We present a novel preprocessing and prediction pipeline for the classification of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) that takes advantage of the information rich complex valued k-Space. Using a publicly available MRI raw dataset with 312 subject and a total of 9508 slices, we show the advantage of utilizing the k-Space for better prostate cancer likelihood estimation in comparison to just using the magnitudinal information in the image domain, with an AUROC of 86.1%±1.8%. Additionally, by using high undersampling rates and a simple principal component analysis (PCA) for coil compression, we reduce the time needed for reconstruction by avoiding the time intensive GRAPPA reconstruction algorithm. By using digital undersampling for our experiments, we show that scanning and reconstruction time could be reduced. Even with an undersampling factor of 16, our approach achieves meaningful results, with an AUROC of 71.4%±2.9%, using the PCA coil combination and taking into account the k-Space information. With this study, we were able to show the feasibility of preserving phase and k-Space information, with consistent results. Besides preserving valuable information for further diagnostics, this approach can work without the time intensive ADC and reconstruction calculations, greatly reducing the post processing, as well as potential scanning time, increasing patient comfort and allowing a close to real-time prediction.

The observation of neutrinoless double-beta decay (0 nu beta beta) would show that lepton number is violated, reveal that neutrinos are Majorana particles, and provide information on neutrino mass. A discovery-capable experiment covering the inverted ordering region, with effective Majorana neutrino masses of 15 - 50 meV, will require a tonne-scale experiment with excellent energy resolution and extremely low backgrounds, at the level of similar to 0.1 count/(FWHM.t.yr) in the region of the signal. The current generation Ge-76 experiments GERDA and the Majorana Demonstrator, utilizing high purity Germanium detectors with an intrinsic energy resolution of 0.12%, have achieved the lowest backgrounds by over an order of magnitude in the 0 nu beta beta signal region of all 0 nu beta beta experiments. Building on this success, the LEGEND collaboration has been formed to pursue a tonne-scale Ge-76 experiment. The collaboration aims to develop a phased 0 nu beta beta experimental program with discovery potential at a half-life approaching or at 1028 years, using existing resources as appropriate to expedite physics results.

The GERDA collaboration is performing a search for neutrinoless double beta decay of ^76Ge with the eponymous detector. The experiment has been installed and commissioned at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and has started operation in November 2011. The design, construction and first operational results are described, along with detailed information from the R D phase.

The Gerda collaboration is performing a search for neutrinoless double beta decay of 76 Ge with the eponymous detector. The experiment has been installed and commissioned at the Laboratori Nazionali del Gran Sasso and has started operation in November 2011. The design, construction and first operational results are described, along with detailed information from the R&D phase.

The GERmanium Detector Array (GERDA) is designed for the search for “neutrinoless double-beta decay” ( 0ν2β with germanium detectors enriched in 76Ge . An 18-fold-segmented prototype detector for GERDA Phase II was exposed to an AmBe neutron source to improve the understanding of neutron-induced backgrounds. Neutron interactions with the germanium isotopes themselves and in the surrounding materials were studied. Segment information is used to identify neutron-induced peaks in the recorded energy spectra. The Geant4-based simulation package MaGe is used to simulate the experiment. Though many photon peaks from germanium isotopes excited by neutrons are correctly described by Geant4, some physics processes were identified as being incorrectly treated or even missing.

Procedures developed to separate single- and multiple-site events in germanium detector are tested with specially selected event samples provided by an 18-fold segmented prototype germanium detector for phase II of the germanium detector array, GERDA. The single Compton scattering, i.e. single-site, events are tagged by coincidently detecting the scattered photon with a second detector positioned at a defined angle. A neural network is trained to separate such events from events which come from multi-site dominated samples. Identification efficiencies of ≈80% are achieved for both single- and multi-site events.

Experiments built to search for neutrinoless double beta-decay are limited in their sensitivity not only by the exposure but also by the amount of background encountered. Radioactive isotopes in the surrounding of the detectors which emit gamma-radiation are expected to be a significant source of background in the GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA. Methods to select electron induced events and discriminate against photon induced events inside a germanium detector are presented in this paper. The methods are based on the analysis of the time structure of the detector response. Data were taken with a segmented GERDA prototype detector. It is shown that the analysis of the time response of the detector can be used to distinguish multiply scattered photons from electrons.

The new generation of experiments searching for neutrinoless double beta decay is aiming at a background level of 10-3counts/(kgkeVy) or better at the respective Q-values. Cosmic ray muons can be a significant contribution due to a number of physics processes. The GERmanium Detector Array, GERDA, located at the Gran Sasso underground laboratory in Italy, uses germanium enriched in 76Ge as source and detector material. Germanium is submerged into liquid nitrogen or argon that acts as cooling medium and radiation shield simultaneously. A detailed Geant4-based Monte Carlo simulation was performed to calculate the photon and neutron fluxes induced by cosmic ray muons. The prompt background contributions from γ-ray and neutron interactions as well as the delayed contributions due to the production of radioactive isotopes within the setup are given. The background can be reduced to the desired level with the muon veto system incorporated in the GERDA design.

The Germanium Detector Array (GERDA) in the search for neutrinoless ββ decays of 76 Ge at LNGS will operate bare germanium diodes enriched in 76 Ge in an (optional active) cryogenic fluid shield to investigate neutrinoless ββ decay with a sensitivity of T 1/2 > 2 × 10 26 yr after an exposure of 100 kg yr. Recent progress includes the installation of the first underground infrastructures at Gran Sasso, the completion of the enrichment of 37.5 kg of germanium material for detector construction, prototyping of low-mass detector support and contacts, and front-end and DAQ electronics, as well as the preparation for construction of the cryogenic vessel and water tank.

Neutrino accompanied double beta-decay of 76Ge can populate the ground state and the excited states of 76Se. While the decay to the ground state has been observed with a half-life of 1.74+0.18 0.16 � 10 21 years, decays to the excited states have not yet been observed. Nuclear matrix elements depend on details of the nuclear transitions. A mea- surement of the half-life of the transition considered here would help to reduce the uncertainties of the calculations of the nuclear matrix element for the neutrinoless double beta-decay of 76Ge. This parameter relates the half-life of the process to the effective Majorana neutrino mass. The results of a feasibility study to detect the neutrino accompanied double beta- decay of 76Ge to the excited states of 76Se are presented in this paper. Segmented germanium detectors were assumed in this study. Such detectors, enriched in 76Ge to a level of about 86%, will be deployed in the GERDA experiment located at the INFN Gran Sasso National Laboratory, Italy. It is shown that the decay of 76Ge to the 1122 keV 0+1 -level of 76Se can be observed in GERDA provided that the half-life of the process is in the range favoured by the present calculations which is 7.5 � 1021 y to 3.1 � 1023 y.