Pain Catastrophizing Is Associated With Health-Related Quality of Life in Patients With Hip Osteoarthritis: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between pain catastrophizing (PC) and health-related quality of life (HRQoL), while accounting for pain intensity and other factors in patients with hip osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study included a total of 160 participants and was conducted at five hospitals in Japan. The primary outcome was the HRQoL status, which was assessed using the Japanese version of the 12-item Short Form.

Establishment of culture systems for Genotypes 3 and 4 hepatitis E virus (HEV) obtained from human blood and application of HEV inactivation using a pathogen reduction technology system.

Background: It has been demonstrated that the hepatitis E virus (HEV) can be transmitted via blood transfusion, and the risk of HEV transmission via transfusion has become a major global concern. An HEV culture system for blood-derived HEV has been sought to obtain valuable knowledge of the virus and the risk of HEV infection through blood products.

Study Design And Methods: We endeavored to establish an HEV culture system using RNA-positive blood specimens for Genotypes (G) 3 and 4 and applied this system to evaluate tissue culture infectious dose (TCID).

Xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus proviral DNA not detected in blood samples donated in Japan.

The xenotropic murine leukemia virus-related virus (XMRV) was first described as a novel human gammaretrovirus in prostate tumor tissues and was reported to be found in blood, suggesting the possibility of XMRV transmission via blood transfusion. The gag and env regions of the XMRV proviral DNA that were detected 1,030 blood samples collected from the greater Tokyo area were examined by real-time PCR analysis. However, XMRV infection was not found in the samples; this suggested that the risk of XMRV transmission via transfusion is very low in Japan.

No viremia of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 was demonstrated in blood donors who had donated blood during the probable incubation period.

Background: In the spring of 2009, the novel swine-origin influenza A (pandemic [H1N1] 2009) virus emerged and spread globally. Although no established cases of transfusion-transmitted influenza have been reported, the widespread outbreak of pandemic (H1N1) 2009 caused serious concern regarding the safety of blood products. The Japanese Red Cross Blood Centers have intercepted blood products with accompanying postdonation information indicating possible pandemic (H1N1) 2009 infection.