The aim of this study was to ascertain Turkish tour guides' awareness and attitudes regarding HIV and AIDS. A sample of 516 tour guides registered in Turkey who verbally consented to participate in this study responded to an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire. The respondents typically exhibited a reasonable to excellent degree of knowledge about HIV and AIDS. However, the survey revealed some common misconceptions, indicating that tour guides require additional training in the mechanisms of HIV transmission. We also observed some differences in the level of HIV-related knowledge between different demographic groups. The knowledge level of male respondents was better than that of the female respondents. We also observed that knowledge levels increased with both age and work experience. These results are discussed within the framework of critical studies on HIV-related knowledge. Implications for the development of curricula and in-service training programmes for tour guide organisations and institutions are discussed.

Human serum paraoxonase (PON1, EC 3.1.8.1.) is a high-density lipid (HDL)-associated, calciumdependent enzyme. In this study, the effects of Haloperidol, Fluoxetine hydrochloride, Diazepam and Acepromazine drugs used for the therapy of antidepressant and antipsychotic diseases, on paraoxonase enzyme activity was studied in in vitro inhibition studies on purified human serum PON1. PON1 enzyme was purified from human blood using two-step procedures, namely, ammonium sulfate precipitation and sepharose-4B-l-tyrosine-1-napthylamine hydrophobic interaction chromatography. The overall purification of human serum PON1 was obtained in a activity of 109.29 U/mL and this enzyme was purified 125-fold. The SDSpolyacrylamide gel electrophoresis of the enzyme indicates a single band with an apparent MW of 43 kDa. Inhibition studies indicated that haloperidol and fluoxetine hydrocloride were effective inhibitors on purified human serum PON1 activity with IC 50 of 0.187 and 3.08 mM values, respectively. The kinetics of interaction of haloperidol and fluoxetine hydrocloride with the purified human serum PON1 indicated uncompetitive inhibiton pattern with K i of 4.15 and 0.007 mM, respectively.

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The paraoxonase gene family in humans consists of three members as PON1, PON2 and PON3. PON2 can be expressed in several tissues; however, it is not released from the cells in those tissues. PON2 is also expressed in macrophages. Firstly, the commonly used NSAIDs diclofenac sodium and tenoxicam were applied on U937 cell line, the in vitro human monocyte cell line. Than PON2 specific Lactonase activity and paraoxonase family specific arylesterase were determined. Use of Diclofenac sodium in 0.845 mM dose during 6-12 h of incubation and Tenoxicam in 0.74 mM dose during 6 h of incubation resulted in a significant decline in the lactonase activity. Diclofenac sodium didn't make any change in the arylesterase activity. On the other hand, tenoxicam decreased arylesterase activity during the use of 12 h, in 0.74 mM and 1.48 mM dose.