programmatically turn on "do not disturb"

In iOS 6, you can switch on/off the "do not disturb mode". Is there a possibility to do that from an app? Or is there at least a way to find out if it is set?

How do you set an app to be an exception to Do Not Disturb?

To set exceptions for apps during DND, open the Settings app on Android and go to Sound & vibration / Notifications > Do Not Disturb > Apps. To add adds to DND's exceptions, tap on Add apps. In the list of apps that show up under “Select more apps”, choose an app whose notifications you want to allow during DND.

I don't have the exact answer, but I would recommend you research the internal settings URLs that Apple has (prefs:root=) which is documented here: http://www.techwithintent.com/2011/11/force-an-ios-5-device-into-airplane-mode-with-a-single-click/

Please note - when referencing these URLs the user will be switched OUT of your app, so this is a way to access/toggle different settings, but it is not really programatic.