  The properties of the scalar and vector correlations in the hot and/or dense
hadronic matter close to chiral transition are discussed. Presuming that the
linear realization of chiral symmetry will become appropriate at least near the
critical point, we argue that the strength function in the $I=J=0$ channel will
soften near the critical point, and the sigma meson will accordingly become a
clearer resonance in hot and/or dense medium than in the free space. It is
shown that the steep rise of the baryon-number susceptibility $\chi_B$ around
the critical point seen in the lattice simulations may suggest that the
interactions between quarks in the vector channel become week near the critical
point; this implies that the peculiar behavior of the $\chi_B$ does not
necessarily imply a proliferation of baryons and antibaryons (Skyrmions) which
is though a natural scenario of chiral transition in the non-linear realization
of chiral symmetry.

High Energy Physics - Phenomenology;Nuclear Theory