Abstract: In the context of two Higgs doublet models, we study the conditions required in order to have stable quasi-alignment in flavour space. We show that stability under the renormalisation group equations imposes strong constraints on the flavour structure of the Yukawa couplings associated to each one of the Higgs doublets. In particular, we find a novel solution, where all Yukawa couplings are proportional to the so-called democratic matrix. This solution is rather unique, since it is the only stable solution which is a good starting point for reproducing the observed pattern of quark masses and mixing. We also showthat this stable solution can be obtained by imposing on the Lagrangian a Z(3)xZ(3)' flavour symmetry. Quark masses of the lighter quark generations are generated through the breaking of this discrete symmetry, and, at this stage, scalar-mediated flavour-changing neutralcurrents arise, but they are naturally suppressed by the smallness of the light quark masses. In this way, we relate Higgs alignment to the hierarchy of the quark masses through a discrete family symmetry.

Abstract: In this paper we use two different but complementary approaches in order to study the ghost propagator of a pure SU(3) Yang-Mills theory quantized in the linear covariant gauges, focusing on its dependence on the gauge-fixing parameter xi in the deep infrared. In particular, we first solve the Schwinger-Dyson equation that governs the dynamics of the ghost propagator, using a set of simplifying approximations, and under the crucial assumption that the gluon propagators for xi > 0 are infrared finite, as is the case in the Landau gauge (xi = 0). Then we appeal to the Nielsen identities, and express the derivative of the ghost propagator with respect to xi in terms of certain auxiliary Green's functions, which are subsequently computed under the same assumptions as before. Within both formalisms we find that for xi > 0 the ghost dressing function approaches zero in the deep infrared, in sharp contrast to what happens in the Landau gauge, where it is known to saturate at a finite (nonvanishing) value. The Nielsen identities are then extended to the case of the gluon propagator, and the xi-dependence of the corresponding gluon masses is derived using as input the results obtained in the previous steps. The result turns out to be logarithmically divergent in the deep infrared; the compatibility of this behavior with the basic assumption of a finite gluon propagator is discussed, and a specific Ansatz is put forth, which readily reconciles both features.

Abstract: Time-dependent CP asymmetries in the decay rates of the singly Cabibbo-suppressed decays D-0 -> K-K+ and D-0 -> pi (-) pi(+) are measured in pp collision data corresponding to an integrated luminosity of 3.0 fb(-1) collected by the LHCb experiment. The D-0 mesons are produced in semileptonic b-hadron decays, where the charge of the accompanying muon is used to determine the initial state as D-0 or (D) over bar (0). The asymmetries in effective lifetimes between D-0 and (D) over bar (0) decays, which are sensitive to indirect CP violation, are determined to be A(Gamma) (K-K+) = (-0.134 +/- 0.077(-0.034)(+0.026))%, A(Gamma) (pi(-)pi(+)) = -0.092 +/- 0.145(-0.033)(+0.025))%, where the first uncertainties are statistical and the second systematic. This result is in agreement with previous measurements and with the hypothesis of no indirect CP violation in D (0) decays.