Machine Learning Literacy for Measurement Professionals: A Practical Tutorial

The COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the digitalization of assessment, creating new challenges for measurement professionals, including big data management, test security, and analyzing new validity evidence. In response to these challenges, Machine Learning (ML) emerges as an increasingly important skill in the toolbox of measurement professionals in this new era. However, most ML tutorials are technical and conceptual-focused. Therefore, this tutorial aims to provide a practical introduction to ML in the context of educational measurement. We also supplement our tutorial with several examples of supervised and unsupervised ML techniques applied to marking a short-answer question. Python codes are available on GitHub. In the end, common misconceptions about ML are discussed. © 2023 by the National Council on Measurement in Education.

A Randomized Prospective Pilot Study Investigating the Feasibility and Effects of High Intensity Laser Therapy for Women with Vulvodynia

Introduction Laser therapy and more specifically, High Intensity Laser Therapy (HILT), is an emerging non-invasive and non-ablative treatment modality, that appears promising for treating provoked vestibulodynia (PVD). However, evidence supporting this treatment remains limited so far as no prospective study has examined the feasibility, acceptability and effects in women with PVD. Objective 1) to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of HILT in women with PVD and 2) to explore the effects of active and sham HILT on pain intensity during intercourse. Methods Women aged 18-45 years suffering from PVD participated in this randomized pilot study. Women were included if they reported pain at the entry of the vagina during vaginal intercourse (intensity of ≥5 on a numerical rating scale (NRS)) for more than three months. A standardized pelvic examination was performed by a gynecologist from our team to confirm the eligibility of participants. Women were randomized to receive bi-weekly sessions of active (n=20) or sham HILT (n=20) for 6 weeks. Women were assessed at baseline and post-treatment (2 weeks after the end of the treatment). Patients, outcome assessors and data analysts were blinded to group assignation. The attendance rate at laser sessions (≥80% of participants attending ≥10 sessions), the dropout rate (˂15%) and the absence of serious adverse events served as feasibility and acceptability outcomes and benchmarks. Patients’ perceived improvement and satisfaction were also assessed. The effects of treatment on mean pain intensity during intercourse were measured. Results A total of 45 women were screened by the gynecologist and 40 were enrolled in the study (n=5 were excluded because of other diagnoses i.e. infection, dermatological conditions). Among the women included, only one participant in the real HILT group dropped out of the study at post-treatment due to time constraints. Regarding the attendance rate for treatment, the 12 sessions were completed by all participants, except for two women who had 11 sessions due to Covid-related reasons. No serious side effects were observed in either group. In regard to patients’ global impression of change, 79% of women reported significant improvement in the active HILT group as opposed to 47% in the sham group. In the sham group only, 10% reported worsening of their condition. Regarding satisfaction to treatment, women in the active group were more satisfied with a mean of 6.6/10 (SD 2.8) compared to 4.6/10 (SD 3.1) in the sham group (p<0.05). A significant reduction in pain from baseline to post-treatment was found for women in the active HILT group (baseline 7.3±1.3;post-treatment 4.1±2.2;p˂.001) and sham HILT group (baseline 7.4±1.6;post-treatment 5.4±3.2;p=.002). Conclusions HILT is a feasible and acceptable intervention to treat women with PVD. With the significant improvements observed, findings support conducting a randomized controlled trial to confirm the efficacy of this promising intervention. Disclosure No

Pediatric inflammatory multisystemic syndrome temporally associated with COVID 19 (PIMS-TS): characteristics of the Sainte Justine Hospital cohort

Introduction: Since the beginning of SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, children represent a small proportion of patients with an acute disease and present with mild symptoms or are either asymptomatic. However pediatric patients might present with late, post infectious, manifestations of COVID 19, namely Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystemic Syndrome temporally associated with COVID 19 (PIMS-TS). Objectives: We aim to describe the characteristics of pediatric patients with PIMS-TS hospitalised in Sainte Justine Hospital and report their evolution according to their treatment and care. Methods: Patients were recruited prospectively since April 2020. Patient were included if they were less than 18 years old, had at least 2 days of fever, had multisystemic involvement (at least 2 systems) and had a temporal association with COVID 19. This temporal association was defined as: positive reverse transcription (RT)-PCR or antibodies to SARS-Cov2, history of contact with a confirmed or suspected SARS-Cov 2 infected individual or symptom appearance during the pandemic. Patient were excluded if they had an alternative diagnosis that explained the symptoms. Patient were sub categorized into two categories depending on their clinical presentation: 1- Complete or incomplete Kawasaki disease (KD), following the American Heart Association Criteria;or 2- Toxic shock syndrome (TSS). Data were collected during the hospitalization and the follow up. Results: Between April 30th, 2020 and April 30th, 2021, 72 patients were included, 13 (18.1%) with complete KD, 40 (55.6%) with incomplete KD and 19 (26.4%) with TSS. There was more male in the complete KD group (69.2%) and more female in the TSS group (52.6%) but there was no significative difference between the two groups (p = 0.35). Patient with TSS presentation were significatively older than those with KD presentation (10.3 years vs 4.9 years, p < 0.01). Caucasian patients are the most represented ethnic group in the cohort (26.4 %) but Afro-American patient are over-represented in the TSS group (6/19 patients, 31.6%;p= 0.2). Gastro-intestinal symptoms were seen in 50.9% (27/53) and 94.7% (18/19) patients with KD and TSS respectively (p < 0.001). Patients in the TSS group had higher mean value of PCR (239.1 mg/L vs 143.9 mg/L;p< 0.001) and more frequent lymphopenia (89.5% vs 34%;p< 0.001) than those in KD group. Only 40/72 (55.6%) patients in the cohort had either a positive RT-PCR and/or positive antibodies to SARS-Cov-2 and/or a contact with confirmed or suspected infected individual. These proportion increase to 18/19 (94.7%) in the TSS group (p < 0.001). Twenty-three patients (31.9%) required ICU hospitalization including 17 on 19 patients in the TSS group (89.5%;p < 0.001). Cardiac involvement was the most frequent complication either as coronary aneurysm, (15/72 - 20.8%) mainly in patient with KD presentation or as cardiac dysfunction (24/72 - 33.3%), mainly in patient with TSS presentation. Patient received intravenous immunoglobulins (69/72 - 95.8%), steroids (49/72 - 68.1%), sometimes both (48/72 - 66.7%). Five patients (6.9%) required biotherapy: 1 with Enbrel and 4 with Anakinra. Patient received a treatment 6.6 days after the beginning of the symptoms. After 3 months, 4 patients (0.5%) had persistent coronary dilatation and 2 (0.3%) had mitral insufficiency. Conclusion: This cohort study enables a better description of PIMS clinical and biological presentation, which can sometimes be confusing. It also highlights the importance of fast and adequate diagnosis and treatment to avoid the risk of acute and chronic complications, especially cardiac complications.