Development Company Ltd Research Articles

Real-life insights on menstrual cycles and ovulation using big data.

STUDY QUESTIONWhat variations underlie the menstrual cycle length and ovulation day of women trying to conceive?SUMMARY ANSWERBig data from a connected ovulation test revealed the extent of variation in menstrual cycle length and ovulation day in women trying to conceive.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYTiming intercourse to coincide with the fertile period of a woman maximises the chances of conception. The day of ovulation varies on an inter- and intra-individual level.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATIONA total of 32 595 women who had purchased a connected ovulation test system contributed 75 981 cycles for analysis. Day of ovulation was determined from the fertility test results. The connected home ovulation test system enables users to identify their fertile phase. The app benefits users by enabling them to understand their personal fertility information. During each menstrual cycle, users input their perceived cycle length into an accessory application, and data on hormone levels from the tests are uploaded to the application and stored in an anonymised cloud database. This study compared users’ perceived cycle characteristics with actual cycle characteristics. The perceived and actual cycle length information was analysed to provide population ranges.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODSThis study analysed data from the at-home use of a commercially available connected home ovulation test by women across the USA and UK.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEOverall, 25.3% of users selected a 28-day cycle as their perceived cycle length; however, only 12.4% of users actually had a 28-day cycle. Most women (87%) had actual menstrual cycle lengths between 23 and 35 days, with a normal distribution centred on day 28, and over half of the users (52%) had cycles that varied by 5 days or more. There was a 10-day spread of observed ovulation days for a 28-day cycle, with the most common day of ovulation being Day 15. Similar variation was observed for all cycle lengths examined. For users who conducted a test on every day requested by the app, a luteinising hormone (LH) surge was detected in 97.9% of cycles.LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTIONData were from a self-selected population of women who were prepared to purchase a commercially available product to aid conception and so may not fully represent the wider population. No corresponding demographic data were collected with the cycle information.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSUsing big data has provided more personalised insights into women’s fertility; this could enable women trying to conceive to better time intercourse, increasing the likelihood of conception.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTSThe study was funded by SPD Development Company Ltd (Bedford, UK), a fully owned subsidiary of SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH (Geneva, Switzerland). I.S., B.G. and S.J. are employees of the SPD Development Company Ltd.

Actavis v Lilly: the madness begins

Generics (UK) Ltd (t/a Mylan) v Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd [2017] EWHC 2629 (Pat), High Court of England and Wales, 26 October 2017 In light of the recent Supreme Court decision in Actavis UK Ltd v Eli Lilly and Co [2017] UKSC 48, the Patents Court has considered the correct approach to the interpretation of patent claims and Mr Justice Arnold has held that the doctrine of equivalents does not apply when assessing novelty.

A Study on the Present Scenario of Solar Irrigation in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a primarily agrarian economy. Irrigation plays a very important role in our agriculture as well as on economy. During dry season, irrigation of the whole country faces an acute crisis due to load shedding of 1400 MW [1]. As Bangladesh has good solar resources, with high availability during the peak irrigation season, therefore, solar pumping of water for irrigation is an innovative and environment-friendly solution for its largely agro-based economy. Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (IDCOL) is providing financial support to solar irrigation. Already 450 irrigation pumps have been installed by IDCOL in different divisions of Bangladesh. In this paper, 450 project’s data has been analyzed and the findings are shown by different graphs. Different division’s radiation, water-head and required water are mainly focused in the analysis which will be very useful for upcoming irrigation projects. To accomplish the analysis on solar irrigation, several field visits were done at Poradaho, Kushtia, Bangladesh. This is a project of Bright Green Energy Foundation (BGEF) and financed by IDCOL. Numerous important prospects of solar irrigation besides Diesel-based Irrigation in Bangladesh have come out from this comparative study.

Preconception and early pregnancy maternal haemodynamic changes in healthy women in relation to pregnancy viability.

Are there differences in preconception cardiovascular function between women who have a viable pregnancy and those who have a first trimester miscarriage? Preconception cardiovascular function of central haemodynamics and arterial function are similar between women who have a viable pregnancy and those who have a first trimester miscarriage. Miscarriages have been associated with increased long-term cardiovascular disease risk, and arterial and cardiovascular dysfunction has been hypothesised as the common link. It is not known if these risks are present prior to pregnancy or are a reflection of poor arterial and haemodynamic adaptation to pregnancy. This prospective longitudinal preconception cohort study was conducted over 18 months. In total, 367 participants were recruited pre-pregnancy, from which 197 pregnancies were recorded; 39 of these pregnancies ended in first trimester miscarriage. Complete longitudinal data were available for 172 pregnancies (140 viable pregnancies, 32 first trimester miscarriages) from pre-pregnancy to 6 weeks gestation. This was a single site study based at a maternity hospital in London. Healthy women were recruited prior to natural conception and followed up once they became pregnant. All underwent haemodynamic [cardiac output (CO), peripheral vascular resistance (PVR)] and arterial function [aortic augmentation index (AIx) and pulse wave velocity (PWV)] testing prior to pregnancy and at 6 weeks gestation, using non-invasive devices (gas re-breathing method, Innocor® and an occilometric device, Vicorder®). Cross-sectional measurements at pre-pregnancy and 6 weeks gestation and a longitudinal analysis of changes were compared between women who had a subsequent viable pregnancy, and those who had a subsequent first trimester miscarriage. There were no differences between women destined to have a healthy ongoing pregnancy compared to those who miscarried, in terms of baseline cardiovascular function, assessed by CO, PVR, PWV or AIx. Similarly, between the groups, there were no differences in pregnancy adaptation with similar trends in cardiovascular function changes from pre-pregnancy to 6 weeks gestation. Whilst this is the first study to investigate preconception and early pregnancy haemodynamic and arterial function in relation to viability, the relatively modest number of miscarriages may not be sufficient to show subtle differences in haemodynamic changes if these were present. This study suggests that pre-pregnancy haemodynamic and arterial function is unlikely to be the causal link between miscarriages and future cardiovascular disease. Our findings suggests that factors other than the presence of a viable embryo drive cardiovascular changes in early pregnancy. This study raises new questions about miscarriages as an independent risk event which predisposes women to increased cardiovascular risk later in life. The investigators are funded by NIHR Imperial BRC, NIHR Cambridge BRC, Action Medical Research, Imperial College Healthcare Charity and Tommy's Charity. We acknowledge the loan of ultrasound equipment from Samsung Medison (South Korea)/MIS Ltd and provision of fertility monitors from SPD Development Company Ltd (Bedford, UK). There are no competing interests. C.C.L. is supported by the UK National Institute for Health Research Biomedical Research Centre based at Imperial College Healthcare National Health Service Trust and Imperial College London. N/A.

Home ovulation tests and stress in women trying to conceive: a randomized controlled trial.

STUDY QUESTIONDoes the use of a digital home ovulation test have any effect on the level of stress in women seeking to conceive?SUMMARY ANSWERNo difference was found in levels of stress between women using digital ovulation tests to time intercourse compared with women who were trying to conceive without any additional aids: in addition, their use did not negatively impact time to conception in users but may provide additional benefits, including an increased understanding of the menstrual cycle, reassurance and confidence in focusing conception attempts to the correct time in the cycle.WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADYIt has been suggested that timing of intercourse in such a way that it coincides with ovulation by using ovulation tests can lead to emotional distress; however, no study has been conducted to investigate this hypothesis specifically, until now.STUDY DESIGN, SIZE AND DURATIONThe study was performed over two complete menstrual cycles as a prospective, randomized, controlled trial including quantitative and qualitative methods. The intervention (test) group were given digital ovulation tests to time intercourse to the most fertile time of the cycle and the control group were provided with the current National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence guidelines for increasing the chances of conception (intercourse every 2–3 days) and asked not to use any additional methods to time when ovulation occurs.PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING AND METHODSA total of 210 women who were seeking to conceive were recruited from the general UK population. A total of 115 women were randomized to the test group and 95 to the control group through block randomization. The positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS) and the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) were used to measure subjective stress levels, the Short-Form 12 health survey was used as a measure of general health and well-being and urine samples were measured for biochemical markers of stress including urinary cortisol. Qualitative data were collected in the form of a telephone interview upon study completion.MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCEThere was no evidence for a difference either in total stress as measured using the PSS or in total positive or negative affect using the PANAS questionnaire between the test and control groups at any time point for the duration of the study. During cycle 1, for example, on Day 6, the difference in total stress score (test–control) was −0.62 [95% confidence interval (CI) −2.47 to 1.24] and on the day of the LH surge, it was 0.53 (95% CI −1.38 to 2.44). In addition, no correlation was observed between time trying to conceive and levels of stress, or between age and levels of stress, and no evidence was found to show that stress affected whether or not a pregnancy was achieved. There is also no evidence that the biochemistry measurements are related to whether a pregnancy was achieved or of a difference in biochemistry between the treatment groups. The use of digital ovulation tests did not negatively affect time to conception and with an adequately sized study, could potentially show improvement. To ensure that the results of this study were not affected by chance, we used a number of different methods for measuring stress, each of which had been independently validated.LIMITATIONS AND REASONS FOR CAUTIONRandomization occurred before the start of the study because of the need to provide the ovulation tests in readiness for Day 6 of the first cycle. As a consequence, a number of women fell pregnant during this period (22 and 13 in the test and control groups, respectively). A further 15 women were either lost to follow-up or withdrew consent prior to study start. Pregnancy rate was higher overall in the test group, so to ensure that there were sufficient data from women who failed to become pregnant in the test group, we implemented an additional biased recruitment. This second cohort may have been different from the first, although no significant differences were observed between the two phases of recruitment for any of the information collected upon admission to the study.WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGSWomen who seek medical advice while trying to conceive should not be discouraged by health care professionals from using digital ovulation tests in order to time intercourse. The cohort of women recruited to this study initially had no evidence of infertility and were looking to conceive in a non-medical setting. A separate study to assess the impact of home ovulation tests in a subfertile population would be of interest and complementary to the present study.STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTERESTSThis study was funded by SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics, GmbH, manufacturer of Clearblue® pregnancy and ovulation tests. SPD Development Company Ltd is a wholly owned subsidiary of SPD Swiss Precision Diagnostics GmbH; together referred to as SPD.TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBERNCT01084304 (www.clinicaltrials.gov).

4898891 Antiviral compositions: David Lavie, Michel Revel, Dalia Rotman, Vincent V Velde, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4898891 Antiviral compositions: David Lavie, Michel Revel, Dalia Rotman, Vincent V Velde, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4861705 Method for removing components of biological fluids: Shlomo Margel, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4861705 Method for removing components of biological fluids: Shlomo Margel, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4898891 Antiviral compositions: David Lavie, Michael Revel, Dalia Rotman, Vincent V Velde, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4898891 Antiviral compositions: David Lavie, Michael Revel, Dalia Rotman, Vincent V Velde, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

Genetic estimates for growth and carcass traits of pigs from closed herds on restricted feeding

The major components of economic performance in pigs - growth rate, feed conversion ratio and carcass merit - have been the targets of selection for a number of years in the closed herds of breeding companies. Over the past 20 years substantial progress has been made for these traits. Declining fatness in closed herds may lead to a decline in the genetic variation for growth and carcass traits, and thus reduced opportunities for selection. This could arise either as genetic variation is exhausted in closed lines, or as physiological selection limits are approached. In this study genetic variation in closed lines with a history of selection for growth and carcass traits was investigated.The data were collected from two closed lines between 1979 and 1985 by the Cotswold Pig Development Company Ltd. The two lines were housed on a single farm in the same environment and had a history of selection based upon an index of growth rate and fat depths. There were 167 sires with 4722 male and 5386 female progeny in line A, a synthetic breed based largely upon the Landrace breed, and 164 sires with 4160 male and 3887 female progeny in line B, derived from the Large White breed.

Analysis of individual differences in behavioural responsiveness in pigs

Animals show considerable individual variation in many behaviour patterns such as feeding and mating behaviour. Often, this individual variability is ignored in favour of a more general description of the population. However, this may mask important information regarding the causes and functions of this individual variability. Behavioural work on other species has suggested that individuals tend to respond actively or passively to environmental challenge. It is of interest to know if a similar dimension of responsiveness exists in pigs as it may serve, amongst other things, to explain the considerable individual variability in pigs responses to putitive stresses such as tethered housing. This paper describes a series of tests made of behavioural responsiveness in pigs to assess the extent of consistent variability in individuals responses to a wide variety of environmental challenges.The subjects were two groups [Group A and B: n = 26 and 36 respectively) of modern hybrid non-pregnant gilts [Cotswold Pig Development Company Ltd, UK). Initially, the gilts were subjected to a number of tests of behavioural responsiveness at the Cotswold unit.

8701592 Virus inactivation: Arnold S Lippa, David I Scheer assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

8701592 Virus inactivation: Arnold S Lippa, David I Scheer assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4622292 Assay and kit for determining interferon: Michel Revel, David Wallach, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4622292 Assay and kit for determining interferon: Michel Revel, David Wallach, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4532220 Assays for the determination of carcinogenicity: Sara Lavi, Kiryat Ono, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4532220 Assays for the determination of carcinogenicity: Sara Lavi, Kiryat Ono, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4533252 Device and method and measurement of photosynthetic activity by photoacoustic spectroscopy: David Cahen, Shmuel Malkin, Benjami Horwitz, Gerard Bults, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4533252 Device and method and measurement of photosynthetic activity by photoacoustic spectroscopy: David Cahen, Shmuel Malkin, Benjami Horwitz, Gerard Bults, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research and Development Company Ltd

4478699 Photosynthetic solar energy collector and process for its use: Martin M Halmann, Mira Ulman, Benedict Aurian-Blajeni, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research & Development Company Ltd

4478699 Photosynthetic solar energy collector and process for its use: Martin M Halmann, Mira Ulman, Benedict Aurian-Blajeni, Rehovot, Israel assigned to Yeda Research & Development Company Ltd

IC and IRD collaborate in plasma physics

A programme of research costing over £70 000 is to be carried out during the next two years by a collaborative team including research students drawn from the Plasma Physics Group at Imperial College and the Magneto-plasmadynamic Section of International Research and Development Company Ltd of Newcastle. Approximately £62 000 is being provided by a grant from the Science Research Council, the remainder being found by the industrial partner.

Physics activities at International Research & Development Company Ltd

Formed towards the end of 1962, the International Research & Development Co. Ltd. is the largest privately sponsored research establishment in the United Kingdom. As such it undertakes research, development and technical consultancy projects for government organizations and for industry, large or small firms alike. I.R.D. is based on the former Nuclear Research Centre of its parent company, C. A. Parsons, and operates autonomously with its own Board of Directors which includes Lord Fleck as Chairman and Dr. H. M. Finniston as Managing Director.