Towards an MLOps Architecture for XAI in Industrial Applications

Machine learning (ML) has become a popular tool in the industrial sector as it helps to improve operations, increase efficiency, and reduce costs. However, deploying and managing ML models in production environments can be complex. This is where Machine Learning Operations (MLOps) comes in. MLOps aims to streamline this deployment and management process. One of the remaining MLOps challenges is the need for explanations. These explanations are essential for understanding how ML models reason, which is key to trust and acceptance. Better identification of errors and improved model accuracy are only two resulting advantages. An often neglected fact is that deployed models are bypassed in practice when accuracy and especially explainability do not meet user expectations. We developed a novel MLOps software architecture to address the challenge of integrating explanations and feedback capabilities into the ML development and deployment processes. In the project EXPLAIN, our architecture is implemented in a series of industrial use cases. The proposed MLOps software architecture has several advantages. It provides an efficient way to manage ML models in production environments. Further, it allows for integrating explanations into the development and deployment processes

Angular redistribution of near-infrared emission from quantum dots in 3D photonic crystals

We study the angle-resolved spontaneous emission of near-infrared light sources in 3D photonic crystals over a wavelength range from 1200 to 1550 nm. To this end PbSe quantum dots are used as light sources inside titania inverse opal photonic crystals. Strong deviations from the Lambertian emission profile are observed. An attenuation of 60 % is observed in the angle dependent radiant flux emitted from the samples due to photonic stop bands. At angles that correspond to the edges of the stop band the emitted flux is increased by up to 34 %. This increase is explained by the redistribution of Bragg-diffracted light over the available escape angles. The results are quantitatively explained by an expanded escape-function model. This model is based on diffusion theory and adapted to photonic crystals using band structure calculations. Our results are the first angular redistributions and escape functions measured at near-infrared, including telecom, wavelengths. In addition, this is the first time for this model to be applied to describe emission from samples that are optically thick for the excitation light and relatively thin for the photoluminesence light.Comment: 24 pages, 8 figures (current format = single column, double spaced

Impact of nationwide enhanced implementation of best practices in pancreatic cancer care (PACAP-1): A multicenter stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled trial

Background: Pancreatic cancer has a very poor prognosis. Best practices for the use of chemotherapy, enzyme replacement therapy, and biliary drainage have been identified but their implementation in daily clinical practice is often suboptimal. We hypothesized that a nationwide program to enhance implementation of these best practices in pancreatic cancer care would improve survival and quality of life. Methods/design: PACAP-1 is a nationwide multicenter stepped-wedge cluster randomized controlled superiority trial. In a per-center stepwise and randomized manner, best practices in pancreatic cancer care regarding the use of (neo)adjuvant and palliative chemotherapy, pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy, and metal biliary stents are implemented in all 17 Dutch pancreatic centers and their regional referral networks during a 6-week initiation period. Per pancreatic center, one multidisciplinary team functions as reference for the other centers in the network. Key best practices were identified from the literature, 3 years of data from existing nationwide registries within the Dutch Pancreatic Cancer Project (PACAP), and national expert meetings. The best practices follow the Dutch guideline on pancreatic cancer and the current state of the literature, and can be executed within daily clinical practice. The implementation process includes monitoring, return visits, and provider feedback in combination with education and reminders. Patient outcomes and compliance are monitored within the PACAP registries. Primary outcome is 1-year overall survival (for all disease stages). Secondary outcomes include quality of life, 3- and 5-year overall survival, and guideline compliance. An improvement of 10% in 1-year overall survival is considered clinically relevant. A 25-month study duration was chosen, which provides 80% statistical power for a mortality reduction of 10.0% in the 17 pancreatic cancer centers, with a required sample size of 2142 patients, corresponding to a 6.6% mortality reduction and 4769 patients nationwide. Discussion: The PACAP-1 trial is designed to evaluate whether a nationwide program for enhanced implementation of best practices in pancreatic cancer care can improve 1-year overall survival and quality of life. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03513705. Trial opened for accrual on 22th May 2018

The Next Frontier: Reliability of Complex Systems

Traditional lighting is focused on the prevention of hardware failures. With the trend toward controlled and connected systems, other components will start playing an equal role in the reliability of it. Here reliability need to be replaced by availability, and other modeling approaches are to be taken into account. Software reliability can only be covered by growth models, with the Goel-Okumoto as a promising candidate. System prognostics and health management is the next step to service the connected complex systems in the most effective way possible. In this chapter we highlight the next frontiers that will need to be taken in order to move the traditional lighting catastrophic failure thinking into a thinking more toward new ways how system (degraded) functions can fail or be compromised

NIBLES: an H I census of local SDSS galaxies

International audienceImproving our knowledge of the H I Universe will improve our readiness to use the SKA and its Pathfinders to their full potential. For a holistic view of the H I Universe, two complementary types of galaxy surveys are required: targeted surveys of galaxies selected in the optical, and blind surveys that completely sample a space volume in the H I line. NIBLES (Nançay Interstellar Baryons Legacy Extragalactic Survey) is a targeted survey of about 4000 SDSS galaxies in the Local Volume (90

The Effect and Influence of Star Formation and Gas Accretion on the Turbulence in the ISM

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Minor mergers and their impact on the kinematics of galaxy discs

International audienceBy means of N-body simulations, we have investigated the impact of minor mergers on the angular momentum content and kinematical properties of a disc galaxy. Our simulations cover a range of initial orbital characteristics and the system consists of a massive galaxy with a bulge and a stellar disc merging with a much less massive gasless companion. Our results show that: (1) during the process of merging, the disc of the primary galaxy becomes kinematically hotter and thicker; (2) its specific angular momentum always decreases, independent of the orbit or morphology of the satellite galaxy; (3) the decrease in the rotation velocity of the primary galaxy is accompanied by a change in the anisotropy of the stellar orbits, which becomes increasingly radially dominated as the merger advances; (4) the radial velocity dispersion increases at all radii, but in particular in the outermost regions; (5) at the same time, the transverse velocity decreases throughout the whole disc, except in the inner region, where the constribution of bulge stars leads to an increase of sigmat

The Effect and Influence of Star Formation and Gas Accretion on the Turbulence in the ISM

International audienc

The Effect and Influence of Star Formation and Gas Accretion on the Turbulence in the ISM

International audienc