On Certain Two Dimensional Integrals that Appear In Conformal Field Theory

In a first part, we generalize a theorem for an holomorphic $\times$ anti-holomorphic integrand, in the case of 2 dimensional Fourier transform. In the second part, we derive p-uple conformal integrals the integrand of which are linear combination of holomorphic times holomorphic generalized hypergeometric functions. The specific case $p=3$ is relevant to determine the triple Pomeron vertex in QCD.Comment: latex txt.tex, 3 files, 39 pages [SPhT-T00/034], submitted to Comm. Math. Phy

Civic Engagement Assessment: Linking Activities to Attitudes

In the March-April 2005 issue of Assessment Update, Trudy Banta issued a call to readers to provide information on individual campuses’ efforts to assess civic engagement. This call has prompted us to share the multifaceted approach that Tuffs University has taken to describe and assess this area of student endeavor. Specifically, we will describe an in-depth study designed to investigate undergraduates’ participation in and attitudes toward civic engagement

Civic Engagement: a Study of Changes in College

Using a mixed method longitudinal cohort design, the Tufts University study is examining student involvement in and attitudes towards civic engagement during the undergraduate years and beyond. It does this by using baseline data from students’ levels of community service in high school and then analyzes a variety of curricular and co-curricular experiences in college. This article focuses solely on the research design and some preliminary findings of students’ civic attitudes during their first two years of college

Asymptotics and zeros of Sobolev orthogonal polynomials on unbounded supports

In this paper we present a survey about analytic properties of polynomials orthogonal with respect to a weighted Sobolev inner product such that the vector of measures has an unbounded support. In particular, we are focused in the study of the asymptotic behaviour of such polynomials as well as in the distribution of their zeros. Some open problems as well as some new directions for a future research are formulated.Comment: Changed content; 34 pages, 41 reference

Block Toeplitz determinants, constrained KP and Gelfand-Dickey hierarchies

We propose a method for computing any Gelfand-Dickey tau function living in Segal-Wilson Grassmannian as the asymptotics of block Toeplitz determinant associated to a certain class of symbols. Also truncated block Toeplitz determinants associated to the same symbols are shown to be tau function for rational reductions of KP. Connection with Riemann-Hilbert problems is investigated both from the point of view of integrable systems and block Toeplitz operator theory. Examples of applications to algebro-geometric solutions are given.Comment: 35 pages. Typos corrected, some changes in the introductio

Non-colliding Brownian Motions and the extended tacnode process

We consider non-colliding Brownian motions with two starting points and two endpoints. The points are chosen so that the two groups of Brownian motions just touch each other, a situation that is referred to as a tacnode. The extended kernel for the determinantal point process at the tacnode point is computed using new methods and given in a different form from that obtained for a single time in previous work by Delvaux, Kuijlaars and Zhang. The form of the extended kernel is also different from that obtained for the extended tacnode kernel in another model by Adler, Ferrari and van Moerbeke. We also obtain the correlation kernel for a finite number of non-colliding Brownian motions starting at two points and ending at arbitrary points.Comment: 38 pages. In the revised version a few arguments have been expanded and many typos correcte

A Murine Model to Study Epilepsy and SUDEP Induced by Malaria Infection

One of the largest single sources of epilepsy in the world is produced as a neurological sequela in survivors of cerebral malaria. Nevertheless, the pathophysiological mechanisms of such epileptogenesis remain unknown and no adjunctive therapy during cerebral malaria has been shown to reduce the rate of subsequent epilepsy. There is no existing animal model of postmalarial epilepsy. In this technical report we demonstrate the first such animal models. These models were created from multiple mouse and parasite strain combinations, so that the epilepsy observed retained universality with respect to genetic background. We also discovered spontaneous sudden unexpected death in epilepsy (SUDEP) in two of our strain combinations. These models offer a platform to enable new preclinical research into mechanisms and prevention of epilepsy and SUDEP

AXTAR: Mission Design Concept

The Advanced X-ray Timing Array (AXTAR) is a mission concept for X-ray timing of compact objects that combines very large collecting area, broadband spectral coverage, high time resolution, highly flexible scheduling, and an ability to respond promptly to time-critical targets of opportunity. It is optimized for submillisecond timing of bright Galactic X-ray sources in order to study phenomena at the natural time scales of neutron star surfaces and black hole event horizons, thus probing the physics of ultradense matter, strongly curved spacetimes, and intense magnetic fields. AXTAR's main instrument, the Large Area Timing Array (LATA) is a collimated instrument with 2-50 keV coverage and over 3 square meters effective area. The LATA is made up of an array of supermodules that house 2-mm thick silicon pixel detectors. AXTAR will provide a significant improvement in effective area (a factor of 7 at 4 keV and a factor of 36 at 30 keV) over the RXTE PCA. AXTAR will also carry a sensitive Sky Monitor (SM) that acts as a trigger for pointed observations of X-ray transients in addition to providing high duty cycle monitoring of the X-ray sky. We review the science goals and technical concept for AXTAR and present results from a preliminary mission design study.Comment: 19 pages, 10 figures, to be published in Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Ultraviolet to Gamma Ray, Proceedings of SPIE Volume 773