Studying Changes of the Effective Radius in Blood Vessels after Exposure of Lower Extremities to Periodical Mechanical Vibrations.

Background: Previous studies demonstrated a health improving effect in patients underwent an automatic vibratory massage taking 10 minutes. One of reasons that may explain a healing effect of the automatic massage is a stimulated increase in both blood circulation through vascular system and effective size of blood vessels.

Objective: This paper aims to quantify a contribution of the automatic mechanical massage of lower extremities into the observed reduction in arterial blood pressure and explain this effect.

[The reduction of the HIV vulnerability of women involved in the sex business in Ukraine through social mobilization and the creation of self-support networks].

The importance of making plans on projects and measures, aimed at the prevention of HIV infection and the social development of female sex workers (FSW) with due regard to observing the principles of human rights protection, is discussed. The materials and resolutions of the First International Conference "Social Development of HIV-Vulnerable Groups of Population", held of Kiev on December 26, 1998, are presented. The conference was attended by representatives of state and public organizations, specialists on the organization of the prevention of HIV and sexually transmitted diseases among FSW, lawyers, physicians and representatives of the HIV-vulnerable target group (FSW) from 7 Ukrainian cities and from Belarus.

[The results of a joint project of the State Department of Ukraine on the Implementation of Punishments and UNAIDS to decrease the risk of the spread of HIV in the prisons of Ukraine].

During the period of 1987-1999 altogether 7,800 cases of HIV infection were detected among the prisoners of the penitentiary institutions of the Ukraine. In 1997 the penitentiary system of the Ukraine abolished the mandatory testing and isolation of HIV-positive persons. In April 1998 the realization of measures aimed at reducing the spread of HIV infection started in the penitentiary system.

[The joint work of NGOs and UNAIDS in realizing a project for the prevention of HIV/AIDS among people using narcotics by injection in a region with relatively low rates of HIV infection spread].

In recent years the Ukraine has become the epicenter of AIDS in Eastern Europe, though there are still regions with a relatively low number of HIV-infected persons, such as Vinnitsa Province. After the comprehensive study of the factors contributing to the spread of HIV infection in groups of risk the realistic evaluation of the epidemiological danger could be made and the preventive work could be carried out with the help of collaboration between a non-governmental organization (NGO) and the UN Theme Group on the Problems of HIV/AIDS. The successful work of the Public Congress "Stalist" one of such NGO, in Vinnitsa in 1998-1999, carried out with the financial and methodological support of UNAIDS in the Ukraine, created conditions for the introduction of such components of the strategy of harm reduction as information and educational work, as well as the exchange of syringes and needles, which showed a high degree of efficiency in controlling the spread of HIV/AIDS.