Germanium is the third element of the fourteenth column of the periodic table. It is classified as a metalloid. It is similar in properties to the other metalloids near it in the periodic table which are silicon and arsenic. Germanium atoms have 32 electrons and 32 protons with 4 valence electrons in the outer shell.
Beriberi. Beriberi is a disease caused by a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B 1) that affects many systems of the body, including the muscles, heart, nerves, and digestive system.Beriberi literally means I can't, I can't in Singhalese, which reflects the crippling effect it has on its victims. If the deficiency continues, there is damage to the peripheral nerves that causes loss of sensation and muscle weakness, which is called peripheral neuropathy. 2  The legs are most affected. 3  The toes feel numb and the feet have a burning sensation; the leg muscles become sore and the calf muscles cramp.
Thiamine deficiency, or beriberi, refers to the lack of thiamine pyrophosphate, the active form of the vitamin known as thiamine (also spelled thiamin), or vitamin B-1 (see the image below). Thiamine pyrophosphate, the biologically active form of thiamine, acts as a coenzyme in carbohydrate metabolism through the decarboxylation of alpha ketoacids.