Goitre a choker, dubbed "Kropfband" (struma band) which was used to hide either the goitre or the remnants of goitre surgery. In the 1920s wearing bottles of iodine around the neck was believed to prevent goitre. The coat of arms and crest of Die Kröpfner, of Tyrol showed a man "afflicted with a large goitre", an apparent pun on the German for the word ("Kropf"). Goitre A goitre, or goiter, is a swelling in the neck resulting from an enlarged thyroid gland. A goitre is associated with a thyroid that is not functioning properly. Worldwide, over 90% of goitre cases are
Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency is an inherited disorder that causes lactic acid to accumulate in the blood. High levels of these substances can damage the body's organs and tissues, particularly in the nervous system. Pyruvate carboxylase deficiency is a rare condition, with an estimated incidence of 1 in 250,000 births worldwide. Type A of the disease appears to be much more common in some Algonkian Indian tribes in eastern Canada, while the type B disease is more present in European populations. Mutations in the "PC" gene cause pyruvate carboxylase deficiency. The "PC" gene provides instructions for making an