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Infrared scattering-type near-field optical microscopy, IR s-SNOM, and its broadband variant, nano-FTIR, are pioneering, flagship techniques for their ability to provide molecular identification and material optical property information at a spatial resolution well below the far-field diffraction limit, typically less than 25 nm. While s-SNOM and nano-FTIR instrumentation and data analysis have been discussed previously, there is a lack of information regarding experimental parameters for the practitioner, especially in the context of previously developed frameworks. Like conventional FTIR spectroscopy, the critical component of a nano-FTIR instrument is an interferometer. However, unlike FTIR spectroscopy, the resulting interference patterns or interferograms are typically asymmetric. Here, we unambiguously describe the origins of asymmetric interferograms recorded with nano-FTIR instruments, give a detailed analysis of potential artifacts, and recommend optimal instrument settings as well as data analysis parameters.

Ágota Barabássy,1 Barbara Sebe,1 Károly Acsai,1 István Laszlovszky,1 Balázs Szatmári,1 Willie R Earley,2 György Németh1 1Medical Division, Gedeon Richter Plc, Budapest, Hungary; 2Clinical Development, AbbVie, Madison, NJ, USACorrespondence: Ágota BarabássyMedical Division, Gedeon Richter Plc, Gyömrői út 19– 21, Budapest, 1103, HungaryTel +36 1 505 7017Fax +36 1 261 5815Email barabassya@richter.huBackground: Long-term treatment with antipsychotic agents is indicated for patients with schizophrenia, but treatment is associated with adverse events (AEs) that contribute to medication discontinuation and nonadherence. Understanding drug safety profiles is critical to avoid unwanted side effects. Cariprazine is a potent dopamine D3/D2 receptor partial agonist that is approved for the treatment of adults with schizophrenia (EU, US) and acute manic/mixed and depressive episodes associated with bipolar I disorder (US).Methods: Post hoc analyses were conducted to characterize the safety profile of cariprazine within the recommended 1.5– 6 mg/d dose range for schizophrenia; data from 8 short- or long-term clinical trials were analyzed.Results: In the pooled cariprazine-treated safety population (n=2048), the rate of study completion was 52.8%, with withdrawal of consent, insufficient response, and AEs the most common reasons for premature discontinuation. The most commonly reported AEs (> 10%) in the overall cariprazine-treatment group were akathisia (14.6%), insomnia (14.0%), and headache (12.1%); most AEs were considered mild (71.0%) or moderate (26.5%). Most akathisia was mild/moderate (97.5%) and > 93% of patients remained on treatment; akathisia events were managed by rescue medications (56.3%) or dose reduction (18.3%). The metabolic profile of cariprazine was neutral in patients with short- and long-term exposure; mean weight gain was 1 kg for overall cariprazine, with an AE of weight increased reported for 5.1%. Other AEs of special interest that occurred at > 3% for overall cariprazine were extrapyramidal disorder (7.0%), sedation (3.7%), and somnolence (3.1%); prolactin elevation, cognition impairment, sexual dysfunction, suicidality, and QT prolongation occurred at ≤ 1%.Conclusion: Akathisia, the most common cariprazine-related AE, was mild/moderate and resulted in few study discontinuations; symptoms were well managed and most patients remained on treatment. Results of this analysis indicated that cariprazine in the recommended dose range was safe and generally well tolerated in patients with schizophrenia.Trial Registration: Studies registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT00404573, NCT01104779, NCT00694707, NCT01104766, NCT01104792, NCT00839852, and NCT01412060) and EudraCT (2012– 005485-36).Keywords: cariprazine, atypical antipsychotic, schizophrenia, safety and tolerability, post hoc analysis

This article, published in the journal Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology, presents the findings of a prospective case-control study on pregnancies complicated by gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). The study aimed to identify the first detecting period of fetal myocardium hyperplasia in GDM. Ultrasound examinations were conducted on 84 pregnant women during the second and third trimesters, measuring fetal parameters such as estimated fetal weight, amniotic fluid quantity, and interventricular septum thickness. The results showed significant discrepancies in the interventricular septum measurements between the GDM group and the control group. The authors concluded that monitoring fetal myocardium parameters can be an effective screening method for perinatal outcomes in mothers with GDM. The study was supported by the 'Géza Hetényi' Grant and the Medical Faculty Research Fund at the University of Szeged. [Extracted from the article]

This article, titled "Identifying weak points of pelvic floor by sonoelastography in case of stress incontinence," discusses a study conducted at the Urogynecology Department of the Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinic at the University of Szeged. The study aimed to assess the condition of pelvic floor tissues in women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and map the weak points of the pelvic floor using ultrasound elastography. The researchers recruited 40 patients, half of whom had SUI, and used transvaginal ultrasound and sonoelastography to examine the mobility of the bladder neck and urethra and determine the elasticity of the paraurethral connective tissues. The results showed significant correlations between bladder neck-urethra mobility and changes in tissue elasticity, with age and BMI also playing a role. The researchers concluded that sonoelastography is a non-invasive method that can help assess tissue elasticity and contribute to the objective assessment and personalized treatment of incontinence. [Extracted from the article]