Cross Sectional Research

Psoriatic Arthritis Suffers Have Vitamin D Insufficiency

Psoriasis is a common chronic skin disorder, likely caused by an autoimmune response, and is characterized by red scaly patches on the surface of the skin. When accompanied by inflammatory arthritis the condition is known as psoriatic arthritis (PsA)-a disease gaining public attention with the recent diagnosis of professional golfer, Phil Mickelson. Studies suggest that psoriasis occurs in up to 3% of the world population and roughly one third of these patients have PsA with prevalence estimates ranging from 6% to 42%. "Vitamin D deficiency is a widespread concern," explains lead study author Dafna Gladman, MD, FRCPC, Director of the University of Toronto Psoriatic Arthritis Clinic in Canada. "And it is more common to see individuals living in Northern regions with a deficiency in vitamin D than in those who reside in Southern areas." Medical evidence shows that vitamin D deficiency is more common in individuals living at higher latitudes during the winter, suggesting the deficiency is a result of reduced sun exposure. Furthermore, several studies have reported reduced levels of vitamin D in patients with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and scleroderma. The Canadian and Israeli teams set out to determine the prevalence of vitamin D deficiency in PsA patients, seasonal and geographical variants, and associations with disease activity by evaluating 302 patients with PsA from March to August 2009. There were 258 patients evaluated during the winter and 214 patients during the summer. This cross-sectional study was conducted at two geographically diverse locations; the arthritis clinic in Toronto, Canada was designated the northern site and medical centers in Haifa, Israel were selected for their subtropical southern location. Vitamin D levels in the blood, known as 25-hydroxyvitman D [25 (OH) D], were used as the primary measure as this takes into account vitamin D synthesized from sunlight as well as from ingested foods. At the northern site, the 25 (OH) D level was insufficient in 56% of PsA patients in the winter and in 59% during the summer. Approximately 51% of patients at the southern location had insufficient 25 (OH) D levels in winter and 62% of patients had insufficient levels in the summer. The level of vitamin D was deficient in 3% of patients at the northern location only in winter; at the southern site vitamin D deficiency was reported in 4% of patients in the winter and in 1% during the summer.

Our new research project examining the relationship between Gender ...

A collection of case studies, tools, knowledge, experiences, and research outputs by Jose Falck-Zepeda, colleagues at IFPRI and the Program for Biosafety Systems (PBS), and developing/developed country partners; on the socio-economic assessments of genetically modified organisms in developing and developed countries. Designed to inform policy/decision makers, specialists and interested stakeholders as they prepare for the 2012 COP-MOP6 in India and for national and regional regulatory processes in development. This blog looks at technology assessments and technology assessment processes within a biosafety regulatory process of GMOs and other emerging technologies, as they related to broader poverty alleviation, wealth creation, food security, and economic growth issues in developing countries.. Any opinions herein are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the policies or opinions of IFPRI, its partners, or collaborators. CCAP-China June 2010. We launched the project  during an inception meeting in Beijing, China September 27-30, 2010.

The inception meeting was an opportunity to establish links with an ongoing IDRC project lead by University of the Philippines Los Baños School of Public Policy to be implemented in Southeast Asia examining the potential dissemination of GE crops in the region and other important actors in the socio economic arena.

The gender component of the project has two distinct, yet interrelated objectives.  The two objectives are:

i) To examine the gender differentiated issues that may affect adoption and use of GE crops in developing countries; and ii) to examine the gender differentiated impacts derived from the adoption of GE crops in developing countries.

 To examine the first objective, the proposed study will examine social, economic and institutional factors that differentiate women and men’s attitudes, risk perception toward agricultural biotechnology in general and GE crops in particular,  as well as, adoption and use. To accomplish this objective, the study will provide insight to the multiple variables that act to influence women and men’s knowledge of GE technologies, and provide a more comprehensive understanding of how that knowledge may influence their attitude towards agricultural biotechnology and GE crops, and ultimately impact their farming practices and adoption/use impact.  This study will make clear the barriers that may, or may not, exist for women and men farmers to adopt and use GE technologies in countries where the technologies have already been introduced and commercialized.

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