Clinical, Epidemiologic, Histopathologic and Molecular Features of an Unexplained Dermopathy

BACKGROUND: Morgellons is a poorly characterized constellation of symptoms, with the primary manifestations involving the skin. We conducted an investigation of this unexplained dermopathy to characterize the clinical and epidemiologic features and explore potential etiologies. METHODS: A descriptive study was conducted among persons at least 13 years of age and enrolled in Kaiser Permanente Northern California (KPNC) during 2006-2008. A case was defined as the self-reported emergence of fibers or materials from the skin accompanied by skin lesions and/or disturbing skin sensations. We collected detailed epidemiologic data, performed clinical evaluations and geospatial analyses and analyzed materials collected from participants' skin. RESULTS: We identified 115 case-patients. The prevalence was 3.65 (95% CI = 2.98, 4.40) cases per 100,000 enrollees. There was no clustering of cases within the 13-county KPNC catchment area (p = .113). Case-patients had a median age of 52 years (range: 17-93) and were primarily female (77%) and Caucasian (77%). Multi-system complaints were common; 70% reported chronic fatigue and 54% rated their overall health as fair or poor with mean Physical Component Scores and Mental Component Scores of 36.63 (SD = 12.9) and 35.45 (SD = 12.89), respectively. Cognitive deficits were detected in 59% of case-patients and 63% had evidence of clinically significant somatic complaints; 50% had drugs detected in hair samples and 78% reported exposure to solvents. Solar elastosis was the most common histopathologic abnormality (51% of biopsies); skin lesions were most consistent with arthropod bites or chronic excoriations. No parasites or mycobacteria were detected. Most materials collected from participants' skin were composed of cellulose, likely of cotton origin. CONCLUSIONS: This unexplained dermopathy was rare among this population of Northern California residents, but associated with significantly reduced health-related quality of life. No common underlying medical condition or infectious source was identified, similar to more commonly recognized conditions such as delusional infestation

POTENTIAL FUNCTION FOR THE LOW FREQUENCY BENDING MODE OF SILYLISOCYANATE

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of South Carolina; Department of Chemistry, Furman UniversityThe Raman spectra of gaseous silylisocyanate, $H_{3}SiNCO$, and silylisocyanate-$d_{3}, D_{3}SiNCO$, have been recorded. Low frequency Q-branches were observed for both the ``light” and ``heavy” molecules. The potential function for this low frequency bending mode has been determined. These data will be compared with the low frequency spectra and potential functions of other silicon containing molecules which have low frequency bending modes

RAMAN SPECTRA OF PENTABORANE(9)

Author Institution:The infrared and Raman spectra of gaseous $B_{5}H_{9}$ have been recorded. The spectra are complicated by the existence of a mixture of boron isotopes, but a complete vibrational assignment will be proposed. A number of interesting features appear in the spectra of the vapor, and these will be discussed. Additionally, the Raman spectra of the neat liquid have been studied as a function of temperature. Line widths indicate that the vibrational dephasing times at room temperature are on the order of 2.5 psc. Estimates of the reorientational relaxation are consistent with previous nmr studies

RAMAN SPECTRA AND VIBRATIONAL DEPHASING OF SOME BORON COMPOUNDS IN SOLUTION

Author Institution:The Raman spectra of the symmetric stretches in $BCl_{3}$ and $BF_{3}$ have been recorded for the near samples and for solutions. The relative intensities of the lines associated with the isotopic modifications of $BCl_{3}$ are a function of solution concentration and are indicative of strong intermolecular interactions. Vibrational dephasing times have been determined over a range of concentrations and temperatures and in the presence of some weak Lewis bases. Similar studies have been carried out for $BF_{3}$ and other boron-containing symmetric top molecules, and these results will also be discussed

VIBRATIONAL SPECTRA AND MOLECULAR SYMMETRY OF TETRASILYLHYDRAZINE AND TETRASILYLHYDRAZINE-D12D_{12}

Author Institution: Department of Chemistry, University of South CarolinaThe Raman spectra of tetrasilylhydrazine, $N_{2}(SiH_{3})_{4}$ , and tetrasilylhydrazine-$d_{12}, N_{2}(SiD_{3})_{4}$ , have been recorded for the gas, liquid and solid phases from 25 to $2500 cm^{-1}$. The infrared spectra of both molecules have been recorded for the gas and solid phases from 90 to $2500 cm^{-1}$. A vibrational assignment based on observed isotopic shift ratios, relative band intensities, depolarization values, and previously reported work on similar molecules will be presented

VIBRATIONAL SPECTRA AND CONFORMATIONS OF 1,1,2-TRIFLUOROETHANE

Author Institution:The infrared and Raman spectra of 1,1,2-trifluoroethane have been recorded, and conformers exhibiting $C_{1}$ and $C_{S}$ symmetries have been identified. For the gas phase, the temperature dependence of the intensities of selected Raman lines indicates that the $C_{1}$ conformer is more stable by $1.6 \pm 0.2$ kcal/mole. The torsional vibration for this conformer gives rise to $\Delta v =1$ Q branches at 121, 117, 113, 109.5, 106, 101, and $96 cm^{-1}$ in the far infrared spectrum. Interestingly, the $C_{S}$ conformer is more stable by $1.02\pm 0.04$ kcal/mole in the liquid phase, and this conformer is the only one which exists in the crystalline solid state. The vibrational assignments for both conformers and factors affecting their relative stabilities will be discussed

VIBRATIONAL SPECTRA AND CONFORMATIONS OF (HALOMETHYL) CYCLOPROPANE DERIVATIVES

Author Institution:The infrared and Raman spectra of epifluorohydrin, epichlorohydrin, and (chloromethyl) cyclopropane have been recorded. In the case of epifluorohydrin, the presence of a number of spectral triplets has been interpreted on the basis of the existence of two non-equivalent gauche conformers and the cis conformer. The spectra indicate that two of the conformers are nearly equal in energy while the third appears to be significantly less stable. For epichlorohydrin, the presence of a number of doublets in the spectra has been interpreted as arising from the coexistence of two gauche conformers, and the energy difference between these appears to be of the order of 1 kcal/mole. The spectra of (chloromethyl) cyclopropane have been interpreted on the basis of a single gauche conformer. Apparently an interaction of the large chlorine atom with the ring precludes the existence of the cis form in the chlorinated species