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Continuous deployment has been practiced for many years by companies developing web‐ and cloud‐based applications. To succeed with continuous deployment, these companies have a strong collaboration culture between the operations and development teams. In addition, these companies use AI, analytics, and big data to assist with time‐consuming postdeployment activities such as continuous monitoring and fault identification. Thus, the term AIOps has evolved to highlight the importance and difficulty of maintaining highly available applications in a complex and dynamic environment. In contrast, software‐intensive embedded systems often provide customer product‐related services, such as maintenance, optimization, and support. These services are critical for these companies as they provide significant revenue and increase customer satisfaction. Therefore, the objective of our study is to gain an in‐depth understanding of the impact of continuous deployment on product‐related services provided by software‐intensive embedded systems companies. In addition, we aim to understand how AIOps can support continuous deployment in the context of software‐intensive embedded systems. To address this objective, we conducted a case study at a large and multinational telecommunications systems provider focusing on the radio access network (RAN) systems for 4G and 5G networks. The company provides RAN products and three complementing services: rollout, optimization, and customer support. The results from the case study show that the boundaries between product‐related services become blurry with continuous deployment. In addition, product‐related services, which were conducted in sequence by independent projects, converge with continuous deployment and become part of the same project. Further, AIOps platforms play an important role in reducing costs and increasing postdeployment activities' efficiency and speed. These results show that continuous deployment has a profound impact on the software‐intensive system's provider service organization. The service organization becomes the connection between the R&D organization and the customer. In order to cope with the increased speed of releases, deployment and postdeployment activities need to be largely automated. AIOps platforms are seen as a critical enabler in managing the increasing complexity without increasing human involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Quality improvement in prehospital emergency medical services (EMS) can only be achieved by high-quality research and critical appraisal of current practices. This study examines current opportunities and barriers in EMS research in the Netherlands. Methods: This mixed-methods consensus study consisted of three phases. The first phase consisted of semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders. Thematic analysis of qualitative data derived from these interviews was used to identify main themes, which were subsequently discussed in several online focus groups in the second phase. Output from these discussions was used to shape statements for an online Delphi consensus study among relevant stakeholders in EMS research. Consensus was met if 80% of respondents agreed or disagreed on a particular statement. Results: Forty-nine stakeholders participated in the study; qualitative thematic analysis of the interviews and focus group discussions identified four main themes: (1) data registration and data sharing, (2) laws and regulations, (3) financial aspects and funding, and (4) organization and culture. Qualitative data from the first two phases of the study were used to construct 33 statements for an online Delphi study. Consensus was reached on 21 (64%) statements. Eleven (52%) of these statements pertained to the storage and use of EMS patient data. Conclusion: Barriers for prehospital EMS research in the Netherlands include issues regarding the use of patient data, privacy and legislation, funding and research culture in EMS organizations. Opportunities to increase scientific productivity in EMS research include the development of a national strategy for EMS data and the incorporation of EMS topics in research agendas of national medical professional associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence is increasingly becoming important to businesses because many companies have realized the benefits of applying machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) in their operations. ML and DL have become attractive technologies for organizations looking to automate repetitive tasks to reduce manual work and free up resources for innovation. Unlike rule‐based automation, typically used for standardized and predictable processes, machine learning, especially deep learning, can handle more complex tasks and learn over time, leading to greater accuracy and efficiency improvements. One of such promising applications is to use AI to reduce manual engineering work. This paper discusses a particular case within McDermott where the research team developed a DL model to do a quality check of complex blueprints. We describe the development and the final product of this case—AI‐based software for the engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) industry that helps to find the design mistakes buried inside very complex engineering drawings called piping and instrumentation diagrams (P&IDs). We also present a cost‐benefit analysis and potential scale‐up of the developed software. Our goal is to share the successful experience of AI‐based product development that can substantially reduce the engineering hours and, therefore, reduce the project's overall costs. The developed solution can also be potentially applied to other EPC companies doing a similar design for complex installations with high safety standards like oil and gas or petrochemical plants because the design errors it captures are common within this industry. It also could motivate practitioners and researchers to create similar products for the various fields within engineering industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct transportation to a thrombectomy-capable intervention center is beneficial for patients with ischemic stroke due to large vessel occlusion (LVO), but can delay intravenous thrombolytics (IVT). The aim of this modeling study was to estimate the effect of prehospital triage strategies on treatment delays and overtriage in different regions. We used data from two prospective cohort studies in the Netherlands: the Leiden Prehospital Stroke Study and the PRESTO study. We included stroke code patients within 6 h from symptom onset. We modeled outcomes of Rapid Arterial oCclusion Evaluation (RACE) scale triage and triage with a personalized decision tool, using drip-and-ship as reference. Main outcomes were overtriage (stroke code patients incorrectly triaged to an intervention center), reduced delay to endovascular thrombectomy (EVT), and delay to IVT. We included 1798 stroke code patients from four ambulance regions. Per region, overtriage ranged from 1-13% (RACE triage) and 3-15% (personalized tool). Reduction of delay to EVT varied by region between 24 ± 5 min (n = 6) to 78 ± 3 (n = 2), while IVT delay increased with 5 (n = 5) to 15 min (n = 21) for non-LVO patients. The personalized tool reduced delay to EVT for more patients (25 ± 4 min [n = 8] to 49 ± 13 [n = 5]), while delaying IVT with 3-14 min (8-24 patients). In region C, most EVT patients were treated faster (reduction of delay to EVT 31 ± 6 min (n = 35), with RACE triage and the personalized tool. In this modeling study, we showed that prehospital triage reduced time to EVT without disproportionate IVT delay, compared to a drip-and-ship strategy. The effect of triage strategies and the associated overtriage varied between regions. Implementation of prehospital triage should therefore be considered on a regional level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence (AI) and the use of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) technologies are becoming increasingly popular in companies. These technologies enable companies to leverage big quantities of data to improve system performance and accelerate business development. However, despite the appeal of ML/DL, there is a lack of systematic and structured methods and processes to help data scientists and other company roles and functions to develop, deploy and evolve models. In this paper, based on multi‐case study research in six companies, we explore practices and challenges practitioners experience in developing ML/DL models as part of large software‐intensive embedded systems. Based on our empirical findings, we derive a conceptual framework in which we identify three high‐level activities that companies perform in parallel with the development, deployment and evolution of models. Within this framework, we outline activities, iterations and triggers that optimize model design as well as roles and company functions. In this way, we provide practitioners with a blueprint for effectively integrating ML/DL model development into the business to achieve better results than other (algorithmic) approaches. In addition, we show how this framework helps companies solve the challenges we have identified and discuss checkpoints for terminating the business case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous experimentation (CE) refers to a set of practices used by software companies to rapidly assess the usage, value, and performance of deployed software using data collected from customers and systems in the field using an experimental methodology. However, despite its increasing popularity in developing web‐facing applications, CE has not been studied in the development process of business‐to‐business (B2B) mission‐critical systems. By observing the CE practices of different teams, with a case study methodology inside Ericsson, we were able to identify the different practices and techniques used in B2B mission‐critical systems and a description and classification of the four possible types of experiments. We present and analyze each of the four types of experiments with examples in the context of the mission‐critical long‐term evolution (4G) product. These examples show the general experimentation process followed by the teams and the use of the different CE practices and techniques. Based on these examples and the empirical data, we derived the HURRIER process to deliver high‐quality solutions that the customers value. Finally, we discuss the challenges, opportunities, and lessons learned from applying CE and the HURRIER process in B2B mission‐critical systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Software ecosystems are considered the natural evolution of software product lines. A software ecosystem provides a (software) product within a particular business and organizational context that supports the exchange of activities and services within a domain. However, the increasing degree of autonomy demanded by software ecosystems is elevating the system response to end users, while the existing software ecosystem architectures are not well prepared to deal with the dynamicity of context changes and autonomous behavior needs. In order to provide a transition toward an increased level of autonomy, in this article, we introduce the notion of autonomous dynamic ecosystems as representative of those software ecosystems able to support dynamic, smart, and autonomous features demanded by modern software systems. In this work, we further investigate and provide evidence of four industrial examples that have fully embodied the principles of autonomous dynamic ecosystems, and we characterize the main features and technology requirements of this kind of new ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distal oblique bundle (DOB) reinforcement for treatment of post-traumatic bidirectional instability of the distal radioulnar joint (DRUJ) has previously been reported. The objective of the current study was to assess the incidence of symptomatic graft failure and the need for secondary wrist procedures at a longer follow-up in an updated patient cohort of 27 patients with 28 DOB reinforcement procedures. Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) and patient-rated wrist/hand evaluation (PRWHE) outcome measures were also evaluated. At median 82 months follow-up, pre- to postoperative QuickDASH score improved from a mean of 62 (SD 14) to 31 (SD 22) (p < 0.01) and PRWHE score from a mean of 67 (SD 17) to 34 (SD 23) (p < 0.01). Symptomatic graft failure with resultant painful DRUJ instability occurred in four out of 28 procedures, which was better than the published results of alternative surgical options for DRUJ instability. DOB reinforcement presents a relatively safe, effective and durable method for treatment of post-traumatic DRUJ instability. Level of evidence: III [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Frequentist statistical methods, such as hypothesis testing, are standard practices in studies that provide benchmark comparisons. Unfortunately, these methods have often been misused, e.g., without testing for their statistical test assumptions or without controlling for familywise errors in multiple group comparisons, among several other problems. Bayesian data analysis (BDA) addresses many of the previously mentioned shortcomings but its use is not widely spread in the analysis of empirical data in the evolutionary computing community. This article provides three main contributions. First, we motivate the need for utilizing BDA and provide an overview of this topic. Second, we discuss the practical aspects of BDA to ensure that our models are valid and the results are transparent. Finally, we provide five statistical models that can be used to answer multiple research questions. The online Appendix provides a step-by-step guide on how to perform the analysis of the models discussed in this article, including the code for the statistical models, the data transformations, and the discussed tables and figures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]