We discuss possible definition of open string path integral in the presence of additional boundary couplings corresponding to the presence of masses at the ends of the string. These couplings are not conformally invariant implying that as in a non-critical string case one is to integrate over the one-dimensional metric or reparametrizations of the boundary. We compute the partition function on the disc in the presence of an additional constant gauge field background and comment on the structure of the corresponding scattering amplitudes.
Topological phases of quasi-one-dimensional fermionic atoms with a synthetic gauge field