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Research

Developmental vitamin D deficiency increases foetal exposure to testosterone

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a group of neurodevelopmental disorders which are more common in males. The 'prenatal sex steroid' hypothesis links excessive sex-steroid exposure during foetal life with the behavioural differences observed in ASD. However, the reason why sex steroid exposure may be excessive remains unclear. Epidemiological studies have identified several environmental risk factors associated with ASD, including developmental vitamin D (DVD) deficiency.

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Time spent outdoors through childhood and adolescence - assessed by 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentration - and risk of myopia at 20 years

To investigate the relationship between time spent outdoors, at particular ages in childhood and adolescence, and myopia status in young adulthood using serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentration as a biomarker of time spent outdoors. Participants of the Raine Study Generation 2 cohort had 25(OH)D concentrations measured at the 6-, 14-, 17- and 20-year follow-ups. Participants underwent cycloplegic autorefraction at age 20 years, and myopia was defined as a mean spherical equivalent -0.50 dioptres or more myopic. Logistic regression was used to analyse the association between risk of myopia at age 20 years and age-specific 25(OH)D concentrations. Linear mixed-effects models were used to analyse trajectory of 25(OH)D concentrations from 6 to 20 years.

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Basal cell carcinomas on sun-protected vs. sun-exposed body sites: A comparison of phenotypic and environmental risk factors

There are indications that risk factors for BCC may differ according to the anatomic site of the tumour but this is not well understood.

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Shining the Light on Sunshine: A systematic review of the influence of sun exposure on type 2 diabetes mellitus-related outcomes

This review highlights significant gaps in research pertaining to sun exposure and type 2 diabetes mellitus related outcomes

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Low vitamin D levels are associated with symptoms of depression in young adult males

Results from studies examining associations between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) concentrations and depressive symptoms are equivocal.

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Genome-wide association study of vitamin D levels in children: replication in the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) study

This genome-wide association study (GWAS) utilises data from the Western Australian Pregnancy Cohort (Raine) Study for 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels...

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Environmental, personal, and genetic determinants of response to vitamin D supplementation in older adults

We aimed to examine genetic and nongenetic determinants of change in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) after supplementation.

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Vitamin D supplementation, moderate sun exposure, and control of immune diseases

There is considerable debate about the benefits of vitamin D supplementation for multiple sclerosis, allergic asthma, and type 1 diabetes.

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UV inhibits allergic airways disease in mice by reducing effector CD4 T cells

In human asthma, and experimental allergic airways disease in mice, antigen-presenting cells and CD4(+) effector cells at the airway mucosa orchestrate, and CD4

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Characterization of regulatory dendritic cells differentiated from the bone marrow of UV-irradiated mice

In summary, UV-BMDCs do not express the classical phenotypic or gene expression properties of DCs reported by others as 'regulatory' or 'tolerogenic'.