he has recently authored two critical surveys on the basic theory, application and function of polyampholytes.

In 2006 Prof. Ciferri visited Kazakhstan. During that visit he became acquainted with several research institutions in Almaty. One of the site visits was organized to the State Medical Institute of Advanced Postgraduate Education. He had a meeting with the Rector and prominent scientists from that Institute. Moreover, he visited the Department of Child Neurology at the Municipal Hospital № 7.

Prof. Ciferri was an invited honorary guest at International Conference on Surgery being held in Almaty. During that Conference he was elected Honorary Academician by the Kazakh Academy of Medical Science in recognition of the contributions made by the Jepa and the Jepa-Limmat Foundations to the development of medical science in Kazakhstan.

In 2007 Dr. Altynshash Jaxybayeva was elected as a member of the Technical Board of the Jepa-Limmat Foundation to assist in their planning of future activities in Kazakhstan.

In 2008 Professor Y. Miyerbekov, Head of the Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care at the National Center for Surgery in Almaty, visited several hospitals and university clinics in Rome to establish a cooperation in the area of cardiac surgery. The cooperation was implemented by the stage of two younger doctors, Drs. I. Illaladinov and V. Mutagirov, at the University La Sapienza and at the Hospital Bambin Gesù (coordinated by Prof. P. Pietropaoli and Dr. S. Picardo) for training in pediatric cardiac anesthesiology and reanimation. One of the results of this visits was the organization of a professional society of anesthesiology and intensive care in Kazakhstan which was registred in summer of 2008. The first Congress of Anesthesiologists and Intensivists/Reanimatologists of Kazakhstan was held on, October 17-19, 2008 in Almaty, Kazakhstan.

In 2009 the Jepa Foundation organized a three month stage of Dr. Aliya Utelbayeva, Kazakh Scientific Research Institute of Oncology and Radiology, at the Regina Elena National Cancer Institute in Rome under the supervision of Prof. P. Muti. This internship provided a unique opportunity to get acquainted with the organization of cancer care, in particular at the Division of Chemotherapy, the European treatment protocols, and new trends of clinical research in Italy. The Foundation also organized the two month stage of Dr.Tair Nurpeissov, Republican Allergological Center of the Research Institute of Cardiology and Internal Diseases, at the Department of Clinical Immunology and Allergology of “La Sapienza” University in Rome under the supervision of Prof. F. Salsano. The training course consisted of lectures, seminars, consulting in out-patient clinic, visits of hospital patients with allergic, immunologic and rheumatologic pathologies, making skin tests with allergens extracts in vitro, acquaintance with diagnostic laboratorial and functional equipment, obtaining access to the Internet data bank of the University library.

In 2009 Dr. Altynshash Jaxybayeva successfully passed her doctoral thesis. Her work was translated into English and reviewed by leading experts including Prof. P. Curatolo, Past President of International Child Neurology Association, and Prof. C. Kennedy President of the European Pediatric Neurology Society

In 2009 Prof. Ciferri visited again Kazakhstan. During this visit he had several meetings devoted to the continuation of support for former students from Kazakhstan. According to the strategic plan of the Foundation, he visited already existing centers of excellence, such as the Center of Child Neurology, established by former student Prof. Marzhan Lepessova, and providing many specialized activities, including international conferences and educational seminars. A project for a Children Hospital in Almaty was discussed with the competent authorities. Another well established center supported by the Foundation, that of Anesthesiology at the Kazakh National Center of Surgery was visited. In May 2009 the latter organized in Almaty an International Seminar on Anesthesiology and Intensive Care which was chaired by Prof. P. Pietropaoli of the University La Sapienza . During his visit to Almaty Prof. Ciferri made attempted to initiate a network cooperation between the Regina Elena Cancer Institute in Rome and the Oncology Institute in Almaty.The project has not so far been implemented by the italian side. A long term coopetation between the Anesthesiology Department at La Sapienza University and the Kazakh Center of Surgery is now being implemented.

In September 2009 Dr. Altynshash Jaxybayeva, acting as a member of Technical Board of the Foundation, visited the Tashkent Medical University and made some valuable contacts with Uzbek young scientists. The situation with advanced education in Uzbekistan is worse then in Kazakhstan, we are planning to organize training courses in Italy in 2011 for an endocrinologist and a radiologist.

The plan for 2010 involves the training in Rome of two candidates from the Urology Department of the Almaty State Medical Institute of Advanced Education (Dr. Azamat Asubayev and Dr. Samzhar Shalekenov), and one candidate from the Infection Diseases Center at Semey City in Eastern Kazakhstan, thus expanding the activity of the Foundation to other regions of Kazakhstan.

In the field of educational support we are considering to offer distance learning courses, in particular the Master Course in Child Neurology organized by Prof. P. Curatolo at the Tor Vergata University in Rome. Moreover, bordering activities like environmental and additional influences on human health are being considered. Finally, ecologically-relevant problems, such as water purification or solid decontamination, will be increasingly tackled.

List of co-sponsored Publications and Theses

1. Lepessova M.M., Tekebayeva L.A., Jaxybayeva A., Abedimova R.A. The complex neuro-paraclinic investigations for diagnostic of psychiatric of children. Official Journal of Japanese Society of Child Neurology “Brain and Development”, 1998.- Vol.20.-№6.- P.451.
2. Lepessova M., Jaxybayeva A. Investigation of distribution behavioral problems such as learning disabilities and attention deficit/ hyperactivity disorder in children from different age groups and correlation of EEG charts. Abstract book from 5-th regional congress of pediatric societies of Turkish speaking countries with international participation. Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan.-1999.-P.57.
3. Jaxybayeva A. Neurological and clinical features of attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome at preschool children. Collection of scientific articles from scientific and practical conferences «Actual questions of pediatric and child surgery», Almaty.-1999.-С.25-26 ( in Russian).
4. Lepessova М.М., Jaxybayeva А. Etiological amount of pre and perinatal instabilities at children with attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome aged 2-5. Collection of scientific articles «Questions of morphology and clinic», Almaty.- 2000.-№4.- С.386-388 (in Russian)
5. Lepessova М., Jaxybayeva А. Diagnostic and correction of ADHD at preschool children. Methodological manual. Almaty.- 2002.- 24 p (in Russian)
6. Jaxybayeva A. Correlation of developmental neurological findings with EEG evaluations in pre-school age children. Official Journal of Japanese Society of Child Neurology.- 2002.-Vol.34.-P.283.
7. Lepessova M., Jaxybayeva A. Nootropic drugs in therapy of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Official Journal of Japanese Society of Child Neurology “Brain and Development”.-2002.-Vol.24.№6.-P.612.
8. Jaxybayeva A. Neuroimaging methods for diagnosis of behavior deviations in the early life. Official Journal of Japanese Society of Child Neurology, “Brain and Development”.-2002.-Vol.24.№6.-P.587-588.
9. Jaxybayeva А. Clinical and functional characteristic of attention deficit hyperactivity syndrome at preschool children. PhD Thesis, Almaty-2002 (in Russian).
10. Jaxybayeva А. Correction of behavioral deviations at children. Collection of scientific articles «Actual questions of prenatal neurology», Almaty-2003.-P.35-38 (in Russian).
11. Jaxybayeva A., Lepessova M. Clinical features of ADHD at preschool age children. Eurasian Medical Journal - №2, 2004 (in Russian).
12. Abedimova R., Jaxybayeva A. Neuropsychological assessment of children with developmental delay. Scientific and practical Journal “Psychiatry, psychotherapy and drug adduction”-№4.- 2004.-P.57-58 (in Russian).
13. Svetlichnyi D. S., Dolya N., Govenko P., Musabaeva B.Kh., Yashkarova M.G., Kudaibergenov S.E. Preparation and swelling characteristics of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks composed of poly(acrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/linear poly(ethyleneimine) or poly(ethyleneimine)-metal complexes, Eurasian Chemical Technological Journal, 2006.
14. Govenko P.V., Svetlichyi D.S., Dolya N.A., Yashkarova M.G., Kudaibergenov S.E.Synthesis and characterization of semi-interpenetrating system hydrogel-linear polymer. Communication 2. Templating of hydrogel matrix with respect to some metal ions. Vestnik of Semipalatinsk State University, 2007 (in Russian).
15. Kudaibergenov S.E., Svetlichnyi D.S., Dolya N., Musabaeva B.Kh., Yashkarova M.G., Bimendina L.A. Synthesis and characterization of semi-interpenetrating polymer networks composed of acrylamide based hydrogels and linear polyelectrolytes, European Polymer Congress, Portoroz, Slovenia, July 2-6, 2007.
16. Svetlichnyi D. S., Salmenbayev S., Orazzhanova L.K., Yashkarova M.G., Kudaibergenov S.E.Complexation of aminocrotonate based polybetaines with metal ions, 12th IUPAC Int. Symp. on MacroMolecular Complexes (MMC-12), Fukuoka, Japan, August-27-31, 2007.
17. CiferriA., Kudaibergenov S. Natural and Synthetic Polyampholytes. I. Theory and Basic Structures. Macromolecular Rapid Communications. 2007, 28, 1953-1968.
18. Kudaibergenov S., Ciferri A. Natural and Synthetic Polyampholytes. II. Functions and Applications. Macromolecular Rapid Communications. 2007, 28,1969-1986.
19. Kydyrbayeva G. Reconstruction and plastic surgery of defects replacement at the patients with oral cancer. Annual meeting of oncologists of Kazakhstan, Semey, September, 2007.
20. Kydyrbayeva G. Combination of tissue’s cuttings at treatment of oral defects at patients with oral cancer. Annual meeting of oncologists of Kazakhstan, Semey, September, 2007.
21. Abedimova R. The characteristic of theEEG changes in children with diabetes mellitus type 1. "Quantitative EEG and neurotherapy"Abstract-bookof the Russia scientific-practical congress, 15-16 October 2007, S-Petersburg, S.4
22. Abedimova R. Clinico-electrophysiological characteristics of diabetic neuropathy in children European Journal of Paediatric Neurology. 7th European Paediatric Neurology Society, EPNS Congress 26 - 29 September 2007, Kusadasi, Turkey - V.11, S 1, 2007. P. 74
23. Jaxybayeva A. Clinical Assessment of Children with Developmental Delay. European Jornal of Pediatric Neurology. - Vol.12, suppl. 1. May, 2008. - P.60-61
24. Mierbekov E.M., Artykbayev Z.T.. Sevofluren's cardioprotective affect in patients, operated on myocard revascularization win cardio-pulmonary bypass. J. Anesthesiology and Reanimatology of Kazakhstan N°1, 2008
25. Mierbekov E.M., Ilaletdinov I.D., Doshekeyeva A.Z. Antilogous blood rein fusion in thoraco-abdominal aorta operation. J. Anesthesiology and Reanimatology of Kazakhstan N°1, 2008
26. Mierbekov E.M., Ilaletdinov I.D., Kusainov A.Sh. Antilogous blood rein fusion in reconstructive operation on abdominal aorta. J. Anesthesiology and Reanimatology of Kazakhstan N°1, 2008
27. G. Tatykhanova, Immobilization of biologically active substances within thermo-and pH sensitive hydrogel matrices. PhD Thesis, Almaty-2008.
28. G. Tatykhanova, M. Yashkarova, S. Kudaibergenov. Immobilization of some bioactive substances to and controlled release from N-isopropylacrylamide based hydrogels. Materials of III International workshop “Specialty polymers for environment protection, bio-, nanotechnology and medicine”, Almaty, May 28, 2008. p. 52.
29. G. Tatykhanova, A. Ivanov, I. Galaev, S. Kudaibergenov. Preparation and characterization of boronate-containing copolymers for sugar sensing. Materials of III International workshop “Specialty polymers for environment protection, bio-, nanotechnology and medicine”, Almaty, May 28, 2008. p. 54.
30. N.A. Dolya, A.K. Zharmagambetova, Zh.E. Ibraeva, S.E. Kudaibergenov.Polyethyleneimine-metal complexes immobilized within acrylamide-based hydrogel matrix as catalysts of cyclohexane oxidation. Express Polymer Letters (submitted).
31. G. S. Tatykhanova, G.A. Bektenova, S.E. Kudaibergenov. Immobilization of catalase within poly-N-isopropylacrylamide hydrogels and evaluation of its temperature-dependent activity. Reports of National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan (submitted).