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The encephalomyocarditis virus 3C protease has been observed to undergo rapid degradation, both in vivo in mouse cells and in vitro in reticulocyte lysate. Experiments were carried out to characterize the turnover of the 3C protease in reticulocyte lysate. 3C protease prepared in reticulocyte lysate by in vitro translation and processing of a precursor polyprotein could be separated from the proteolytic activity responsible for its degradation. This implies the 3C protease is not directly involved in its own proteolysis. Active 3C protease flanked by only a few amino acids was degraded at a rate identical to that of a similar protein containing an inactivated catalytic site. This indicates that 3C protease activity is not indirectly required for the proteolytic process. Other viral proteins, including the 3D polymerase and capsid proteins, were relatively stable in the lysate. In addition, polyprotein precursors containing 3C protease with an inactive catalytic site and various flanking proteins displayed distinctly different stabilities. These results suggest that the reticulocyte proteolytic system functions in a selective manner toward the viral proteins. The effects of several proteolytic inhibitors on the lysate proteolytic system were evaluated. The results of these experiments indicate that the rapid degradation of the EMC virus 3C protease requires the hydrolysis of ATP.

Cancer recurrence may present unique stressors for patients receiving chemotherapy. The objectives of this exploratory study were to (1) describe perceptions of symptom distress, self-care burden, appraisal of illness, and mood in patients undergoing chemotherapy, (2) identify differences in these perceptions according to stage of illness (new versus recurrent cancer), and (3) test a theoretical model of the mediating effects of appraisal. Subjects completed a modified Symptom Distress Scale, the Self-Care Burden Scale, the Family Hardiness Index, the Appraisal of Illness Scale, the short form of the Profile of Mood States, and a self-report form that included personal and illness characteristics and questions about the subjects' current situation. The 60 subjects were outpatients being treated for initial cancer (n = 28) or recurrent cancer (n = 32). Those with recurrence had higher symptom distress and health deviation self-care burden scores and more stressful appraisals; mood scores were low and did not differ between groups. Appraisal, symptom distress, and perceived seriousness predicted 36% of variance in affective mood, with appraisal partially mediating the effects of symptom distress. Somatic mood (36%) was best predicted by symptom distress and universal self-care burden (USCB). Economic status, symptom distress, and recurrence status predicted 49% of appraisal variance. Symptom distress was predicted best by recurrence and symptom control; USCB was predicted best by economic status and perceived dependency. Results suggest the need for different nursing interventions for the two groups. Further model testing is recommended.

Relocation to a nursing home can be stressful and may result in mental and physical illness. Appraisal, or the meaning assigned to relocation, can influence relocation outcome. This study examined the relationships between appraisal of relocation and 30 nursing home residents' psychological and physical health, morale, functional independence, and demographic and situational factors, including age, gender, income, education, prior residence, participation in the decision to relocate, and preparation for the move. Positive, benign, and challenge appraisals were related to higher morale and functional independence. Threat appraisal was related to poorer psychological health and lower morale. Harm-loss appraisal was associated with lower morale and lower functional independence. Preparation for the move was related to higher positive appraisal, higher morale, functional independence, and lower harm-loss scores. Implications include the need to assess people's appraisal of relocation so as to plan strategies that prevent relocation stress.

People who experience chronic low back pain face significant changes in their lives, and it is unclear why some people adapt to the pain situation better than others. Using a cognitive appraisal model, outcomes of the pain situation were examined in 40 chronic low back pain patients using situational control and appraisal of illness as predicted mediating factors. This article presents background of the problem and the results of the study.

The purposes of this exploratory study of 49 family caregivers of patients receiving chemotherapy were to describe the time and difficulty associated with caregiving tasks, examine caregivers' appraisals of their situations, and to explore what variables are predictive of caregiver mood. Measures used in this study included the Caregiving Burden Scale, Appraisal of Caregiving Scale, Family Hardiness Index, and an abbreviated form of the Profile of Mood States. Multiple regression was used to examine predictive relationships. The 25 women and 24 men reported spending the most time giving emotional support and assisting with household tasks, errands, and transportation. Giving emotional support was the most time-consuming and difficult task; therefore, it received the highest burden score. Burden was predicted by level of patient dependency. Caregiving burden, family hardiness, and caregiver health predicted 50% of the variance in negative appraisal of caregiving. Negative appraisal and age of the caregiver explained 49% of the variance in mood disturbance. Findings suggest that caregivers' appraisals of their situations may mediate the effects of illness and contextual factors on caregiver outcomes and that family hardiness is an important caregiver resource.

This study was undertaken to describe the self-care burden (SCB) of persons receiving radiation as outpatients, to identify factors contributing to SCB, and to test a model of the effects of SCB, symptom distress, and appraisal of illness on mood. The subjects were 72 adults with cancer who had been in treatment an average of 4 weeks. Fatigue was reported to be the most distressing symptom. Among health deviation self-care tasks, coming for treatment was the most demanding, and self-treatment, such as administering medications, was the most difficult. Universal self-care activities most disrupted by treatment were social and recreational activities. Path analysis revealed that dependency was the primary predictor of health deviation SCB, while symptom distress was the best predictor of universal SCB. Universal SCB and family hardiness were the best predictors of appraisal scores. Symptom distress and somatic mood were highly correlated, suggesting collinearity between these factors. Four variables--appraisal, symptom distress, family hardiness, and health deviation SCB--explained 55% of the variance in affective mood scores. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.

This study was designed to compare the effectiveness of two approaches to urinary catheter management in controlling postoperative urinary dysfunction in 110 patients following abdominoperineal resection or low anterior bowel resection. Patients, stratified by sex and surgical procedure, were randomly assigned to either straight gravity drainage or a 6-day progressive catheter clamping program. The bladder training program following abdominoperineal resection reduced significantly the urinary dysfunction rate in women but not in men. Marked differences in dysfunction rates were related to type of surgery, gender, and surgeon. Etiology of postoperative voiding dysfunction in various groups is discussed.

Temporal patterns of distress among two groups of nonterminally ill, surgically treated cancer patients (n = 40) and their spouses (n = 40) during the immediate pre- and postdischarge period were studied. Data about problems encountered and standardized measures of distress (State Anxiety Index, Brief Symptom Index, and Vulnerability Index) were obtained before hospital discharge and at 10, 30, 60, 90, and 180 days postdischarge. The intensity of distress experienced by patients and spouses was remarkably similar, although the temporal pattern of occurrence was significantly different. Prior to discharge, spouse anxiety was significantly higher than that of the patients and above the norm for hospitalized persons. Spouses were least distressed after 10 days at home, but thereafter experienced a rise in vulnerability culminating in observable clinical depression at 90 and 180 days. Peak distress for the patients occurred 10 days after discharge as a function of physical symptoms that were unexpected or more severe than anticipated. Patients with ostomies (n = 20) were slower to return to pre-illness functional levels and had somewhat more psychological distress than nonostomy patients.

The primary purpose of this investigation was to construct a quantitative scale to measure the perception of severity of visible disfigurement and dysfunction following ablative head and neck cancer surgery. Facial disfigurement and disruption of physical function induced by head and neck surgery pose formidable obstacles to the medical and psychosocial adaptation of cancer patients. Although this problem is widely acknowledged, virtually no research has attempted reliable and valid measurement of such concepts. Consequently, the present study investigated the psychological perceptions of 100 registered nurses regarding 11 disfiguring surgical procedures and loss of associated functions. Results indicated that the nurses' judgments of disfigurement and dysfunction were highly consistent and not a function of patient gender. Judgments of the severity of disfigurement, moreover, were independent of the perceived severity of associated dysfunction. It was concluded that this is a reliable method for measuring the relative degree of disfigurement and dysfunction and represents a critical precursor to prediction of a patient's psychological rehabilitation and compliance with medical care after surgery.

Selection of outcome measures needs to go beyond assessment of knowledge gains to include indicators of adherence to the self-care regimen and health outcomes. Because standard didactic approaches are relatively ineffective in fostering participation in self-care, program content should be individualized and may need considerable reinforcement. In studies of program effectiveness, both the experimental and the comparison conditions should be monitored. Although a wide variety of patient, educator, and situational characteristics may mediate program efficacy, a lack of theoretically based studies and insufficient replication precludes generalizable conclusions about these or other aspects of patient teaching.

Members of the American Nurses' Association Council of Nurse Researchers were surveyed for information about their nursing research funding activity within the private sector: their submission of proposals to private organizations, the outcomes, and effective funding strategies. Results indicated that 51% of applications submitted to private organizations and 78% of intramural applications were funded. However, 65% of proposals funded by private organizations and 59% of intramurally supported projects were for $3,000 or less. A variety of strategies led to private sector support of successful nursing research proposals. These included making direct, personal contact with funding agencies, matching proposals with the needs and interests of the funding agency, networking with other professionals to obtain funding information, and submitting well-written proposals consistent with agency guidelines.