Abstract: The properties of strange (K, (K) over bar and (K) over bar*) and open-charm (D, (D) over bar and D*) mesons in dense matter are studied using a unitary approach in coupled channels for meson-baryon scattering. In the strangeness sector, the interaction with nucleons always comes through vector-meson exchange, which is evaluated by chiral and hidden gauge Lagrangians. For the interaction of charmed mesons with nucleons we extend the SU(3) Weinberg-Tomozawa Lagrangian to incorporate spin-flavor symmetry and implement a suitable flavor symmetry breaking. The in-medium solution for the scattering amplitude accounts for Pauli blocking effects and meson self-energies. On one hand, we obtain the K, (K) over bar and (K) over bar* spectral functions in the nuclear medium and study their behaviour at finite density, temperature and momentum. We also make an estimate of the transparency ratio of the gamma A -> K+ K*(-) A' reaction, which we propose as a tool to detect in-medium modifications of the (K) over bar* meson. On the other hand, in the charm sector, several resonances with negative parity are generated dynamically by the s-wave interaction between pseudoscalar and vector meson multiplets with 1/2(+) and 3/2(+) baryons. The properties of these states in matter are analyzed and their influence on the open-charm meson spectral functions is studied. We finally discuss the possible formation of D-mesic nuclei at FAIR energies.

Abstract: In this Letter, we propose interpolating currents for the X(3872) resonance, and show that, in the heavy quark limit of QCD, the X(3872) state should have degenerate partners, independent of its internal structure. Magnitudes of possible I = 0 and I = 1 components of the X(3872) are also discussed.

Abstract: We present results for five reactions, Lambda(b) -> J/psi K(-)p, Lambda(b) -> J/psi eta Lambda, Lambda(b) -> J/psi pi(-)p, Lambda(b) -> J/psi K-0 Lambda and Xi(-)(b) -> J/psi K-Lambda, where combining information from the meson baryon interaction, using the chiral unitary approach, and predictions made for molecular states of hidden charm, with or without strangeness, we can evaluate invariant mass distributions for the light meson baryon states, and for those of J/psi p or J/psi Lambda. We show that with the present available information, in all of these reactions one finds peaks where the pentaquark states show up. In the Lambda(b) -> J/psi K(-)p, and Lambda(b) -> J/psi pi(-)p reactions we show that the results obtained from our study are compatible with present experimental observations.

Abstract: The Z(c)(+/-)(3900)/Z(c)(+/-)(3885) resonant structure has been experimentally observed in the Y(4260) -> J/Psi pi pi and Y(4260) -> (D) over bar* D pi decays. This structure is intriguing since it is a prominent candidate of an exotic hadron. Yet, its nature is unclear so far. In this work, we simultaneously describe the (D) over bar* D and J/Psi pi invariant mass distributions in which the Z(c) peak is seen using amplitudes with exact unitarity. Two different scenarios are statistically acceptable, where the origin of the Z(c) state is different. They correspond to using energy dependent or independent (D) over bar *D S-wave interaction. In the first one, the Z(c) peak is due to a resonance with a mass around the D (D) over bar* threshold. In the second one, the Z(c) peak is produced by a virtual state which must have a hadronic molecular nature. In both cases the two observations, Z(c)(+/-)(3900) and Z(c)(+/-)(3885), are shown to have the same common origin, and a (D) over bar *D bound state solution is not allowed. Precise measurements of the line shapes around the D (D) over bar* threshold are called for in order to understand the nature of this state.

Abstract: By solving the Muskhelishvili-Omnes integral equations, the scalar form factors of the semileptonic heavy meson decays D -> pi(l) over bar nu(l), D -> (K) over bar(l) over bar nu(l), (K) over bar -> pi(l) over bar nu(l) and (B) over bar (s) -> Kl (nu) over bar (l) are simultaneously studied. As input, we employ unitarized heavy meson-Goldstone boson chiral coupled-channel amplitudes for the energy regions not far from thresholds, while, at high energies, adequate asymptotic conditions are imposed. The scalar form factors are expressed in terms of Omn\`es matrices multiplied by vector polynomials, which contain some undetermined dispersive subtraction constants. We make use of heavy quark and chiral symmetries to constrain these constants, which are fitted to lattice QCD results both in the charm and the bottom sectors, and in this latter sector to the light-cone sum rule predictions close to q(2)=0 as well. We find a good simultaneous description of the scalar form factors for the four semileptonic decay reactions. From this combined fit, and taking advantage that scalar and vector form factors are equal at q(2)=0, we obtain |V-cd| = 0.244 +/- 0.022, |V-cs| = 0.945 +/- 0.041 and |V-ub| = (4.3 +/- 0.7)x10(-3) for the involved Cabibbo-Kobayashi-Maskawa (CKM) matrix elements. In addition, we predict the following vector form factors at q(2) = 0: |f(+)(D ->eta)(0)| = 0.01 +/- 0.05, |f(+)(Ds ->eta)(0)| = 0.50 +/- 0.08, |f(+)(Ds ->eta)(0)| = 0.73 +/- 0.03 and|f(+)((B) over bar ->eta)(0)| = 0.82 +/- 0.08, which might serve as alternatives to determine the CKM elements when experimental measurements of the corresponding differential decay rates become available. Finally, we predict the different form factors above the q(2)-regions accessible in the semileptonic decays, up to moderate energies amenable to be described using the unitarized coupled-channel chiral approach.