The 2014 Victorian State Election

Victoria is earning a reputation for producing surprising election results. According to political commentators and the opinion polls, the 1999 election was expected to return the Coalition Government and the 2010 election was expected to return the Labor Government, yet neither did. Even though the polls had long placed Labor ahead of the Coalition, the party’s election to office at the 2014 election was still regarded as a significant outcome. This was because of the removal of the Coalition Government after only one term in power, when history has shown us that governments in Victoria are often likely to consolidate their position at their first return to the ballot box. It had been more than half a century since Victoria experienced a single term government, in 1952-55, and it was a casualty of the split of the Australian Labor Party. It should be noted however, that the close numbers in the Legislative Assembly in the last Parliament — 44 Coalition, 43 Labor and one Independent, and the redistribution of the state’s electoral boundaries, meant that Labor required a notional uniform swing of only around 1 per cent to gain government. The election result was that Labor secured government by obtaining a total of 47 seats in the 88 seat Parliament with a swing of 3.6 per cent on a two-party preferred basis. This election is also historic for the election of two representatives of the Greens Party into the Legislative Assembly: the first time the party has won seats in the Lower House in Victoria. Also, notable, was the election of an Independent in what had been a very safe National Party seat (Shepparton). The make-up of the Legislative Council after the election was also significantly changed. Neither of the major parties won a majority in the Upper House, and the Greens and four other minor parties won ten seats between them. As stated earlier, this paper provides a description and analysis of the results the 2014 Victorian state election, set out in three main sections. Part A of the paper provides some context to the outcome of the election by examining the redistribution of Victoria’s state electoral boundaries, and key issues during the life of the 57th Parliament. Part B of the paper provides an overview of the election campaign, the leaders’ debate, preference deals, social media, key policies, and polls data in the lead up to, and during the campaign. This section also includes a brief overview of the minor parties. Part C of the paper examines the outcomes of the election in both houses and how the parties fared. It also contains a short section on women MPs, new and departing MPs, voter turnout, and the number of candidates contesting the election. Part C also provides statistical tables for each district and region and additional tables and information on relevant voter statistics

Investigation of hospital discharge cases and SARS-CoV-2 introduction into Lothian care homes

Background The first epidemic wave of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) in Scotland resulted in high case numbers and mortality in care homes. In Lothian, over one-third of care homes reported an outbreak, while there was limited testing of hospital patients discharged to care homes. Aim To investigate patients discharged from hospitals as a source of SARS-CoV-2 introduction into care homes during the first epidemic wave. Methods A clinical review was performed for all patients discharges from hospitals to care homes from 1st March 2020 to 31st May 2020. Episodes were ruled out based on coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) test history, clinical assessment at discharge, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) data and an infectious period of 14 days. Clinical samples were processed for WGS, and consensus genomes generated were used for analysis using Cluster Investigation and Virus Epidemiological Tool software. Patient timelines were obtained using electronic hospital records. Findings In total, 787 patients discharged from hospitals to care homes were identified. Of these, 776 (99%) were ruled out for subsequent introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes. However, for 10 episodes, the results were inconclusive as there was low genomic diversity in consensus genomes or no sequencing data were available. Only one discharge episode had a genomic, time and location link to positive cases during hospital admission, leading to 10 positive cases in their care home. Conclusion The majority of patients discharged from hospitals were ruled out for introduction of SARS-CoV-2 into care homes, highlighting the importance of screening all new admissions when faced with a novel emerging virus and no available vaccine

SARS-CoV-2 Omicron is an immune escape variant with an altered cell entry pathway

Vaccines based on the spike protein of SARS-CoV-2 are a cornerstone of the public health response to COVID-19. The emergence of hypermutated, increasingly transmissible variants of concern (VOCs) threaten this strategy. Omicron (B.1.1.529), the fifth VOC to be described, harbours multiple amino acid mutations in spike, half of which lie within the receptor-binding domain. Here we demonstrate substantial evasion of neutralization by Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 variants in vitro using sera from individuals vaccinated with ChAdOx1, BNT162b2 and mRNA-1273. These data were mirrored by a substantial reduction in real-world vaccine effectiveness that was partially restored by booster vaccination. The Omicron variants BA.1 and BA.2 did not induce cell syncytia in vitro and favoured a TMPRSS2-independent endosomal entry pathway, these phenotypes mapping to distinct regions of the spike protein. Impaired cell fusion was determined by the receptor-binding domain, while endosomal entry mapped to the S2 domain. Such marked changes in antigenicity and replicative biology may underlie the rapid global spread and altered pathogenicity of the Omicron variant

Factors That Affect Dose to the Eyes of the Operator of a C-arm Guided Procedure

The purpose of this research was to determine if there is a significant difference in dose to the eyes of the operator when imaging anatomy of different sizes and manipulating collimation in c-arm-guided procedures. Fluoroscopy is utilized in diagnostic radiology to provide real time images of internal structures. Although fluoroscopy plays an important role in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases in patients, it exposes the staff assisting in the procedure to higher amounts of occupational dose. As a result, radiosensitive tissues such as the lens of the eyes, are more susceptible to damage and can result in the formation of cataracts. The members of the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP), recommended that occupational exposure for eye lens dose should be no greater than 20 mSv per year (2011). The research conducted in this experiment identifies the amount of radiation a radiologic technologist could be exposed to when imaging body parts of different tissue thickness in fluoroscopic procedures. It also evaluates the difference in dose received to the lens of the eyes of the operator when collimating to only the anatomy of interest. In this experiment, the following null hypotheses will be tested: Null hypothesis 1: There is no significant difference in dose to the lens of the eyes of the operator when imaging anatomy of different sizes during a c-arm guided procedure.Null hypothesis 2: There is no significant difference in dose to the lens of the eyes of the operator when utilizing collimation during a c-arm guided procedure

IL-10 supplementation increases Tregs and decreases hypertension in the RUPP rat model of preeclampsia

OBJECTIVE: The reduced uterine perfusion pressure (RUPP) rat model of preeclampsia was used to determine the effects of added interleukin-10 (IL-10) on Tregs and hypertension in response to placental ischemia and how the decrease in these anti-inflammatory factors mediates the pathophysiology of preeclampsia. METHODS: IL-10 (2.5 ng/kg/d) was infused via osmotic mini-pump implanted intraperitoneally on day 14 of gestation and, at the same time, the RUPP procedure was performed. RESULTS: IL-10 reduced mean arterial pressure (p<0.001), decreased CD4(+) T cells (p = 0.044), while increasing Tregs (p = 0.043) which led to lower IL-6 and TNF-α (p = 0.008 and p = 0.003), reduced AT1-AA production (p<0.001), and decreased oxidative stress (p = 0.029) in RUPP rats. CONCLUSION: These data indicate that IL-10 supplementation increases Tregs and helps to balance the altered immune system seen during preeclampsia