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We present an analysis of the morphology and profiles of the dust continuum emission in 153 bright sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs) detected with ALMA at signal-to-noise ratios of >8 in high-resolution 0.18 arcsec (∼1 kpc) 870  |$\mu$| m maps. We measure sizes, shapes, and light profiles for the rest-frame far-infrared emission from these luminous star-forming systems and derive a median effective radius (R e) of 0.10 ± 0.04 arcsec for our sample with a median flux of S 870 = 5.6 ± 0.2 mJy. We find that the apparent axial ratio (b / a) distribution of the SMGs peaks at b / a ∼ 0.63 ± 0.02 and is best described by triaxial morphologies, while their emission profiles are best fitted by a Sérsic model with n ≃ 1.0 ± 0.1, similar to exponential discs. This combination of triaxiality and n ∼ 1 Sérsic index are characteristic of bars and we suggest that the bulk of the 870  |$\mu$| m dust continuum emission in the central ∼2 kpc of these galaxies arises from bar-like structures. As such we caution against using the orientation of shape of the bright dust continuum emission at |$\eqsim$| resolution to assess either the orientation of any disc on the sky or tits inclination. By stacking our 870  |$\mu$| m maps we recover faint extended dust continuum emission on ∼4 kpc scales which contributes 13 ± 1 per cent of the total 870  |$\mu$| m emission. The scale of this extended emission is similar to that seen for the molecular gas and rest-frame optical light in these systems, suggesting that it represents an extended dust and gas disc at radii larger than the more active bar component. Including this component in our estimated size of the sources we derive a typical effective radius of ≃0.15 ± 0.05 arcsec or 1.2 ± 0.4 kpc. Our results suggest that kpc-scale bars are ubiquitous features of high star-formation rate systems at |$z$| ≫ 1, while these systems also contain fainter and more extended gas and stellar envelopes. We suggest that these features, seen some 10–12 Gyr ago, represent the formation phase of the earliest galactic-scale components: stellar bulges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present [C II] observations of 20 strongly lensed dusty star-forming galaxies at 2.1 < z < 5.7 using Atacama Pathfinder EXperiment and Herschel. The sources were selected on their 1.4 mm flux (S1.4 mm > 20 mJy) from the South Pole Telescope (SPT) survey, with far-infrared (FIR) luminosities determined from extensive photometric data. The [C II] line is robustly detected in 17 sources, all but one being spectrally resolved. 11 out of 20 sources observed in [C II] also have low-J CO detections from Australia Telescope Compact Array. A comparison with mid- and high-J CO lines from Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array reveals consistent [C II] and CO velocity profiles, suggesting that there is little differential lensing between these species. The [C II], low-J CO and FIR data allow us to constrain the properties of the interstellar medium. We find [C II] to CO(1-0) luminosity ratios in the SPT sample of 5200 ± 1800, with significantly less scatter than in other samples. This line ratio can be best described by a medium of [C II] and CO emitting gas with a higher [C II] than CO excitation temperature, high CO optical depth τCO(1-0) ≫ 1, and low to moderate [C II] optical depth τ[CII]≲ 1. The geometric structure of photodissociation regions allows for such conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To examine how different scoring models for a diet quality index influence associations with mortality outcomes.Design: A study within the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. Food and nutrient intakes were estimated using a diet history method. The index included six components: SFA, PUFA, fish and shellfish, fibre, fruit and vegetables, and sucrose. Component scores were assigned using predefined (based on dietary recommendations) and population-based cut-offs (based on median or quintile intakes). Multivariate Cox regression was used to model associations between index scores (low, medium, high) and all-cause and cause-specific mortality by sex.Setting: Malmö, the third largest city in Sweden.Subjects: Men (n 6940) and women (n 10,186) aged 44-73 years. During a mean follow-up of 14.2 years, 2450 deaths occurred, 1221 from cancer and 709 from CVD.Results: The predictive capability of the index for mortality outcomes varied with type of scoring model and by sex. Stronger associations were seen among men using predefined cut-offs. In contrast, the quintile-based scoring model showed greater predictability for mortality outcomes among women. The scoring model using median-based cut-offs showed low predictability for mortality among both men and women.Conclusions: The scoring model used for dietary indices may have a significant impact on observed associations with disease outcomes. The rationale for selection of scoring model should be included in studies investigating the association between dietary indices and disease. Adherence to the current dietary recommendations was in the present study associated with decreased risk of all-cause and cause-specific mortality, particularly among men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:We wanted to explore if FTO genotype interacts with fat intake, or leisure-time physical activity, on fat mass, lean mass and mortality.Subjects and methods:Among 22 799 individuals (44-74 years) in the population-based Malmö diet and cancer cohort that were genotyped for rs9939609 in FTO and had information on dietary intake (from a modified diet history method) and no history of diabetes, cancer or cardiovascular disease, 2255 deaths (including 1100 cancer and 674 cardiovascular deaths) occurred during 12.0 years of follow-up. Leisure-time physical activity was determined from a list of 17 different physical activities in a questionnaire. Body composition was measured using bioelectric impedance method.Results:FTO genotype associated strongly with both fat mass and lean mass (Ptrend<1 × 10−16 for both) but we found only significant interactions with fat intake, or physical activity, on fat mass (Pinteraction=0.01 and 0.004). No significant interaction between FTO genotype and fat intake (Pinteraction=0.72), or leisure-time physical activity (Pinteraction=0.07), on total mortality were observed. However, we observed a significant interaction between leisure-time physical activity and FTO genotype on cardiovascular mortality (Pinteraction=0.03). The highest vs lowest quintile of physical activity was associated with 46% (95% confidence interval, 17-64%) reduced cardiovascular mortality among TT-carriers (Ptrend=0.004), and 11% reduced cardiovascular mortality among A-allele carriers (Ptrend=0.68).Conclusion:Our results indicate that FTO genotype associates with both fat mass and lean mass, but the level of fat intake and physical activity only modify the association with fat mass. In addition, FTO genotype may modify the association between physical activity and cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To develop a diet quality index (DQI) that assesses adherence to the Swedish nutrition recommendations (SNR) and the Swedish dietary guidelines (SDG).Design: A cross-sectional study within the Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) cohort. A diet history method collected dietary data, a structured questionnaire lifestyle and socio-economic information, and anthropometric data were collected by direct measurements. The index (DQI-SNR) included six components: SFA, PUFA, fish and shellfish, dietary fibre, fruit and vegetables, and sucrose.Setting: Malmö, Sweden.Subjects: Men (n 4525) and women (n 8491) of the MDC cohort enrolled from September 1994 to October 1996.Results: For participants with high DQI-SNR scores, nutrient and food intakes were close to recommendations. However, most of the study population exceeded the recommended intake for SFA (98%) and few reached recommended intakes for dietary fibre (24%), fruit and vegetables (32%), vitamin D (18%) and folate (2%). A high DQI-SNR score was positively associated with age, physical activity, not smoking, past food habit change, education and socio-economic status. Individuals with high scores were more likely to have a diabetes diagnosis or experienced a cardiovascular event.Conclusions: Results suggest that the DQI-SNR is a useful tool for assessing adherence to the SNR 2005 and the SDG in the MDC cohort. No index has previously been developed with the aim of evaluating adherence to the current dietary recommendations in Sweden. Further validation of the DQI-SNR, and evaluation of its utility, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective:To investigate the prevalence and the secular trends of obesity in a rural Swedish community with emphasis on the association with socioeconomic status and lifestyle.Design:The Skaraborg Project cross-sectional population surveys were conducted in Vara, a rural community in the southwest of Sweden, every fifth year between 1977 and 2002.Subjects:A total of 3365 residents (1634 men and 1731 women) aged 30–60 years.Measurements:Obesity was defined as body mass index30 kg m−2. Information on ethnicity, marital status, socioeconomic status and lifestyle was collected by a questionnaire.Results:In 1977–1982, the average prevalence of obesity was 14% in both men and women, and in 2002, the prevalence of obesity was 19% in men and 21% in women. The age-adjusted odds ratio (OR) of obesity in 2002 was 1.48 (1.00, 2.20) in men and 1.41 (0.97, 2.05) in women. Without the simultaneous increase in the level of education and leisure-time physical activity (LTPA), the risk of developing obesity could have been considerably higher; in men OR=3.08 (1.88, 5.03) and in women OR=2.72 (1.66, 4.44). In multivariate models, higher levels of education and LTPA were associated with protective effects on obesity in both men (OR=0.60 (0.43, 0.83) and OR=0.50 (0.45, 0.79)) and women (OR=0.73 (0.54, 0.98) and OR=0.57 (0.42, 0.78)), respectively.Conclusions:This study revealed an upward secular trend in the prevalence of obesity in a rural community in Sweden. Increasing levels of education and LTPA limit this ongoing development of obesity. Public health strategies for the prevention of obesity should consider the special condition in rural environments.International Journal of Obesity (2008) 32, 533–540; doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0803725; published online 22 January 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Valid dietary data are essential when trying to identify whether or not one or more dietary exposures are responsible for disease. We examined diet composition in women who reported dietary change in the past compared with non-changers, and how the associations between dietary factors and postmenopausal breast cancer are influenced by dietary change, obesity status and misreporting of energy.Design: A population-based prospective cohort study. Data were obtained by a diet history method, anthropometrical measurements and an extensive lifestyle questionnaire including items on past food habit change.Setting: The Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) study, conducted in Malmö, Sweden.Subjects: A subsample of 12,781 women from the MDC cohort recruited from 1991 to 1996. A total of 428 postmenopausal women were diagnosed with incident breast cancer, during 9.2 years of follow-up.Results: Past food habit changers reported healthier food habits and lower energy intake compared with non-changers, a finding that raises issues regarding possible reporting biases. When excluding diet changers, the trend of increased breast cancer risk across omega-6 fatty acid quintiles was stronger, and a tendency of decreased risk emerged for 'fruit, berries and vegetables'. When excluding individuals with non-adequate reports of energy intake, risk estimates were similar to that of the whole sample. In women with body mass index < 27 kg m- 2, significant trends of increased breast cancer risk were seen for total fat and omega-6 fatty acids, and of decreased risk for 'fruit, berries and vegetables'.Conclusions: This study indicates that both obesity and self-reported past food habit change may be important confounders of diet-breast cancer relationships. The study demonstrates that sensitivity analysis, through stratification, may facilitate interpretation of risk relationships and study results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present spatially resolved kinematics of 27 ALMA-identified dust-obscured star-forming galaxies (DSFGs) at z  ∼ 1.3–2.6, as traced by Hα emission using VLT/KMOS near-infrared integral field spectroscopy from the 'KMOS-ALMA Observations of Submillimetre Sources' (KAOSS) Large Programme. We derive Hα rotation curves and velocity dispersion profiles for the DSFGs, and find that among the 27 sources with bright, spatially extended Hα emission, 24 display evidence for disc-like kinematics. We measure a median inclination-corrected velocity at 2.2  R d of v rot = 190 ± 40 km s−1 and intrinsic velocity dispersion of σ0 = 87 ± 6 km s−1 for these disc-like sources. The kinematics yield median circular velocities of v circ = 230 ± 20 km s−1 and dynamical masses within 2 R e (∼ 7 kpc radius) of M dyn = (1.1 ± 0.2) × 1011 M⊙. Compared to less actively star-forming galaxies, KAOSS DSFGs are both faster rotating with higher intrinsic velocity dispersions, but have similar v rot/σ0 ratios, median v /σ0 = 2.5 ± 0.5. We suggest that the kinematics of the DSFGs are primarily rotation supported but with a non-negligible contribution from pressure support, which may be driven by star formation or mergers/interactions. We estimate the normalization of the stellar mass Tully–Fisher relation (sTFR) for the disc-like DSFGs and compare it with local studies, finding no evolution at fixed slope between z  ∼ 2 and z  ∼ 0. Finally, we show that the kinematic properties of the DSFG population are consistent with them evolving into massive early-type galaxies, the dominant z  ∼ 0 population at these masses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is some evidence that birth weight is associated with breast cancer. Whether this association differs between premenopausal and postmenopausal ages is still unclear. The results from this study suggest that higher birth weight is a risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer (OR 1.06, CI 1.00-1.12, per 100?g), independent of selected early-life and adult factors.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 91, 1666-1668. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6602203 www.bjcancer.com Published online 12 October 2004 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A letter to the editor is presented in response to an article on population attributable risk (PAR) for coronary heart disease (CHD) that was published in one of the previous issues.

Objective: To study trends in body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis of diabetes in all young Swedish adults in the age range of 15-34 years registered in a nation-based registry.Design: The BMI was assessed at diagnosis in diabetic patients 15-34 years of age at diagnosis, for a period of 17 years (1983-1999). Islet cell antibodies (ICA) were measured during three periods (1987-1988, 1992-1993 and 1998-1999).Setting: A nationwide study (Diabetes Incidence Study in Sweden).Subjects: A total of 4727 type 1 and 1083 type 2 diabetic patients.Main Outcome Measures: Incidence-year specific BMI adjusted for age, gender and time of diagnosis (month).Results: Body mass index at diagnosis increased significantly both in type 1 (21.4 +/- 3.6 to 22.5 +/- 4.0; P < 0.0001) and in type 2 (27.4 +/- 6.8 to 32.0 +/- 6.0; P < 0.0001) diabetic patients, also when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis. A similar significant increase in BMI was found in type 1 diabetic patients and in type 2 diabetic patients in the periods 1987-1988, 1992-1993 and 1998-1999; years when ICA were assessed and considered in the classification of diabetes. Despite this increase in BMI, there was no increase in the incidence of diabetes in young-adult people in Sweden.Conclusion: Body mass index at diagnosis of diabetes in subjects 15-34 years of age has substantially increased during 1983-1999 in Sweden when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

. Hlebowicz J, Persson M, Gullberg B, Sonestedt E, Wallström P, Drake I, Nilsson J, Hedblad B, Wirfält E (Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden). Food patterns, inflammation markers and incidence of cardiovascular disease: the Malmö Diet and Cancer study. J Intern Med 2011; 270: 365-376. Objectives. To examine the associations between food patterns constructed using cluster analysis and markers of systemic and vascular inflammation, and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) after 13 years of follow-up. Design. Population-based, prospective cohort study. Setting and subjects. Cluster analysis identified six food patterns from 43 food group variables among 4999 subjects, aged 45-68 years, who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cardiovascular programme between 1991 and 1994. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2), C-reactive protein concentration and white blood cell (WBC) count were measured using blood samples at baseline. Incidence of CVD (coronary events and ischaemic stroke) was monitored over 13 years of follow-up. Results. The fibre-rich bread pattern was associated with favourable effects on WBC count in women, and the low-fat and high-fibre pattern with favourable effects on Lp-PLA2 mass in women, and on Lp-PLA2 activity in men. However, the milk fat and sweets and cakes patterns were both associated with adverse effects; the former on WBC count in women and on Lp-PLA2 mass in men, and the latter on WBC count and Lp-PLA2 mass in women. The milk fat and sweets and cakes patterns were associated with increased CVD risk in women. Conclusions. The results of this study support the present Nordic dietary recommendations indicating that diets rich in high-fibre, low-fat and low-sugar foods are favourably associated with markers of inflammation and, potentially, with CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Hlebowicz J, Persson M, Gullberg B, Sonestedt E, Wallström P, Drake I, Nilsson J, Hedblad B, Wirfält E (Lund University, Skåne University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden). Food patterns, inflammation markers and incidence of cardiovascular disease: the Malmö Diet and Cancer study. J Intern Med 2011; 270: 365-376. Objectives. To examine the associations between food patterns constructed using cluster analysis and markers of systemic and vascular inflammation, and incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) after 13 years of follow-up. Design. Population-based, prospective cohort study. Setting and subjects. Cluster analysis identified six food patterns from 43 food group variables among 4999 subjects, aged 45-68 years, who participated in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cardiovascular programme between 1991 and 1994. Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A(2) (Lp-PLA(2) ), C-reactive protein concentration and white blood cell (WBC) count were measured using blood samples at baseline. Incidence of CVD (coronary events and ischaemic stroke) was monitored over 13 years of follow-up. Results. The fibre-rich bread pattern was associated with favourable effects on WBC count in women, and the low-fat and high-fibre pattern with favourable effects on Lp-PLA(2) mass in women, and on Lp-PLA(2) activity in men. However, the milk fat and sweets and cakes patterns were both associated with adverse effects; the former on WBC count in women and on Lp-PLA(2) mass in men, and the latter on WBC count and Lp-PLA(2) mass in women. The milk fat and sweets and cakes patterns were associated with increased CVD risk in women. Conclusions. The results of this study support the present Nordic dietary recommendations indicating that diets rich in high-fibre, low-fat and low-sugar foods are favourably associated with markers of inflammation and, potentially, with CVD risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity may be associated with increased risk of prostate cancer (PCa). According to one hypothesis, obesity could lower the risk of non-aggressive tumours, while simultaneously increasing the risk of aggressive cancer. Furthermore, central adiposity may be independently associated with PCa risk; it is also associated with diabetes, which itself may influence risk of PCa. We studied the associations between height, body composition, and fat distribution, diabetes prevalence and risk of total, aggressive, and non-aggressive PCa in 10,564 initially cancer-free men (aged 45-73 years) of the population-based Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. Anthropometric and body composition measurements, including bioelectrical impedance for estimation of fat mass, were performed by study nurses. Diabetes prevalence was self-reported. Cancer cases and clinical characteristics were ascertained through national and regional registry data. Dietary and other background data were obtained through a modified diet history method and an extensive questionnaire. During a mean follow-up of 11.0 years, 817 incidental PCa cases were diagnosed. Of these, 281 were classified as aggressive. There were 202 cases occurring before 65 years of age. Height was positively associated with total and non-aggressive PCa risk. Waist-hip ratio (WHR), a measure of central adiposity, was positively associated with PCa before age 65, and less strongly, with total PCa. This association was independent of body mass index (BMI) and other potential confounders. General adiposity, expressed as BMI or body fat percentage, and prevalent diabetes were not associated with PCa risk. In this study, WHR and body height were stronger PCa predictors than general adiposity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives:The aim of this study was to examine the variation of enterolactone from fasting and non-fasting blood of middle-aged healthy women eating a normal diet to determine the usefulness of a single sample in epidemiological studies.Subjects and methods:Twenty-six women born between 1940 and 1950 were recruited within the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. Three non-fasting and two overnight fasting samples were collected from each individual during a 5-week period. Twenty-one participated in all measurements. Enterolactone concentrations were analyzed by time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay.Results:The within-subject and between-subject variations (coefficient of variations, CV) were estimated to 59 and 89% respectively for fasting samples and 71 and 67% for non-fasting samples. The intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) were estimated to 0.66 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.35–0.84) for fasting and 0.48 (95% CI, 0.22–0.72) for non-fasting samples.Conclusions:Although the estimated ICC for blood samples was moderate, it indicates that enterolactone levels of both fasting and non-fasting blood samples should be useful in future projects within the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort.European Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2008) 62, 1005–1009; doi:10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602811; published online 30 May 2007 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To estimate the dietary intakes of heterocyclic amines (HCAs), to examine the intakes in relation to socio-economics, lifestyle and other dietary factors and to compare the classification of subjects by intake of HCA versus intake of meat and fish.Design: Cross-sectional analysis within the Malmö Diet and Cancer (MDC) cohort. Data were obtained from a modified diet history, a structured questionnaire on socio-economics and lifestyle, anthropometric measurements and chemical analysis of HCAs. HCA intake was cross-classified against meat and fish intake. The likelihood of being a high consumer of HCAs was estimated by logistic regression analysis. Dietary intakes were examined across quintiles of HCA intake using analysis of variance.Setting: Baseline examinations conducted in 1991-1994 in Malmö, Sweden.Subjects: A sub-sample of 8599 women and 6575 men of the MDC cohort.Results: The mean daily HCA intake was 583 ng for women and 821 ng for men. Subjects were ranked differently with respect to HCA intake compared with intake of fried and baked meat and fish (kappa = 0.13). High HCA intake was significantly associated with lower age, overweight, sedentary lifestyle and smoking. Intakes of dietary fibre, fruits and fermented milk products were negatively associated with HCA intake, while intakes of selenium, vegetables, potatoes, alcohol (among men) and non-milk-based margarines (among women) were positively associated with HCA intake.Conclusions: The estimated daily HCA intake of 690 ng is similar to values obtained elsewhere. The present study suggests that lifestyle factors (e.g. smoking, physical activity, fruit and vegetable intakes, and types of milk products and margarines) may confound associations between HCA intake and disease. The poor correlation between HCA intake and intakes of fried meat and fish facilitates an isolation of the health effects of HCAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the risk of acute stroke in subgroups of patients treated for hypertension and type 2 diabetes in primary care. Methods: Patients with hypertension only (n = 695), type 2 diabetes only (n = 181) or both (n = 240), who consecutively attended an annual control in primary care in Skara, Sweden during 1992–1993, were evaluated for cardiovascular disease risk factors and enrolled in this study. Subjects with neither hypertension nor type 2 diabetes (n = 824) who participated in a population survey in the same community served as controls. Possible events of acute stroke through 2002 were validated using hospital records and death certificates. Results: During a mean follow-up time of 8.4 years, 190 first events of acute stroke, fatal or non-fatal, were ascertained. Risk factor levels were generally higher in all patient categories than in controls. Stroke risk was significantly increased in all male patients: hazard ratio 4.2 (95% CI 2.1–8.4) in patients with both conditions, 3.3 (1.5–7.0) in those with type 2 diabetes alone and 2.8 (1.5–5.3) in those with hypertension alone (adjusted for age, total cholesterol, current smoking, BMI and physical activity). Corresponding findings in women were 2.9 (1.5–5.8) in patients with type 2 diabetes only and 2.4 (1.2–4.7) in those with both conditions. However, in women with hypertension only, a significant risk was seen first when subjects were truncated at 85 years of age. There were too few fatal stroke events for conclusive results on stroke mortality. Conclusions: A considerable risk of acute stroke remains in patients with type 2 diabetes and hypertension. Strategies for stricter multiple risk factor interventions should be implemented in primary care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim was to explore previous findings within the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort (Sweden) that omega6-fatty acid intakes are positively associated with breast cancer risk among women 50 yr of age and older and specifically examine relations between breast cancer risk and fat from different food groups. Incident breast cancer cases (n = 237) were matched to controls (n = 673) on age and screening date. A modified diet history method, a structured questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements provided data. Fat-food variables from 24 food groups were computed. Conditional logistic regression examined breast cancer risk associated with energy-adjusted exposure categories of fat-food variables. Fat from fermented milk products was negatively associated with breast cancer risk (trend, P = 0.003). The highest quartiles of vegetable oil-based dietary fats (odds ratio, OR = 1.74; confidence interval, CI = 1.12-2.72) and dried soup powders (OR = 1.59; CI = 1.04-2.43) showed positive associations. Dietary fiber did not influence associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine if obesity status and socio-economic and lifestyle factors are associated with self-reported past food habit change, and also whether the level of obesity depends on the reason for change.Design: Cross-sectional analysis within the Malmo Diet and Cancer (MDC) study using data from the baseline examination and the extensive socio-economic and lifestyle questionnaire including questions of past food habit change. The risk of having changed food habits in the past was examined using logistic regression. Mean differences in obesity status across categories of reasons for past food habit change were examined using analysis of variance.Setting: Malmö, the third largest city in Sweden.Subjects: A sub-sample (15 282 women and 9867 men) from the MDC cohort recruited from 1992 to 1996.Results: Individuals with body mass index (BMI) >30 kg m(-2) had an increased risk of having reported past food habit change compared with individuals with BMI <25 kg m(-2) (odds ratio (OR) = 1.63, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.48-1.83 for women; OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.32-1.76 for men). The highest level of obesity was observed among individuals who had changed their diet due to reasons related to the metabolic syndrome. Changers were more likely to be highly educated and to live alone, be retired, ex-smokers and non-drinkers at baseline.Conclusions: Because past food habit change is related to obesity and other lifestyle and socio-economic factors, a complex confounding situation may exist that could seriously influence observed relationships between diet and disease. Studies need to collect information on past food habit change and take this information into account in the analysis and when interpreting study outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the prevalence and characteristics of uncontrolled hypertension (HT). A cross-sectional community-based study (1992–93) was carried out in Skara, Sweden, including 894 patients who consecutively underwent an annual follow-up at the hypertension outpatient clinic in primary care. Controlled HT was defined as diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≤90 mmHg and systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≤160 mmHg and was used as reference. Uncontrolled DBP was defined as DBP >90 mmHg regardless of SBP level, and isolated uncontrolled SBP was defined as SBP >160 mmHg and DBP ≤90 mmHg. Proportions were age-standardized using the Skara population as reference. The prevalence of uncontrolled HT was 43% (isolated uncontrolled SBP 18% and uncontrolled DBP 25%). Both men and women with isolated uncontrolled SBP were older (73 years, CI: 70–75; and 73 years; CI: 72–75) than patients with controlled HT (64 years, CI: 63–66; and 65 years, CI: 64–66). Men and women with known cardiovascular disease (CVD) less often had isolated uncontrolled SBP (OR: 0.4, CI: 0.2–0.9; and OR: 0.5, CI: 0.3–0.9), whereas men and women with known diabetes more often had uncontrolled DBP (OR: 2.3, CI: 1.3–4.1; and OR: 3.3, CI: 1.9–5.7). Men with known CVD less often had uncontrolled DBP (OR: 0.5, CI: 0.3–1.0, p = 0.04), and men with fasting blood glucose >5.5 mmol/l more often had isolated uncontrolled SBP (OR: 1.9, CI: 1.0–3.5, p = 0.04). In women, the following high risk factor levels were associated with uncontrolled DBP: fasting blood glucose >5.5 mmol/l (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1–1.8), fasting triglycerides ≥1.7 mmol/l (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1–1.8), body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 (OR: 1.5, CI: 1.1–1.9), waist/hip ratio (WHR) >0.85 cm/cm (OR: 1.7, CI: 1.3–2.2), insulin resistance (homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) >third quartile) (OR: 1.4, CI: 1.1–1.9) and microalbuminuria (OR: 3.2, CI: 1.7–6.2). Uncontrolled DBP is in both sexes related to type 2 diabetes, whereas isolated uncontrolled SBP is related to older age. In women, uncontrolled DBP, furthermore, is related to several other CVD risk factors of the metabolic syndrome. Patients with uncontrolled DBP should be carefully evaluated for metabolic disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract. Littorin B, Nyström L, Gullberg B, Råstam L, Östman J, Arnqvist HJ, Björk E, Blohmé G, Bolinder J, Eriksson JW, Scherstén B, Sundkvist G (University of Malmö/Lund, Malmö/Lund; Umeå University, Umeå; University Hospital, Uppsala; Söder Hospital, Stockholm; Huddinge Hospital, Huddinge; Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Linköping, Linköping and University Hospital, Umeå; Malmö University Hospital, Malmö, Sweden). Increasing body mass index at diagnosis of diabetes in young adult people during 1983–1999 in the Diabetes Incidence Study in Sweden (DISS). J Intern Med 2003; 254: 251–256. Objective. To study trends in body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis of diabetes in all young Swedish adults in the age range of 15–34 years registered in a nation-based registry. Design. The BMI was assessed at diagnosis in diabetic patients 15–34 years of age at diagnosis, for a period of 17 years (1983–1999). Islet cell antibodies (ICA) were measured during three periods (1987–1988, 1992–1993 and 1998–1999). Setting. A nationwide study (Diabetes Incidence Study in Sweden). Subjects. A total of 4727 type 1 and 1083 type 2 diabetic patients. Main outcome measures. Incidence-year specific BMI adjusted for age, gender and time of diagnosis (month). Results. Body mass index at diagnosis increased significantly both in type 1 (21.4 ± 3.6 to 22.5 ± 4.0; P < 0.0001) and in type 2 (27.4 ± 6.8 to 32.0 ± 6.0; P < 0.0001) diabetic patients, also when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis. A similar significant increase in BMI was found in type 1 diabetic patients and in type 2 diabetic patients in the periods 1987–1988, 1992–1993 and 1998–1999; years when ICA were assessed and considered in the classification of diabetes. Despite this increase in BMI, there was no increase in the incidence of diabetes in young-adult people in Sweden. Conclusion. Body mass index at diagnosis of diabetes in subjects 15–34 years of age has substantially increased during 1983–1999 in Sweden when adjusted for age, gender and month of diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore potential risk factors for language impairment (LI) relative to degree of severity in bilingual and monolingual children.Methods: Two groups of clinically assessed children were compared, 252 bilinguals whose parents were both non-Swedish and 446 monolinguals, who were referred over a period of 24 mo to the University Hospital in Malmö for suspected LI.Results: A multivariate linear regression for both groups showed that two risk factors were the same: parental distress (p < 0.0001 in both groups) and short attention span (p < 0.0001 in both groups). Male gender (p < 0.0001) was an additional predictor for LI relative to degree of severity in the monolingual group. Specific risk factors for LI relative to degree of severity in the bilingual children were maternal arrival within 1 y in relation to birth (p < 0.002) and parental need for an interpreter after > 5 y in Sweden (p < 0.040).Conclusion: Most risk factors for LI relative to degree of severity in this study seemed to apply to both groups, although they sometimes appeared in another form in the bilingual group. Gender and possibly also hereditary factors seemed to need to interact with environmental factors to appear as risk factors for the bilingual children in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To explore the development of hypertension (HT) in a cohort of young middle-aged men.Design: Prospective birth-cohort study of men surveyed over 6 years.Setting: Helsingborg County Hospital, Sweden, 1990-97.Subjects: A total of 628 men born in 1953-54, all surveyed at 37, 40 and 43 years of age.Main Outcome Measures: Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), S-cholesterol, body mass index (BMI), alcohol consumption, ethnicity. HT was defined as SBP > or = 140 mmHg and/or DBP > or = 90 mmHg, or ongoing treatment. Using SBP < 130 mmHg and DBP < 85 mmHg as reference, the odds of conversion to HT in men with high normal blood pressure (BP) (SBP 130-139 mmHg and DBP 85-89 mmHg) was investigated.Results: At age 37, 243 men (39%) had reference BP, 167 (26%) had high normal BP and 218 (35%) were hypertensive. Corresponding numbers at age 40 were 265 (42%), 166 (27%) and 197 (31%); and at age 43, 180 (29%), 142 (22%) and 306 (49%), respectively. High normal BP at baseline was associated with the development of HT both at age 40 (odds ratio (OR)=2.45 confidence interval (CI): 1.42-4.22) and at age 43 (OR=2.46, CI: 1.59-3.80), independent of other cardiovascular disease risk factors and ethnicity. The progression to HT was predicted also by S-cholesterol, alcohol consumption, BMI and weight gain.Conclusions: Over a short-term period, a substantial proportion of young middle-aged men with high normal BP develop HT with overweight and alcohol consumption as important determinants. These findings have implications for the prevention, screening and medical care of HT in this target population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compares how three different energy adjustment approaches influence the ranking of individuals on fat intake. Factors that affect the variation in energy intakes between persons of the same sex and age; Association between high fat intake and socio-economic index and education; Association between smoking and increased risk of high fat intake.

OBJECTIVES: To examine sociodemographic factors associated with long-term adult weight gain and current general and central adiposity in women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis based on data from the Malmö Diet and Cancer prospective cohort Study (MDCS), Sweden. SUBJECTS: 5464 women aged 45-73y, who participated in the IV!DCS between 1994 and 1996. MEASUREMENTS: Weight change was defined as the difference between measured weight and recalled weight at age 20. Body composition was estimated from bioelectrical impedance analysis. Waist circumference and waist-hip ratio (WHR) were indicators of central obesity. Sociodemographic factors studied included reproductive, lifestyle and socioeconomic characteristics obtained from a questionnaire. RESULTS: At current age 13% of all women were obese (BMl ≥ 30), and nearly one-third had a body fat content of >33%. Since age 20, the majority of women (77%) had gained more than 10% of their initial weight. On average, the mean weight change was 12.6±10.0 kg during adult life. Age-adjusted group mean comparisons identified a number of significant sociodemographic variables predicting past weight gain and current obesity. In multivariate analysis, significant independent correlates of weight gain were: age, initial small body size, high parity, early menarche, nonuse of hormone therapy, low self-rated health, non-smoking, no consumption of alcohol, sedentary leisure activity, past change in diet, retirement, low education, low socioeconomic status, and low socioeconomic status of origin. Many of the same variables were independently associated with current waist circumference, WHR, and percentage body fat. CONCLUSIONS: Large weight gain during adult life and a high rate of overweight were observed in this group of Swedish women. Many sociodemographic characteristics were associated with long-term weight gain and recent obesity indices. Initial BMI, smoking, age, physical activity and early socioeconomic status... [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse a robust sample of 30 near-infrared-faint (K AB > 25.3, 5σ) submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) selected from a 0.96 deg2 field to investigate their properties and the cause of their faintness in optical/near-infrared wavebands. Our analysis exploits precise identifications based on Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) 870- μ m continuum imaging, combined with very deep near-infrared imaging from the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey. We estimate that SMGs with K AB > 25.3 mag represent 15 ± 2 per cent of the total population brighter than S 870 = 3.6 mJy, with a potential surface density of ∼450 deg−2 above S 870 ≥ 1 mJy. As such, they pose a source of contamination in surveys for both high-redshift 'quiescent' galaxies and very high redshift Lyman-break galaxies. We show that these K -faint SMGs represent the tail of the broader submillimetre population, with comparable dust and stellar masses to K AB ≤ 25.3 mag SMGs, but lying at significantly higher redshifts (z = 3.44 ± 0.06 versus z = 2.36 ± 0.11) and having higher dust attenuation (AV = 5.2 ± 0.3 versus AV = 2.9 ± 0.1). We investigate the origin of the strong dust attenuation and find indications that these K -faint galaxies have smaller dust continuum sizes than the K AB ≤ 25.3 mag galaxies, as measured by ALMA, which suggests their high attenuation is related to their compact sizes. We identify a correlation of dust attenuation with star formation rate surface density (ΣSFR), with the K -faint SMGs representing the higher ΣSFR and highest AV galaxies. The concentrated, intense star formation activity in these systems is likely to be associated with the formation of spheroids in compact galaxies at high redshifts, but as a result of their high obscuration these galaxies are completely missed in ultraviolet, optical, and even near-infrared surveys. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have used ALMA and NOEMA to study the molecular gas reservoirs in 61 ALMA-identified submillimetre galaxies (SMGs) in the COSMOS, UDS, and ECDFS fields. We detect 12CO (⁠|$J_{\rm up} =$| 2–5) emission lines in 50 sources, and [C  i ](3P1 − 3P0) emission in eight, at |$z =$| 1.2–4.8 and with a median redshift of 2.9 ± 0.2. By supplementing our data with literature sources, we construct a statistical CO spectral line energy distribution and find that the 12CO line luminosities in SMGs peak at J up ∼ 6, consistent with similar studies. We also test the correlations of the CO, [C  i ], and dust as tracers of the gas mass, finding the three to correlate well, although the CO and dust mass as estimated from the 3-mm continuum are preferable. We estimate that SMGs lie mostly on or just above the star-forming main sequence, with a median gas depletion timescale, t dep = M gas/SFR, of 210 ± 40 Myr for our sample. Additionally, t dep declines with redshift across z  ∼ 1–5, while the molecular gas fraction, μgas = M gas/ M *, increases across the same redshift range. Finally, we demonstrate that the distribution of total baryonic mass and dynamical line width, M baryon–σ, for our SMGs is consistent with that followed by early-type galaxies in the Coma cluster, providing strong support to the suggestion that SMGs are progenitors of massive local spheroidal galaxies. On the basis of this, we suggest that the SMG populations above and below an 870- μ m flux limit of S 870 ∼ 5 mJy may correspond to the division between slow and fast rotators seen in local early-type galaxies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse the physical properties of a large, homogeneously selected sample of ALMA-located sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs). This survey, AS2UDS, identified 707 SMGs across the ∼1 deg2 field, including ∼17 per cent, which are undetected at K ≳ 25.7 mag. We interpret their ultraviolet-to-radio data using magphys and determine a median redshift of z  = 2.61 ± 0.08 (1 σ range of z = 1.8–3.4) with just ∼6 per cent at z > 4. Our survey provides a sample of massive dusty galaxies at z ≳ 1, with median dust and stellar masses of M d = (6.8 ± 0.3) × 108 M⊙ (thus, gas masses of ∼1011 M⊙) and M * = (1.26 ± 0.05) × 1011 M⊙. We find no evolution in dust temperature at a constant far-infrared luminosity across z  ∼ 1.5–4. The gas mass function of our sample increases to z  ∼ 2–3 and then declines at z > 3. The space density and masses of SMGs suggest that almost all galaxies with M * ≳ 3 × 1011 M⊙ have passed through an SMG-like phase. The redshift distribution is well fit by a model combining evolution of the gas fraction in haloes with the growth of halo mass past a critical threshold of M h ∼ 6 × 1012 M⊙, thus SMGs may represent the highly efficient collapse of gas-rich massive haloes. We show that SMGs are broadly consistent with simple homologous systems in the far-infrared, consistent with a centrally illuminated starburst. Our study provides strong support for an evolutionary link between the active, gas-rich SMG population at z > 1 and the formation of massive, bulge-dominated galaxies across the history of the Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We analyse 870  |$\mu$| m Atacama Large Millimetre Array (ALMA) dust continuum detections of 41 canonically selected |$z$| ≃ 3 Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs), as well as 209 ALMA-undetected LBGs, in follow-up of SCUBA-2 mapping of the UKIDSS Ultra Deep Survey (UDS) field. We find that our ALMA-bright LBGs lie significantly off the local IRX-beta relation and have relatively bluer rest-frame UV slopes (as parametrized by β), given their high values of the 'infrared excess' (IRX ≡ L IR/ L UV), relative to the average 'local' IRX-β relation. We attribute this finding in part to the young ages of the underlying stellar populations but we find that the main reason behind the unusually blue UV slopes are the relatively shallow slopes of the corresponding dust attenuation curves. We show that, when stellar masses, M *, are being established via SED fitting, it is absolutely crucial to allow the attenuation curves to vary (rather than fixing it on Calzetti-like law), where we find that the inappropriate curves may underestimate the resulting stellar masses by a factor of ≃2–3× on average. In addition, we find these LBGs to have relatively high specific star-formation rates (sSFRs), dominated by the dust component, as quantified via the fraction of obscured star formation |$(f_{\rm obs}\equiv {\rm SFR_{\rm IR}/{\rm SFR}_{\rm UV+IR}})$|⁠. We conclude that the ALMA-bright LBGs are, by selection, massive galaxies undergoing a burst of a star formation (large sSFRs, driven, for example, by secular or merger processes), with a likely geometrical disconnection of the dust and stars, responsible for producing shallow dust attenuation curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We identify multi-wavelength counterparts to 1147 submillimeter sources from the S2COSMOS SCUBA-2 survey of the COSMOS field by employing a recently developed radio+machine-learning method trained on a large sample of Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)–identified submillimeter galaxies (SMGs), including 260 SMGs identified in the AS2COSMOS pilot survey. In total, we identify 1222 optical/near-infrared (NIR)/radio counterparts to the 897 S2COSMOS submillimeter sources with S850 > 1.6 mJy, yielding an overall identification rate of (78 ± 9)%. We find that (22 ± 5)% of S2COSMOS sources have multiple identified counterparts. We estimate that roughly 27% of these multiple counterparts within the same SCUBA-2 error circles very likely arise from physically associated galaxies rather than line-of-sight projections by chance. The photometric redshift of our radio+machine-learning-identified SMGs ranges from z = 0.2 to 5.7 and peaks at z = 2.3 ± 0.1. The AGN fraction of our sample is (19 ± 4)%, which is consistent with that of ALMA SMGs in the literature. Comparing with radio/NIR-detected field galaxy population in the COSMOS field, our radio+machine-learning-identified counterparts of SMGs have the highest star formation rates and stellar masses. These characteristics suggest that our identified counterparts of S2COSMOS sources are a representative sample of SMGs at z ≲ 3. We employ our machine-learning technique to the whole COSMOS field and identified 6877 potential SMGs, most of which are expected to have submillimeter emission fainter than the confusion limit of our S2COSMOS surveys (mJy). We study the clustering properties of SMGs based on this statistically large sample, finding that they reside in high-mass dark matter halos ((1.2 ± 0.3) × 1013h−1), which suggests that SMGs may be the progenitors of massive ellipticals we see in the local universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the catalogue and basic properties of sources in AS2UDS, an 870- |$\mu$| m continuum survey with the Atacama Large Millimetre/sub-millimetre Array (ALMA) of 716 single-dish sub-millimetre sources detected in the UKIDSS/UDS field by the SCUBA-2 Cosmology Legacy Survey. In our sensitive ALMA follow-up observations, we detect 708 sub-millimetre galaxies (SMGs) at >4.3σ significance across the ∼1°-diameter field. We combine our precise ALMA positions with the extensive multiwavelength coverage in the UDS field which yields spectral energy distributions for our SMGs and a median redshift of z phot =  2.61 ± 0.09. This large sample reveals a statistically significant trend of increasing sub-millimetre flux with redshift suggestive of galaxy downsizing. 101 ALMA maps do not show a > 4.3σ SMG, but we demonstrate from stacking Herschel SPIRE observations at these positions, that the vast majority of these blank maps correspond to real single-dish sub-millimetre sources. We further show that these blank maps contain an excess of galaxies at z phot =  1.5–4 compared to random fields, similar to the redshift range of the ALMA-detected SMGs. In addition, we combine X-ray and mid-infrared active galaxy nuclei activity (AGN) indicators to yield a likely range for the AGN fraction of 8–28  per cent in our sample. Finally, we compare the redshifts of this population of high-redshift, strongly star-forming galaxies with the inferred formation redshifts of massive, passive galaxies being found out to z ∼  2, finding reasonable agreement – in support of an evolutionary connection between these two classes of massive galaxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have used the Multi-Unit Spectroscopic Explorer (MUSE) to study the circumgalactic medium (CGM) of a z = 2.92 radio galaxy, MRC 0943−242 by parametrising its emitting and absorbing gas. In both Lyα λ1216 and He II λ1640 lines, we observe emission with velocity shifts of Δv ≃ −1000 km s−1 from the systemic redshift of the galaxy. These blueshifted components represent kinematically perturbed gas that is aligned with the radio axis, and is therefore a signature of jet-driven outflows. Three of the four known Lyα absorbers in this source are detected at the same velocities as C IV λλ1548, 1551 and N V λλ1239, 1243 absorbers, proving that the gas is metal-enriched more so than previously thought. At the velocity of a strong Lyα absorber which has an H I column of NH I/cm−2 = 1019.2 and velocity shift of Δv ≃ −400 km s−1, we also detect Si II λ1260 and Si II λ1527 absorption, which suggests that the absorbing gas is ionisation bounded. With the added sensitivity of this MUSE observation, we are more capable of adding constraints to absorber column densities and consequently determining what powers their ionisation. To do this, we obtain photoionisation grid models in CLOUDY which show that AGN radiation is capable of ionising the gas and producing the observed column densities in a gas of metallicity of Z/Z⊙ ≃ 0.01 with a nitrogen abundance a factor of 10 greater than that of hydrogen. This metal-enriched absorbing gas, which is also spatially extended over a projected distance of r ≳ 60 kpc, is likely to have undergone chemical enrichment through stellar winds that have swept up metals from the interstellar-medium and deposited them in the outer regions of the galaxy's halo. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The largest galaxies in the universe reside in galaxy clusters. Using sensitive observations of carbon monoxide, we show that the Spiderweb galaxy—a massive galaxy in a distant protocluster—is forming from a large reservoir of molecular gas. Most of this molecular gas lies between the protocluster galaxies and has low velocity dispersion, indicating that it is part of an enriched intergalactic medium. This may constitute the reservoir of gas that fuels the widespread star formation seen in earlier ultraviolet observations of the Spiderweb galaxy. Our results support the notion that giant galaxies in clusters formed from extended regions of recycled gas at high redshift. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present the average rest-frame spectrum of high-redshift dusty, star-forming galaxies from 250 to 770 GHz. This spectrum was constructed by stacking Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) 3 mm spectra of 22 such sources discovered by the South Pole Telescope and spanning z = 2.0-5.7. In addition to multiple bright spectral features of 12CO, [C I], and H2O, we also detect several faint transitions of 13CO, HCN, HNC, HCO+, and CN, and use the observed line strengths to characterize the typical properties of the interstellar medium of these high-redshift starburst galaxies. We find that the 13CO brightness in these objects is comparable to that of the only other z > 2 star-forming galaxy in which 13CO has been observed. We show that the emission from the high-critical density molecules HCN, HNC, HCO+, and CN is consistent with a warm, dense medium with Tkin ∼ 55 K and cm–3. High molecular hydrogen densities are required to reproduce the observed line ratios, and we demonstrate that alternatives to purely collisional excitation are unlikely to be significant for the bulk of these systems. We quantify the average emission from several species with no individually detected transitions, and find emission from the hydride CH and the linear molecule CCH for the first time at high redshift, indicating that these molecules may be powerful probes of interstellar chemistry in high-redshift systems. These observations represent the first constraints on many molecular species with rest-frame transitions from 0.4 to 1.2 mm in star-forming systems at high redshift, and will be invaluable in making effective use of ALMA in full science operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present observations of SPT-S J053816–5030.8, a gravitationally lensed dusty star-forming galaxy (DSFG) at z = 2.7817 that was first discovered at millimeter wavelengths by the South Pole Telescope. SPT 0538–50 is typical of the brightest sources found by wide-field millimeter-wavelength surveys, being lensed by an intervening galaxy at moderate redshift (in this instance, at z = 0.441). We present a wide array of multi-wavelength spectroscopic and photometric data on SPT 0538–50, including data from ALMA, Herschel PACS and SPIRE, Hubble, Spitzer, the Very Large Telescope, ATCA, APEX, and the Submillimeter Array. We use high-resolution imaging from the Hubble Space Telescope to de-blend SPT 0538–50, separating DSFG emission from that of the foreground lens. Combined with a source model derived from ALMA imaging (which suggests a magnification factor of 21 ± 4), we derive the intrinsic properties of SPT 0538–50, including the stellar mass, far-IR luminosity, star formation rate, molecular gas mass, and—using molecular line fluxes—the excitation conditions within the interstellar medium. The derived physical properties argue that we are witnessing compact, merger-driven star formation in SPT 0538–50 similar to local starburst galaxies and unlike that seen in some other DSFGs at this epoch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have initiated a survey using the newly commissioned X-shooter spectrograph to target candidate relatively metal-rich damped Lyα absorbers (DLAs). Our rationale is that high-metallicity DLAs due to the luminosity-metallicity relation likely will have the most luminous galaxy counterparts. In addition, the spectral coverage of X-shooter allows us to search for not only Lyα emission, but also rest-frame optical emission lines. We have chosen DLAs where the strongest rest-frame optical lines ([O ], [O ], Hβ and Hα) fall in the near-infrared atmospheric transmission bands. In this first paper resulting from the survey, we report on the discovery of the galaxy counterpart of the DLA towards the quasar Q 0946. This DLA is amongst the most metal-rich DLAs studied so far at comparable redshifts and there is evidence for substantial depletion of refractory elements on to dust grains. We measure metallicities from Zn , Si , Ni , Mn and Fe of and , respectively. The galaxy is detected in the Lyα, [O ]λλ4959, 5007 and Hα emission lines at an impact parameter of about 0.8 arcsec (6 kpc at ). Based on the Hα line, we infer a star formation rate of 10 M yr, which is a lower limit due to the possibility of slit loss. Compared to the recently determined Hα luminosity function for galaxies, the DLA-galaxy counterpart has a luminosity of . The emission-line ratios are 4.0 (Lyα/Hα) and 1.2 ([O ]/Hα). In particular, the Lyα line shows clear evidence for resonant scattering effects, namely an asymmetric, redshifted (relative to the systemic redshift) component and a much weaker blueshifted component. The fact that the blueshifted component is relatively weak indicates the presence of a galactic wind. The properties of the galaxy counterpart of this DLA are consistent with the prediction that metal-rich DLAs are associated with the most luminous of the DLA-galaxy counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to evaluate if two different physical activity (PA) questionnaires have similar ability to rank individuals, and to examine associations with cardiovascular-metabolic risk factors, compared to an objective measure. In a random sample (n=369, age: 65±6 years) from the population-based ‘Malmö Diet and Cancer’ (MDC) cohort, PA was measured by a leisure-time comprehensive questionnaire (MDC-score), a simple leisure-time questionnaire and by accelerometer-monitoring (CSA). Moderate correlations were observed between MDC-score and CSA in men and women (r=0.35 and 0.24, respectively). In men, both questionnaires and CSA were inversely associated with waist circumference, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome. In women, the MDC-score was positively associated with high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol, and the simple questionnaire inversely associated with anthropometric indexes, but no association was seen between PA estimates and cardiovascular components. We conclude that both PA questionnaires distinguish health risks associated with anthropometric-metabolic risk factors, particularly in men. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To examine the fatty acid composition of erythrocyte membranes, in relation to obesity indexes and breast cancer risk. A nested case­control study. The Malmö Diet Cancer cohort, Sweden. Among women 50 y or older at baseline (n=12 803), incident breast cancer cases (n=237) were matched to controls (n=673) on age and screening date. DFA and EFA from fish and milk, and DFA and EFA linoleic acid, show significant positive associations. Relations are negative between indexes of obesity and ‘milk’ EFA, but positive between indexes of obesity and indexes of delta9- and delta6- desaturase enzyme activity. No significant relations were observed between EFA and breast cancer risk. Similar to other studies, dietary fish and milk fatty acids, and linoleic acid, are related to the corresponding EFA. Breast cancer risk was not significantly related to EFA in this study. However, the findings suggest positive relations between body mass index, body fat per cent and indexes of desaturase activity, and negative relations between central obesity and milk EFA. The Swedish Cancer Society, the Swedish Medical Research Council, the European Commission, the Swedish Dairy Association and the City of Malmö. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate prospectively the associations between intakes of plant foods, fibre and relative fat and risk of breast cancer in a subsample of 11?726 postmenopausal women in the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort. Data were obtained by an interview-based diet history method, a structured questionnaire, anthropometrical measurements and national and regional cancer registries. During 89?602 person-years of follow-up, 342 incident cases were documented. Cox regression analysis examined breast cancer risks adjusted for potential confounders. High fibre intakes were associated with a lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer, incidence rate ratio=0.58, 95% CI: 0.40, 0.84, for the highest quintile of fibre intake compared to the lowest quintile. The combination high fibre-low fat had the lowest risk when examining the effect in each cell of cross-classified tertiles of fibre and fat intakes. An interaction (P=0.049) was found between fibre- and fat-tertiles. There was no significant association between breast cancer risk and intakes of any of the plant food subgroups. These findings support the hypothesis that a dietary pattern characterised by high fibre and low fat intakes is associated with a lower risk of postmenopausal breast cancer.British Journal of Cancer (2004) 90, 122-127. doi:10.1038/sj.bjc.6601516 www.bjcancer.com [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To identify food sources of fat, to compare food and nutrient intakes at different levels of relative fat intake, and to examine the contribution of different food groups to the variation in relative fat intake. Relative fat intake was expressed as energy contributed by fat in percentage of non-alcohol energy.Design: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from the Malmö Diet and CancerStudy: An interview-based diet history method, a structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were used to obtain data. Analysis of variance compared food and nutrient intakes across quintiles of relative fat intake. Stepwise regression examined the contribution of food groups to the variation in relative fat intake.Setting: Baseline examinations were conducted between 1991 and 1996 in the city of Malmö, southern Sweden.Subjects: A sub-sample of 7055 women and 3240 men of the Malmö Diet and Cancer cohort.Results: The major fat sources were dairy products, margarines, meat & meat products, and cakes & buns. Most plant foods, especially fruit, vegetables and breakfast cereals, were negatively associated with fat intake. Low fat consumers had significantly higher intakes of dietary fibre, vitamin C, beta-carotene, folic acid, iron, zinc and calcium. Intakes of all types of fatty acids and fat-soluble vitamins were positively associated with fat consumption.Conclusions: The results suggest that many food groups and nutrients may confound the associations between relative fat intake and disease. Plant foods, especially, are important to consider in studies of fat intake and disease risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unlabelled: In this study two groups of children were compared, 192 bilingual and 246 monolingual, referred over a 12-mo period to University Hospital in Malmö for suspected language impairment. Compared with monolingual children, bilingual children ran a significantly lower risk (RR = 0.76, p < 0.0001) of being referred by a child health centre, and a significantly higher risk (RR= 1.54, p < 0.0103) of being referred after 5 y of age. In the bilingual group there was also a significantly higher risk of parental refusal of assessment (RR = 2.35, p < 0.0016) and of the children being diagnosed with a severe language impairment (RR = 1.87, p < 0.0009). The risk for bilingual children with severe language impairment being discharged owing to non-attendance was high (RR = 6.20, p < 0.0002) compared to monolingual children. The risk increased with severity of language impairment.Conclusion: Bilingual children displayed a higher risk of a diagnosis of severe language impairment and of being discharged for non-attendance. The problem of low compliance among bilingual parents, despite strong indications of parental distress, must be addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]