We present homogeneous and accurate iron abundances for 42 Galactic Cepheids based on high resolution (R ~ 38 000) high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≥ 100) optical spectra collected with UVES at VLT ...(128 spectra). The above abundances were complemented with high-quality iron abundances provided either by our group (86) or available in the literature. We were careful to derive a common metallicity scale and ended up with a sample of 450 Cepheids. We also estimated accurate individual distances for the entire sample by using homogeneous near-infrared photometry and the reddening free period-Wesenheit relations. The new metallicity gradient is linear over a broad range of Galactocentric distances (RG ~ 5–19 kpc) and agrees quite well with similar estimates available in the literature (–0.060 ± 0.002 dex/kpc). We also uncover evidence that suggests that the residuals of the metallicity gradient are tightly correlated with candidate Cepheid groups (CGs). The candidate CGs have been identified as spatial overdensities of Cepheids located across the thin disk. They account for a significant fraction of the residual fluctuations, and also for the large intrinsic dispersion of the metallicity gradient. We performed a detailed comparison with metallicity gradients based on different tracers: OB stars and open clusters. We found very similar metallicity gradients for ages younger than 3 Gyr, while for older ages we found a shallower slope and an increase in the intrinsic spread. The above findings rely on homogeneous age, metallicity, and distance scales. Finally, by using a large sample of Galactic and Magellanic Cepheids for which accurate iron abundances are available, we found that the dependence of the luminosity amplitude on metallicity is vanishing.
Context. Cepheids are excellent tracers of young stellar populations. They play a crucial role in astrophysics as standard candles. The chemistry of classical Cepheids in the Milky Way is now quite ...well-known, however despite a much larger sample, the chemical composition of Magellanic Cepheids has been only scarcely investigated. Aims. For the first time, we study the chemical composition of several Cepheids located in the same populous cluster: NGC 1866, in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC). To also investigate the chemical composition of Cepheids at lower metallicity, we look at four targets located in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC). Our sample allows us to increase the number of Cepheids with known metallicities in the LMC/SMC by 20%/25% and the number of Cepheids with detailed chemical composition in the LMC/SMC by 46%/50%. Methods. We use canonical spectroscopic analysis to determine the chemical composition of Cepheids and provide abundances for a good number of α, iron-peak, and neutron-capture elements. Results. We find that six Cepheids in the LMC cluster NGC 1866 have a very homogeneous chemical composition, also consistent with red giant branch (RGB) stars in the cluster. Period–age relations that include no or average rotation indicate that all the Cepheids in NGC 1866 have a similar age and therefore belong to the same stellar population. Our results are in good agreement with theoretical models accounting for luminosity and radial velocity variations. Using distances based on period-luminosity relations in the near- or mid-infrared, we investigate for the first time the metallicity distribution of the young population in the SMC in the depth direction. Preliminary results show no metallicity gradient along the SMC main body, but our sample is small and does not contain Cepheids in the inner few degrees of the SMC.
We present homogeneous and accurate iron abundances for almost four dozen (47) of Galactic Cepheids using high-spectral resolution (R ~ 40 000) high signal-to-noise ratio (S/N ≥ 100) optical spectra ...collected with UVES at VLT. A significant fraction of the sample (32) is located in the inner disk (RG ≤ 6.9 kpc) and for half of them we provide new iron abundances. Current findings indicate a steady increase in iron abundance when approaching the innermost regions of the thin disk. The metallicity is super-solar and ranges from 0.2 dex for RG ~ 6.5 kpc to 0.4 dex for RG ~ 5.5 kpc. Moreover, we do not find evidence of correlation between iron abundance and distance from the Galactic plane. We collected similar data available in the literature and ended up with a sample of 420 Cepheids. Current data suggest that the mean metallicity and the metallicity dispersion in the four quadrants of the Galactic disk attain similar values. The first-second quadrants show a more extended metal-poor tail, while the third-fourth quadrants show a more extended metal-rich tail, but the bulk of the sample is at solar iron abundance. Finally, we found a significant difference between the iron abundance of Cepheids located close to the edge of the inner disk (Fe/H ~ 0.4) and young stars located either along the Galactic bar or in the nuclear bulge (Fe/H ~ 0). Thus suggesting that the above regions have had different chemical enrichment histories. The same outcome applies to the metallicity gradient of the Galactic bulge, since mounting empirical evidence indicates that the mean metallicity increases when moving from the outer to the inner bulge regions.
Aims. The iron abundance gradient in the Galactic stellar disk provides fundamental constraints on the chemical evolution of this important Galaxy component, however the spread around the mean slope ...is, at fixed Galactocentric distance, more than the estimated uncertainties. Methods. To provide quantitative constraints on these trends, we adopted iron abundances for 265 classical Cepheids (more than 50% of the currently known sample) based either on high-resolution spectra or on photometric metallicity indices. Homogeneous distances were estimated using near-infrared period-luminosity relations. The sample covers the four disk quadrants, and their Galactocentric distances range from ~5 to ~17 kpc. We provided a new theoretical calibration of the metallicity-index-color (MIC) relation based on Walraven and NIR photometric passbands. Results. We estimated the photometric metallicity of 124 Cepheids. Among them 66 Cepheids also have spectroscopic iron abundances and we found that the mean difference is $-0.03\pm0.15$ dex. We also provide new iron abundances, based on high-resolution spectra, for four metal-rich Cepheids located in the inner disk. The remaining iron abundances are based on high-resolution spectra collected by our group (73) or available in the literature (130). A linear regression over the entire sample provides an iron gradient of $-0.051 \pm 0.004$ dex kpc-1. The above slope agrees quite well, within the errors, with previous estimates based either on Cepheids or on open clusters covering similar Galactocentric distances. However, Cepheids located in the inner disk systematically appear more metal-rich than the mean metallicity gradient. Once we split the sample into inner ($R_{\rm G} <8$ kpc) and outer disk Cepheids, the slope ($-0.130\pm0.015$ dex kpc-1) in the former region is ≈3 times steeper than the slope in the latter one ($-0.042 \pm 0.004$ dex kpc-1). In the outer disk the radial distribution of metal-poor (MP, Fe/H $<-0.02$ dex) and metal-rich (MR) Cepheids across the four disk quadrants does not show a clear trend when moving from the innermost to the external disk regions. The relative fractions of MP and MR Cepheids in the 1st and in the 3rd quadrants differ at the 8σ (MP) and 15σ (MR) levels. Finally, we found that iron abundances in two local overdensities of the 2nd and of the 4th quadrant cover individually a range in iron abundance of ≈0.5 dex. Conclusions. Current findings indicate that the recent chemical enrichment across the Galactic disk shows a clumpy distribution.
Context. The Cepheid period-luminosity (PL) relation is unquestionably one of the most powerful tools at our disposal for determining the extragalactic distance scale. While significant progress has ...been made in the past few years towards its understanding and characterization both on the observational and theoretical sides, the debate on the influence that chemical composition may have on the PL relation is still unsettled. Aims. With the aim to assess the influence of the stellar iron content on the PL relation in the V and K bands, we have related the V-band and the K-band residuals from the standard PL relations of Freedman et al. (2001, ApJ, 553, 47) and Persson et al. (2004, AJ, 128, 2239), respectively, to Fe/H. Methods. We used direct measurements of the iron abundances of 68 Galactic and Magellanic Cepheids from FEROS and UVES high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra. Results. We find a mean iron abundance (Fe/H) about solar (\sigma = 0.10) for our Galactic sample (32 stars), similar to -0.33 dex (\sigma = 0.13) for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) sample (22 stars) and similar to -0.75 dex (\sigma = 0.08) for the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) sample (14 stars). Our abundance measurements of the Magellanic Cepheids double the number of stars studied up to now at high resolution. The metallicity affects the V- band Cepheid PL relation and metal-rich Cepheids appear to be systematically fainter than metal-poor ones. These findings depend neither on the adopted distance scale for Galactic Cepheids nor on the adopted LMC distance modulus. Current data do not allow us to reach a firm conclusion concerning the metallicity dependence of the K-band PL relation. The new Galactic distances indicate a small effect, whereas the old ones support a marginal effect. Conclusions. Recent robust estimates of the LMC distance and current results indicate that the Cepheid PL relation is not Universal.
Purpose
Testing 1-h glucose (1HG) concentration during oral glucose tolerance test is cost-effective to identify individuals at risk of incident type 2 diabetes. Aim of the study was to define 1HG ...cutoffs diagnostic of incident impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in youths with obesity, and to evaluate prevalence and association of cutoffs identified in the cohort and from the literature (133 and 155 mg/dl) to cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a population of youths with obesity.
Methods
This is a longitudinal study of 154 youths to identify 1HG cutoffs, and cross-sectional study of 2295 youths to estimate prevalence of high 1HG and association to CVD. Receiver-operating characteristic curves (ROC) were used to establish 1HG cutoffs, and univariate regression analyses to test association of 1HG to blood pressure, lipids and aminotransferases.
Results
ROC analysis identified the 1HG cutoff of 159 mg/dl as having diagnostic accuracy of IGT with area under the ROC 0.82 (95% CI 0.66–0.98), sensitivity 0.86% and specificity 0.79%. In the cross-sectional population, prevalence of high 1HG was 36% and 15% for 133 and 155 mg/dl cutoffs, respectively, and 17% for the 159 mg/dl value. All the examined cutoffs were significantly associated with worse lipid profile, liver function test, reduced insulin sensitivity, secretion and disposition index.
Conclusion
High 1HG is marker of persistent IGT and increased risk of metabolic abnormalities in youths. The 155 mg/dl cutoff is a convenient estimate in young people but longitudinal studies with retinopathy and overt diabetes as end points are advised to verify the 1HG cutoff with the best diagnostic accuracy.
Purpose
To evaluate the relationship between wrist circumference, markers of adipose dysfunction, and cardiovascular risk in youths with obesity.
Methods
In this cross-sectional study, we measured ...body mass composition by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, wrist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, fasting blood insulin, glucose, lipid profile, adiponectin, and leptin in 280 children with overweight/obesity and without diabetes (age: 7–18 years). Cardiovascular risk was estimated by “metabolic syndrome score” (MetS score).
Results
Study participants had median 25th–75th percentile wrist circumference of 17.5 16.7–18.5 cm and waist-to-height ratio of 0.62 0.59–0.67. Lower adiponectin–leptin ratio was found among subjects in the upper 50th percentiles of wrist circumference 0.17 (0.09–0.36) vs. 0.38 (0.16–0.79);
p
< 0.001. Wrist circumference was independently associated with MetS score (
r
= 0.5
p
< 0.001). Among MetS score components, an independent association between wrist circumference HDLc, triglycerides, and systolic blood pressure was found (
r
= − 0.253
p
< 0.001;
r
=+ 0.204
p
< 0.001;
r
= + 0.403
p
= < 0.001, respectively). The coefficient of determination for MetS score was nominally higher when considering wrist circumference as independent variable (Adj-
R
2
= 0.30) then when considering body mass index SD (Adj-
R
2
= 0.28), waist-to-height ratio (Adj-
R
2
= 0.26) or truncal fat percentage (Adj-
R
2
= 0.01). The addition of wrist circumference in age and gender adjusted models, accounting to any other anthropometric parameters, resulted in a significant improvement of the Adj-
R
2
(
p
< 0.001 for all).
Conclusions
Our study shows that wrist circumference independently relates to adiponectin–leptin ratio and to the prediction of cardiovascular risk, suggesting it as an efficient and adjunctive anthropometric marker of cardiometabolic risk in children with obesity.
Context. The Cepheid period-luminosity (PL) relation is unquestionably one of the most powerful tools at our disposal for determining the extragalactic distance scale. While significant progress has ...been made in the past few years towards its understanding and characterization both on the observational and theoretical sides, the debate on the influence that chemical composition may have on the PL relation is still unsettled. Aims. With the aim to assess the influence of the stellar iron content on the PL relation in the V and K bands, we have related the V-band and the K-band residuals from the standard PL relations of Freedman et al. (2001, ApJ, 553, 47) and Persson et al. (2004, AJ, 128, 2239), respectively, to Fe/H. Methods. We used direct measurements of the iron abundances of 68 Galactic and Magellanic Cepheids from FEROS and UVES high-resolution and high signal-to-noise spectra. Results. We find a mean iron abundance (Fe/H) about solar ($\sigma $= 0.10) for our Galactic sample (32 stars), ~-0.33 dex (σ = 0.13) for the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) sample (22 stars) and ~-0.75 dex (σ = 0.08) for the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) sample (14 stars). Our abundance measurements of the Magellanic Cepheids double the number of stars studied up to now at high resolution. The metallicity affects the V-band Cepheid PL relation and metal-rich Cepheids appear to be systematically fainter than metal-poor ones. These findings depend neither on the adopted distance scale for Galactic Cepheids nor on the adopted LMC distance modulus. Current data do not allow us to reach a firm conclusion concerning the metallicity dependence of the K-band PL relation. The new Galactic distances indicate a small effect, whereas the old ones support a marginal effect. Conclusions. Recent robust estimates of the LMC distance and current results indicate that the Cepheid PL relation is not Universal.
Purpose
Obesity, insulin resistance, and puberty seem to influence and been inversely associated with 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25OHD) levels. To our knowledge, a study on 25OHD in children and ...adolescents with Prader–Willi syndrome (PWS), a genetic form of obesity, is not yet available.
Objective
To analyze the 25OHD values in pediatric PWS subjects in comparison with a control group (CNT), highlighting the possible correlations with IR, BMD, body composition, pubertal stage, and GH therapy (GHT).
Methods
Auxological and laboratory parameters, HOMA-IR, Vitamin D status, and bone density and body composition by DEXA scan were analyzed in 52 PWS and 110 controls (CNT), gender-, age-, and BMI-SD matched. None of them was on calcium or vitamin D. 20 PWS were on growth hormone (GH) therapy and 32 were previously treated.
Results and conclusion
Altogether, PWS had similar values of 25OHD compared to CNT.16 PWS (30.7%) and 27 CNT (24.5%) had low 25OHD levels (< 20 ng/ml) (p = NS). 25OHD of PWS on GHT were comparable to those previously treated. In both groups, univariate analysis showed a negative correlation between 25OHD and fat mass% (FM%). GH therapy and pubertal stage were positively correlated with bone parameters analyzed by DXA. Multivariate regression confirmed only FM% as negative predictor of 25HOD in PWS patients, as previously described. GHT does not seem to influence 25OHD in PWS.
Conclusion
Our data showed that PWS had similar values of 25OHD compared to CNT. As already described, FM seems to be the only parameter influencing 25OHD levels. Finally, GHT does not seem to influence 25OHD metabolism in PWS.
Context. Classical Cepheids are excellent tracers of intermediate- mass stars, since their distances can be estimated with very high accuracy. In particular, they can be adopted to trace the chemical ...evolution of the Galactic disk. Aims. Homogeneous iron abundance measurements for 33 Galactic Cepheids located in the outer disk together with accurate distance determinations based on near-infrared photometry are adopted to constrain the Galactic iron gradient beyond 10 kpc. Methods. Iron abundances were determined using high resolution Cepheid spectra collected with three different observational instruments: ESPaDOnS/CFHT, Narval-TBL and FEROS-2.2m ESO/MPG telescope. Cepheid distances were estimated using near-infrared (J, H, K-band) period-luminosity relations and data from SAAO and the 2MASS catalog. Results. The least squares solution over the entire data set indicates that the iron gradient in the Galactic disk presents a slope of-0.052\pm0.003 dex kpc super(-1) in the 5-17 kpc range. However, the change of the iron abundance across the disk seems to be better described by a linear regime inside the solar circle and a flattening of the gradient toward the outer disk (beyond 10 kpc). In the latter region the iron gradient presents a shallower slope, i.e.-0.012\pm0.014 dex kpc super(-1). In the outer disk (10-12 kpc) we also found that Cepheids present an increase in the spread in iron abundance. Current evidence indicates that the spread in metallicity depends on the Galactocentric longitude. Finally, current data do not support the hypothesis of a discontinuity in the iron gradient at Galactocentric distances of 10-12 kpc. Conclusions. The occurrence of a spread in iron abundance as a function of the Galactocentric longitude indicates that linear radial gradients should be cautiously treated to constrain the chemical evolution across the disk.
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