Anomaly and a QCD-like phase diagram with massive bosonic baryons

We study a strongly coupled $Z_2$ lattice gauge theory with two flavors of quarks, invariant under an exact $\mathrm{SU}(2)\times \mathrm{SU}(2) \times \mathrm{U}_A(1) \times \mathrm{U}_B(1)$ symmetry which is the same as QCD with two flavors of quarks without an anomaly. The model also contains a coupling that can be used to break the $\mathrm{U}_A(1)$ symmetry and thus mimic the QCD anomaly. At low temperatures $T$ and small baryon chemical potential $\mu_B$ the model contains massless pions and massive bosonic baryons similar to QCD with an even number of colors. In this work we study the $T-\mu_B$ phase diagram of the model and show that it contains three phases : (1) A chirally broken phase at low $T$ and $\mu_B$, (2) a chirally symmetric baryon superfluid phase at low $T$ and high $\mu_B$, and (3) a symmetric phase at high $T$. We find that the nature of the finite temperature chiral phase transition and in particular the location of the tricritical point that seperates the first order line from the second order line is affected significantly by the anomaly.Comment: 22 pages, 16 figures, 5 tables, references adde

Comprehensive nutritional status in sarco-osteoporotic older fallers

Objectives: In older persons, the combination of osteoporosis and sarcopenia has been proposed as a subset of frailer individuals at higher risk of falls and fractures. However, the particular nutritional status of the sarco-osteoporotic (SOP) patients remains unknown. The goal of this study was to obtain a comprehensive picture of nutritional status in SOP patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Setting: Falls & Fractures Clinic, Nepean Hospital (Penrith, Australia). Participants: 680 subjects (mean age=79, 65% female) assessed between 2008–2013. Measurements: Assessment included medical history, mini-nutritional assessment, physical examination, bone densitometry and body composition by DXA, and blood tests for nutritional status (albumin, creatinine, hemoglobin, vitamin D, vitamin B-12, calcium, phosphate and folate). Patients were divided in 4 groups: 1) osteopenia/osteoporosis (BMD6 remained independently associated with SOP after adjustment for all variables including inflammatory conditions. Hypoalbuminemia (<35 g/L) was associated with just osteopenia/osteoporosis (OR: 2.03, 95%CI 1.08–3.81, p<0.01) and just sarcopenia (OR: 1.77, 95%CI 1.0–3.0, p<0.01) compared to normal. No differences in vitamin D, glomerular filtration rate, albumin, corrected calcium, phosphate, red blood cells folate or vitamin B12 levels were found between the subgroups. Conclusions: In approaching SOP patients, early prevention protocols directed to optimize their nutritional status would be a key strategy to prevent poor outcomes such as falls and fractures in this high risk population. Therefore, nutritional assessment and early nutritional supplementation should be essential domains in this strategy