Role of altered IL-33/ST2 immune axis in the immunobiology of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Background: The IL-33/ST2 immune axis plays crucial roles in infection and immunity. A dysregulated IL-33/ST2 axis can induce autoimmune reaction and inflammatory responses. Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is an acute peripheral neuropathy, mostly caused by post-infection autoimmunity.

Variations within Toll-like receptor (TLR) and TLR signaling pathway-related genes and their synergistic effects on the risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome.

Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is the commonest post-infectious polyradiculopathy. Although genetic background of the host seems to play an important role in the susceptibility to GBS, genes conferring major risk are not yet known. Dysregulation of Toll-like receptor (TLR) molecules exacerbates immune-inflammatory responses and the genetic variations within TLR pathway-related genes contribute to differential risk to infection.

Reliability and validity of a new physical activity questionnaire for India.

Background: Measurement of physical activity in epidemiological studies requires tools which are reliable, valid and culturally relevant. We attempted to develop a physical activity questionnaire (PAQ) that would measure physical activity in various domains over a year and which would be valid for use in adults of different age groups with varying levels of activity in urban and rural settings in low and middle income countries like India. The present paper aims to assess the reliability and validity of this new PAQ- termed the Madras Diabetes Research Foundation- Physical Activity Questionnaire (MPAQ).