Outdoor testing of the photoprotection provided by a new water-based broad-spectrum SPF50+ sunscreen product: Two double-blind, split-face, randomized controlled studies in healthy adults

Purpose: Users often under-apply sunscreens, and one of the main reasons cited for this is the cosmetic formulation of the product. To address this, we developed a water-based sunscreen. The product underwent standard laboratory testing (ISO 24444: 2010) and was determined as sun protection factor (SPF) 50+. However, such laboratory testing does not take into account environmental factors of in-use conditions that could potentially affect sunscreen efficacy, particularly of new cosmetic formulations. We aimed to test this product in conditions more representative of real-life solar exposure, to confirm its reported laboratory efficacy. Methods: Two double-blind, randomized, controlled, split-face intra-individual studies were conducted during summer months in Barcelona. One study compared the product against an SPF15 control (reference standard P3 of ISO 24444: 2010), while the other compared against an SPF50+ control (another commercially available sunscreen). A technician applied the products before sun exposure: investigational product (IP) to one half of the face and the respective control product to the other. Subjects spent 4–6 hrs outdoors performing quiet activities, and sunscreens were reapplied at 2 hourly intervals. A dermatologist clinically scored facial erythema at baseline and at 24 hrs. Results: Sixty-five subjects were included in total. In both studies, skin treated with the IP showed no significant increase in clinical erythema scoring at 24 hrs. There were statistically significant differences between the IP and the SPF15, but not between the IP and the SPF50+ control. SPF15 did not protect all subjects against solar-induced erythema. Conclusion: These outdoor studies confirm the efficacy of this new SPF50+ water-based sunscreen in conditions that closer represent real-life sun exposure

Two-qubit quantum gates with minimal pulse sequences

Working with trapped atoms at close distance to each other, we show that one can implement entangling gates based on non-independent qubits using a single pulse per qubit, or a single structured pulse. The optimal parameters depend on approximate solutions of Diophantine equations, causing the fidelity to never be exactly perfect, even under ideal conditions, although the errors can be made arbitrarily smaller at the cost of stronger fields. We fully characterize the mechanism by which the gates operate, and show that the main source of error in realistic implementations comes from fluctuations in the peak intensity, which especially damages the fidelity of the gates that use stronger fields. Working with two-pulse sequences, instead of one, enables the use of a plethora of mechanisms and a broad range of optimal parameters to choose from, to achieve high-fidelity gates.Comment: 10 pages, 7 figure

Unidad de mercado y supervisión administrativa de las actividades económicas

La disparidad normativa autonómica viene produciendo distorsiones en el régimen de actividad de las empresas que perjudica su gestión. Frente a ello, sin embargo, la Ley de Garantía de la Unidad de Mercado no dispone medidas positivas de carácter armonizador, estableciendo más bien una estrategia de corte desregulador que incluye disposiciones técnicamente discutibles. Partiendo de ello, el trabajo se centra en el estudio crítico del sistema de determinación de la autoridad competente para la supervisión de las actividades económicas, articulado en base a los conceptos de autoridad de origen, de destino y del lugar de fabricación. Se destaca así que la autoridad de origen debe ser la del primer acceso y que las autoridades de destino deben controlar el ejercicio de las actividades conforme a su propia normativa. El examen arroja que la aplicación del sistema requerirá superar ciertos defectos de técnica legislativa —bastando en algunos casos la vía interpretativa y requiriendo en otros una modificación legal—, así como una estrecha cooperación de las Administraciones públicas implicadas.The disparity of regional regulations generates distortions in the economic regime of companies being prejudicial to their management. However, the Act on market unity guarantee does not include positive harmonisation measures, instead establishing a deregulated strategy which includes some technically disputable provisions. Henceforth, the paper is focused on the critical study of the system of determination of the competent authority for the supervising of economic activities, based on the concepts of authority of origin, of destination and the place of manufacturing. It highlights that the authority of origin must be that of the first access and that the authorities of destination must control the exercise of activities in conformity with their own regulation. The examination reveals that the application of the system would require overcoming certain technical legislative defects —an interpretation being sufficient in some cases and a legal modification being required in others— as well as a close cooperation of the public administrations involved