Abstract: In a recent paper the authors make a study on the determination of the S-matrix elements for scattering of particles in the infinite volume from the energy levels in a finite box for the case of multiple channels. The study is done with a toy model in 1+1 dimension and the authors find that there is some ambiguity in the sign of nondiagonal matrix elements, casting doubts on whether the needed observables in the infinite volume can be obtained from the energy levels of the box. In this paper I present an easy derivation, confirming the ambiguity of the sign and argue that this, however, does not put restrictions in the determination of observables.

Abstract: The interquark static potential for heavy mesons described by a massive one-gluon exchange interaction obtained from the propagator of the truncated Dyson-Schwinger equations does not reproduced the expected Cornell potential. I show that no formulation based on a finite propagator will lead to confinement of quenched QCD. I propose a mechanism based on a singular nonperturbative coupling constant which has the virtue of giving rise to a finite gluon propagator and (almost) linear confinement. The mechanism can be slightly modified to produce the screened potentials of unquenched QCD.

Abstract: The appearance of some papers dealing with the K(-)d -> pi Sigma n reaction, with some discrepancies in the results and a proposal to measure the reaction at forward n angles at J-PARC justifies to retake the theoretical study of this reaction. We do this in the present paper showing results using the Watson approach and the truncated Faddeev approach. We argue that the Watson approach is more suitable to study the reaction because it takes into account the potential energy of the nucleons forming the deuteron, which is neglected in the truncated Faddeev approach. The paper shows the strength and limitations of both approaches and we perform calculations using four different approximations. Comparison of the results shows that the truncated Faddeev approach produces a strong asymmetry between the energy of the two nucleons of the deuteron, while in the Watson approach this energy is equally shared. From the experimental point of view the results are very valuable since they show that the different approximations share the feature that the peak of the pi Sigma mass distribution is drastically shifted in the presence of the Lambda(1405). Additionally, we also show that in the angle-integrated cross section the threshold cusp effects are basically washed away and all approximations show a clear shape of the Lambda(1405). In this sense, measurements of all these magnitudes in different K- energies are bound to bring new information that sheds new light on the properties and nature of the Lambda(1405) resonance.

Abstract: Using a coupled-channel unitary approach, combining the heavy quark spin symmetry and the dynamics of the local hidden gauge, we investigate the meson-baryon interaction with hidden beauty and obtain several new states of N around 11 GeV. We consider the basis of states eta (b) N, I'N, BI > (b) , BI pound (b) , B (*) I > (b) , B (*) I pound (b) , B (*) I pound (b) (*) and find four basic bound states which correspond to BI pound (b) , BI pound (b) (*) , B (*) I pound (b) and B (*) I pound (b) (*) , decaying mostly into eta (b) N and I'N and with a binding energy about 50-130 MeV with respect to the thresholds of the corresponding channel. All of them have isospin I = 1/2 , and we find no bound states or resonances in I = 3/2 . The BI pound (b) state appears in J = 1/2 , the BI pound (b) (*) in J = 3/2 , the B (*) I pound (b) appears nearly degenerate in J = 1/2 , 3/2 and the B (*) I pound (b) (*) appears nearly degenerate in J = 1/2 , 3/2, 5/2. These states have a width from 2-110 MeV, with conservative estimates of uncertainties, except for the one in J = 5/2 which has zero width since it cannot decay into any of the states of the basis chosen. We make generous estimates of the uncertainties and find that within very large margins these states appear bound.

Abstract: The neutron flux of the nTOF facility at CERN was measured, after installation of the new spallation target, with four different systems based on three neutron-converting reactions, which represent accepted cross sections standards in different energy regions. A careful comparison and combination of the different measurements allowed us to reach an unprecedented accuracy on the energy dependence of the neutron flux in the very wide range (thermal to 1 GeV) that characterizes the nTOF neutron beam. This is a pre-requisite for the high accuracy of cross section measurements at n_TOF. An unexpected anomaly in the neutron-induced fission cross section of U-235 is observed in the energy region between 10 and 30keV, hinting at a possible overestimation of this important cross section, well above currently assigned uncertainties.