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Abstract The DARWIN observatory is a proposed next-generation experiment to search for particle dark matter and for the neutrinoless double beta decay of¹³⁶136 Xe. Out of its 50 t total natural xenon inventory, 40 t will be the active target of a time projection chamber which thus contains about 3.6 t of¹³⁶136 Xe. Here, we show that its projected half-life sensitivity is2.4× 10²⁷ \\hbox year2.4×1027year , using a fiducial volume of 5 t of natural xenon and 10 year of operation with a background rate of less than 0.2 events/(t  ⋅ ·  year) in the energy region of interest. This sensitivity is based on a detailed Monte Carlo simulation study of the background and event topologies in the large, homogeneous target. DARWIN will be comparable in its science reach to dedicated double beta decay experiments using xenon enriched in¹³⁶136 Xe.

Abstract We correct an overestimation of the production rate of¹³⁷137 Xe in the DARWIN detector operated at LNGS. This formerly dominant intrinsic background source is now at a level similar to the irreducible background from solar⁸8 B neutrinos, thus unproblematic at the LNGS depth. The projected half-life sensitivity for the neutrinoless double beta decay (0ν β β 0 ν β β ) of¹³⁶136 Xe improves by22%22 % compared to the previously reported number and is nowT^(0ν)_(1/2)= 3.0× 10²⁷ \\hbox yrT 1 / 2 0 ν = 3.0 × 10 27 yr (90% C.L.) after 10 years of DARWIN operation.

The DARWIN observatory is a proposed next-generation experiment to search for particle dark matter and for the neutrinoless double beta decay of \\(^{136}\\)Xe. Out of its 50\\(\\,\\)t total natural xenon inventory, 40\\(\\,\\)t will be the active target of a time projection chamber which thus contains about 3.6 t of \\(^{136}\\)Xe. Here, we show that its projected half-life sensitivity is \\(2.4\\times10^{27}\\,\\)yr, using a fiducial volume of 5t of natural xenon and 10\\(\\,\\)yr of operation with a background rate of less than 0.2\\(~\\)events/(t\\(\\cdot\\)yr) in the energy region of interest. This sensitivity is based on a detailed Monte Carlo simulation study of the background and event topologies in the large, homogeneous target. DARWIN will be comparable in its science reach to dedicated double beta decay experiments using xenon enriched in \\(^{136}\\)Xe.

Characteristic features of chronic pancreatitis (CP) may be absent on standard imaging studies. Quantitative Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) techniques such as T1 mapping, extracellular volume (ECV) fraction, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with apparent diffusion coefficient map (ADC), MR elastography (MRE), and T1-weighted signal intensity ratio (SIR) have shown promise for the diagnosis and grading severity of CP. However, radiologists still use the Cambridge classification which is based on traditional ductal imaging alone. There is an urgent need to develop new diagnostic criteria that incorporate both parenchymal and ductal features of CP seen by MRI/MRCP. Designed to fulfill this clinical need, we present the MINIMAP study, which was funded in September 2018 by the National Institutes of Health. This is a comprehensive quantitative MR imaging study which will be performed at multiple institutions in well-phenotyped CP patient cohorts. We hypothesize that quantitative MRI/MRCP features can serve as valuable non-invasive imaging biomarkers to detect and grade CP. We will evaluate the role of T1 relaxometry, ECV, T1-weighted gradient echo SIR, MRE, arteriovenous enhancement ratio, ADC, pancreas volume/atrophy, pancreatic fat fraction, ductal features, and pancreatic exocrine output following secretin stimulation in the assessment of CP. We will attempt to generate a multi-parametric pancreatic tissue fibrosis (PTF) scoring system. We anticipate that a quantitative scoring system may serve as a biomarker of pancreatic fibrosis; hence this imaging technique can be used in clinical practice as well as clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of agents which may slow the progression or reverse measures of CP.