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The high frequency acoustic response of liquids is measured in a manner directly analogous to conventional ultrasonic measurements. Two thin metal films act as acoustic transducer and receiver for a liquid layer between them. Pulsed optical excitation generates high bandwidth wave packets in the transducer, and these are detected in the receiver after damping and dispersion by the liquid. This initial measurement probes structural relaxation dynamics of glycerol in the frequency range 2-20 GHz, for temperatures between 235 and 291 K. The analysis presented here demonstrates the presence of excess relaxation, not accounted for by either the alpha or beta relaxation of the mode-coupling theory, and suggests the presence of constant loss in the susceptibility spectrum of supercooled glycerol., ((c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.)

The technique of impulsive stimulated thermal scattering is extended to backside measurement of acoustic wave packets that have propagated through thin metal films following their generation by pulsed optical excitation, heating, and thermal expansion at the front side. The acoustic transmission measurement at the backside substantially isolates the acoustic responses from thermal and electronic responses of the metal film that often dominate acoustic reflection signals measured from the front side, and permits straightforward measurement of the acoustic response generated by optical excitation at a substrate-thin film interface. It can thus better distinguish among different factors that limit the bandwidth of the acoustic wave packet, an issue of concern in the measurement of high frequency responses. The paper that follows demonstrates the application of the backside measurement to a study of high frequency structural relaxation in the glass-forming liquid glycerol., ((c) 2004 American Institute of Physics.)

This study was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of concomitant therapy with the corticosteroid clocortolone pivalate cream 0.1% (Cloderm Cream 0.1%) and the topical immunosuppressive agent tacrolimus ointment 0.1% (Protopic Ointment 0.1%) and to compare each drug alone for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in adolescents and adults. Concomitant therapy may minimize the potential adverse effects of both treatments taken alone and may potentially improve overall response. In this 21-day study with 57 patients with atopic dermatitis, groups of 19 patients were randomized to 1 of 3 treatments: concomitant treatment with clocortolone pivalate cream 0.1% and tacrolimus ointment 0.1% (CPC+ TO), monotherapy with clocortolone pivalate cream 0.1% (CPC), or monotherapy with tacrolimus ointment 0.1% (TO). CPC+ TO was statistically superior to TO alone in the percentage change for dermatologic sum score at days 14 (P = .024) and 21 (P = .033), excoriation at day 21 (P = .028), induration at day 21 (P = .033), and erythema at day 14 (P = .048). The dual therapy was also superior to CPC alone in excoriation at days 7 (P = .045) and 14 (P = .037), oozing or crusting at days 3 (P = .034) and 7 (P = .012), and lichenification at day 3 (P = .031). In addition, unlike the 2 single-therapy treatment groups, percentage reductions from baseline in scores for the sensation of transient pruritus and burning or stinging were statistically significant for the concomitant treatment at days 14 (P = .016) and 21 (P = .016).

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved adapalene gel 0.1% for use in the treatment of acne vulgaris. The objective of our study was to evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of adapalene gel 0.1% in the treatment of acne vulgaris in a clinical practice. We used a 12-week, multicenter, open-label, noncomparative phase 4 study of adapalene gel 0.1%. The study involved approximately 600 dermatologists in the United States and included 2,545 healthy men and nonpregnant women older than 14 years who had mild or moderate acne vulgaris. Of the patients enrolled, 75% completed the study and most of them (89%) showed an improvement in their acne (clear of acne or marked, definite, or minimal improvement) from baseline. Most patients (69%) were satisfied or very satisfied with adapalene therapy, and most (80%) wished to continue treatment. Only 3.7% of patients enrolled reported treatment-related adverse events (n=94), the most common being skin irritation (2.2%). We conclude from this open-label trial in a dermatology practice setting that adapalene gel 0.1% was effective and well tolerated and had a favorable safety profile. Furthermore, compliance with once-daily application of adapalene was rated as high by 92% of patients who responded to a self-assessment questionnaire.

Recent developments in time-resolved infrared spectroscopy have paved the way to probe transient intermediates with a high degree of functional group specificity on timescales as short as femtoseconds. This capability has been exploited in studies of biophysical phenomena ranging from protein folding/unfolding to ligand migration in proteins.