Abstract: We conjecture the existence of a relation between elementary scalars and fermions, making it plausible the existence of three Higgs doublets. We introduce a Trinity Principle (TP) which, given the fact that there are no massless quarks, requires the existence of a minimum of three Higgs doublets. The TP states that each row of the mass matrix of a quark of a given charge should receive the contribution from one and only one scalar doublet and furthermore a given scalar doublet should contribute to one and only one row of the mass matrix of a quark of a given charge. This principle is analogous to the Natural Flavour Conservation (NFC) of Glashow and Weinberg with the key distinction that NFC required the introduction of a flavour blind symmetry, while the TP requires a flavoured symmetry, to be implemented in a natural way. We provide two examples which satisfy the Trinity Principle based on Z(3) and Z(2) x Z(2)' flavoured symmetries, and show that they are the minimal multi-Higgs extensions of the Standard Model where CP can be imposed as a symmetry of the full Lagrangian and broken by the vacuum, without requiring soft-breaking terms. We show that the vacuum phases are sufficient to generate a complex CKM matrix, in agreement with experiment. The above mentioned flavoured symmetries lead to a strong reduction in the number of parameters in the Yukawa interactions, enabling a control of the Scalar Flavour Changing Neutral Couplings (SFCNC). We analyse some of the other physical implications of the two models, including an estimate of the enhancement of the Baryon Asymmetry of the Universe provided by the new sources of CP violation, and a discussion of the strength of their tree-level SFCNC.

Abstract: We consider a type I or type X two Higgs doublets model with a modified lepton sector. The generalized lepton sector is also flavor conserving but with the new Yukawa couplings completely decoupled from lepton mass proportionality. The model is one loop stable under renormalization group evolution and it allows to reproduce the g – 2 muon anomaly together with the different scenarios one can consider for the electron g – 2 anomaly, related to the Cesium and/or to the Rubidium recoilmeasurements of the fine structure constant. Thorough parameter space analyses are performed to constrain all the model parameters in the different scenarios, either including or not including the recent CDF measurement of the W boson mass. For light new scalars with masses in the 0.2-1.0 TeV range, the muon anomaly receives dominant one loop contributions; it is for heavy new scalars with masses above 1.2 TeV that two loop Barr-Zee diagrams are needed. The electron g-2 anomaly, if any, must always be obtained with the two loop contributions. The final allowed regions are quite sensitive to the assumptions about perturbativity of Yukawa couplings, which influence unexpected observables like the allowed scalar mass ranges. On that respect, intermediate scalar masses, highly constrained by direct LHC searches, are allowed provided that the new lepton Yukawa couplings are fully scrutinized, including values up to 250 GeV. In the framework of a complete model, fully numerically analysed, we show the implications of the recent M-W measurement.

Abstract: The immune system should constitute a strong selective pressure promoting viral genetic diversity and evolution. However, HIV shows lower sequence variability at T-cell epitopes than elsewhere in the genome, in contrast with other human RNA viruses. Here, we propose that epitope conservation is a consequence of the particular interactions established between HIV and the immune system. On one hand, epitope recognition triggers an anti-HIV response mediated by cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs), but on the other hand, activation of CD4(+) helper T lymphocytes (T-H cells) promotes HIV replication. Mathematical modeling of these opposite selective forces revealed that selection at the intrapatient level can promote either T-cell epitope conservation or escape. We predict greater conservation for epitopes contributing significantly to total immune activation levels (immunodominance), and when T-H cell infection is concomitant to epitope recognition (transinfection). We suggest that HIV-driven immune activation in the lymph nodes during the chronic stage of the disease may offer a favorable scenario for epitope conservation. Our results also support the view that some pathogens draw benefits from the immune response and suggest that vaccination strategies based on conserved T-H epitopes may be counterproductive.