Detector Response Studies of the ESS Ionization Chamber

The European Spallation Source (ESS), currently under construction in Lund, Sweden, will be a pulsed neutron source based on a proton linac. The ESS linac is designed to deliver a 2GeV beam with peak current of 62.5mA at 14 Hz to a rotating tungsten target for neutron production. One of the most critical elements for protection of an accelerator is a Beam Loss Monitoring (BLM) system. The system is designed to protect the accelerator from beam-induced damage and unnecessary activation of the components. The main ESS BLM system is based on ionization chamber (IC) detectors. The detector was originally designed for the LHC at CERN resulting in production of 4250 monitors in 2006-2008. In 2014-2017 a new production of 830 detectors with a modified design was carried out to replenish spares for LHC and make a new series for ESS and GSI. This contribution focuses on the results from a measurement campaigns performed at the HRM (High-Radiation to Materials) facility at CERN, where detector response of the ESS type IC has been studied. The results may be of interest for other facilities, that are using existing or plan to use new generation of LHC type IC monitors as BLM detectors

Beam Loss Localisation with an Optical Beam Loss Monitor in the CLEAR Facility at CERN

A prototype of a Beam Loss Monitor based on the detection of Cherenkov light in optical fibres is being developed to measure beam losses in the CERN Super Proton Synchrotron. Several testing campaigns have been planned to benchmark the simulations of the system and test the electronics in the CLEAR facility at CERN. During the first campaigns, the emission of Cherenkov light inside optical fibres and the photodetector characterisation were studied. Fibre-based Beam Loss monitors continuously monitor beam losses over long distances. The localisation of the beam loss could be calculated from the timing of the signals generated by the photosensors coupled at both ends of the optical fibre. The experimental results of an optical fibre Beam Loss Monitor installed in the CLEAR facility are reported in this paper

Linearity and Response Time of the LHC Diamond Beam Loss Monitors in the CLEAR Beam Test Facility at CERN

Chemical Vapour Deposition (CVD) diamond detectors have been tested during the Run 2 operation period (2015-2018) as fast beam loss monitors for the Beam Loss Monitoring (BLM) system of the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN. However, the lack of raw data recorded during this operation period restrains our ability to perform a deep analysis of their signals. For this reason, a test campaign was carried out at the CLEAR beam test facility at CERN with the aim of studying the linearity and response time of the diamond detectors against losses from electron beams of different intensities. The signal build-up from multi-bunched electron beams was also analyzed. The conditions and procedures of the test campaign are explained, as well as the most significant results obtained

Outcome of breast cancer screening in Denmark

Abstract Background In Denmark, national roll-out of a population-based, screening mammography program took place in 2007–2010. We report on outcome of the first four biennial invitation rounds. Methods Data on screening outcome were retrieved from the 2015 and 2016 national screening quality reports. We calculated coverage by examination; participation after invitation; detection-, interval cancer- and false-positive rates; cancer characteristics; sensitivity and specificity, for Denmark and for the five regions. Results At the national level coverage by examination remained at 75–77%; lower in the Capital Region than in the rest of Denmrk. Detection rate was slightly below 1% at first screen, 0.6% at subsequent screens, and one region had some fluctuation over time. Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) constituted 13–14% of screen-detected cancers. In subsequent rounds, 80% of screen-detected invasive cancers were node negative and 40% ≤10 mm. False-positive rate was around 2%; higher for North Denmark Region than for the rest of Denmark. Three out of 10 breast cancers in screened women were diagnosed as interval cancers. Conclusions High coverage by examination and low interval cancer rate are required for screening to decrease breast cancer mortality. Two pioneer local screening programs starting in the 1990s were followed by a decrease in breast cancer mortality of 22–25%. Coverage by examination and interval cancer rate of the national program were on the favorable side of values from the pioneer programs. It appears that the implementation of a national screening program in Denmark has been successful, though regional variations need further evaluation to assure optimization of the program

Existing data sources for clinical epidemiology:The Danish Quality Database of Mammography Screening

The Danish Quality Database of Mammography Screening (DKMS) was established in 2007, when screening was implemented on a nationwide basis and offered biennially to all Danish women aged 50–69 years. The primary aims of the database are to monitor and evaluate the quality of the screening program and – after years of follow-up – to evaluate the effect of nationwide screening on breast cancer-specific mortality. Here, we describe the database and present results for quality assurance from the first round of national screening. The steering committee for the DKMS defined eleven organizational and clinical quality indicators and standards to monitor the Danish breast cancer screening program. We calculated the relevant proportions and ratios with 95% confidence intervals for each quality indicator. All indicators were assessed on a national and regional level. Of 670,039 women invited for mammography, 518,823 (77.4%) participated. Seventy-one percent of the women received the result of their mammography examination within 10 days of screening, and 3% of the participants were recalled for further investigation. Among all detected cancers, 86% were invasive cancers, and the proportion of women with node negative cancer was 67%. There were 36% women with small cancers, and the ratio of surgery for benign lesions to malignant lesions was 1:6.3. A total of 80% of women with invasive cancers were treated with breast conserving therapy. Screening interval and interval cancers were not relevant in the first round, and data regarding radiation dose were not available at the time of evaluation. Overall, the quality indicators showed satisfactory quality in the first round of national breast cancer screening in Denmark. The DKMS is a potentially valuable tool for improving quality and conducting research in the field of breast cancer screening