1.8.0 release

New features and improvements

• New Tutorials
  • Introduction to Pyro, a completely new intro tutorial #2991
  • Logistic growth models of SARS-CoV-2, #2982
  • SCANVI for single cell transcriptomics, #2975
  • Model rendering #2962
• Added pyro.render_model() to visualize model structure #2962 (based on @ordabayevy's ProvenanceTensor and numpyr.render_model())
• Autoguides
  • Improve parametrization of AutoMultivariateNormal #2972, #2963
  • Added a new class of effect-based guides including AutoNormalMessenger, AutohierarchicalNormalMessenger, and AutoRegressiveMessenger #2953, #2955 (thanks to @vitkl)
  • Added an AutoGaussian, similar to AutoMultivariateNormal, but with sparse precision matrix factorization based on dependency structure in the model.
• Added sampling functions to the MuE missing data discrete HMM #2898
• Added a PositivePowerTransform for positive-valued variables #2904