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Non-invasive predictors of axillary lymph node burden in breast cancer: a single-institution retrospective analysis (2022)
Journal Article
Ngai, V., Tai, J., Taj, S., Khanfar, H., Sfakianakis, E., Bakalis, A., …Baker, R. (2022). Non-invasive predictors of axillary lymph node burden in breast cancer: a single-institution retrospective analysis. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 195(2), 161-169. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-022-06672-7

Purpose: Axillary staging is an important prognostic factor in breast cancer. Sentinel lymph node biopsy (SNB) is currently used to stage patients who are clinically and radiologically node-negative. Since the establishment that axillary node clearan... Read More about Non-invasive predictors of axillary lymph node burden in breast cancer: a single-institution retrospective analysis.

A unified theory for bivariate scores in possessive ball-sports: the case of handball (2022)
Journal Article
Singh, A., Scarf, P., & Baker, R. (2022). A unified theory for bivariate scores in possessive ball-sports: the case of handball. European Journal of Operational Research, 304(3), 1099-1112. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2022.05.010

We present a unified theory that posits three fundamental models as necessary and sufficient for modelling the bivariate scores in possessive ball-sports. These models provide the basis for perhaps more complicated models that can be used for predict... Read More about A unified theory for bivariate scores in possessive ball-sports: the case of handball.

Optimization of SPIO injection for sentinel lymph node dissection in a rat model (2021)
Journal Article
Peek, M., Saeki, K., Ohashi, K., Chikaki, S., Baker, R., Nakagawa, T., …Sekino, M. (2021). Optimization of SPIO injection for sentinel lymph node dissection in a rat model. Cancers, 13(19), e5031. https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers13195031

The magnetic technique, consisting of a magnetic tracer and a handheld magnetometer, is a promising alternative technique for sentinel lymph node dissection (SLND) and was shown to be non-inferior to the standard technique in terms of identification... Read More about Optimization of SPIO injection for sentinel lymph node dissection in a rat model.

Axillary dissection versus axillary observation for low risk, clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis (2021)
Journal Article
Sangha, M., Baker, R., & Ahmed, M. (2021). Axillary dissection versus axillary observation for low risk, clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis. Breast Cancer, 28(6), 1212-1224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12282-021-01273-6

1. To systematically analyse studies comparing survival outcomes between axillary lymph-node dissection (ALND) and axilla observation (Obs), in women with low-risk, clinically node-negative breast cancer. 2. To consider results in the context of curr... Read More about Axillary dissection versus axillary observation for low risk, clinically node-negative invasive breast cancer : a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Modifying Bradley–Terry and other ranking models to allow ties (2020)
Journal Article
Baker, R., & Scarf, P. (2021). Modifying Bradley–Terry and other ranking models to allow ties. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, 32(4), 451-463. https://doi.org/10.1093/imaman/dpaa027

Models derived from distributions of order-statistics are useful for modelling ranked data. The well-known Bradley–Terry (BT) and Plackett–Luce (PL) models can be derived from the order statistics of the exponential distribution but cannot handle tie... Read More about Modifying Bradley–Terry and other ranking models to allow ties.

Can machine learning be used to reduce overtreatment of the axilla in breast cancer? Results from a retrospective cohort study (2020)
Journal Article
Jozsa, F., Ahmed, M., Baker, R., & Douek, M. (2020). Can machine learning be used to reduce overtreatment of the axilla in breast cancer? Results from a retrospective cohort study. EJSO - European Journal of Surgical Oncology, 47(2), e19. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejso.2020.11.195

Background: Patients with early breast cancer undergoing primary surgery who have low axillary nodal burden can safely forego axillary node clearance (ANC). However, routine use of axillary ultrasound (AUS) leads to 43% of patients in this group havi... Read More about Can machine learning be used to reduce overtreatment of the axilla in breast cancer? Results from a retrospective cohort study.

Is sentinel node biopsy necessary in the radiologically negative axilla in breast cancer? (2019)
Journal Article
Jozsa, F., Ahmed, M., Baker, R., & Douek, M. (2019). Is sentinel node biopsy necessary in the radiologically negative axilla in breast cancer?. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 177, 1-4. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-019-05299-5

Purpose: The steady move towards axillary conservatism in breast cancer is based on studies demonstrating that axillary node clearance affords no survival benefit in a subset of patients with a positive pre-operative axillary ultrasound (AUS). Howeve... Read More about Is sentinel node biopsy necessary in the radiologically negative axilla in breast cancer?.

Modelling demand for lotto using a novel method of correcting for endogeneity (2019)
Journal Article
Baker, R., Forrest, D., & Perez, L. (2020). Modelling demand for lotto using a novel method of correcting for endogeneity. Economic Modelling, 84, 302-308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.econmod.2019.04.021

Modelling lottery sales as a function of the mean, standard deviation and skewness of the probability distribution of returns potentially gives insights into how the design of a game could be modified to maximise net revenue. But use of OLS is pro... Read More about Modelling demand for lotto using a novel method of correcting for endogeneity.

New order-statistics-based ranking models and faster computation of outcome probabilities (2019)
Journal Article
Baker, R. (2020). New order-statistics-based ranking models and faster computation of outcome probabilities. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, 31(1), 33-48. https://doi.org/10.1093/imaman/dpz001

In sport, order-statistics-based models such as Henery’s gamma model and the Thurstone-Mosteller type V model are useful in estimating competitor strengths from observed performance of players in competitions between 2 or more players. They can also... Read More about New order-statistics-based ranking models and faster computation of outcome probabilities.

New survival distributions that quantify the gain from eliminating flawed components (2019)
Journal Article
Baker, R. (2019). New survival distributions that quantify the gain from eliminating flawed components. Reliability Engineering and System Safety, 185(May 19), 493-501. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ress.2019.01.013

A general method for deriving new survival distributions from old is presented. This yields a class of useful mixture distributions. Fitting such distributions to failure-time data allows estimation of the improvement in reliability that could be ga... Read More about New survival distributions that quantify the gain from eliminating flawed components.

Time-varying ratings for international football teams (2017)
Journal Article
Baker, R., & McHale, I. (2017). Time-varying ratings for international football teams. European Journal of Operational Research, 267(2), 659-666. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ejor.2017.11.042

We present a model for rating international football teams. Using data from 1944 to 2016, we ask `which was the greatest team?'. To answer the question requires some sophisticated methodology. Specifically, we have used k-fold cross-validation, whi... Read More about Time-varying ratings for international football teams.

High intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of breast fibroadenomata (HIFU-F trial) (2017)
Journal Article
Peek, M., Ahmed, M., Scudder, J., Baker, R., Charalampoudis, P., Pinder, S., & Douek, M. (2017). High intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of breast fibroadenomata (HIFU-F trial). International Journal of Hyperthermia, 34(7), 1002-1009. https://doi.org/10.1080/02656736.2017.1373865

Background: High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive ablative technique utilising the application of high frequency ultrasound (US) pressure waves to cause tissue necrosis. This emerging technology is currently limited by prolonged... Read More about High intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of breast fibroadenomata (HIFU-F trial).

Event count distributions from renewal processes : fast computation of probabilities (2017)
Journal Article
Baker, R., & Kharrat, T. (2017). Event count distributions from renewal processes : fast computation of probabilities. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics, 29(4), 415-433. https://doi.org/10.1093/imaman/dpx008

Discrete distributions derived from renewal processes, i.e. distributions of the number of events by some time t are beginning to be used in management science, econometrics and health sciences. A new fast method is presented for computation of the p... Read More about Event count distributions from renewal processes : fast computation of probabilities.

Meta-analysis of tumour burden in pre-operative axillary ultrasound positive and negative breast cancer patients (2017)
Journal Article
Ahmed, M., Jozsa, F., Baker, R., Rubio, I., Benson, J., & Douek, M. (2017). Meta-analysis of tumour burden in pre-operative axillary ultrasound positive and negative breast cancer patients. Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, 166(2), 329-336. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10549-017-4405-3

Management of the axilla in breast cancer is becoming increasingly conservative. Patients identified with a low axillary nodal burden (two or fewer involved nodes) at sentinel node biopsy (SNB) can avoid completion axillary node clearance (cANC). 'Fa... Read More about Meta-analysis of tumour burden in pre-operative axillary ultrasound positive and negative breast cancer patients.

Paule-Mandel estimators for network meta-analysis with random inconsistency effects (2017)
Journal Article
Jackson, D., Veroniki, A., Law, M., Tricco, A., & Baker, R. (2017). Paule-Mandel estimators for network meta-analysis with random inconsistency effects. Research Synthesis Methods, 8(4), 416-434. https://doi.org/10.1002/jrsm.1244

Network meta-analysis is used to simultaneously compare multiple treatments in a single analysis. However, network meta-analyses may exhibit inconsistency, where direct and different forms of indirect evidence are not in agreement with each other, ev... Read More about Paule-Mandel estimators for network meta-analysis with random inconsistency effects.

Creating new distributions by blunting cusps (2017)
Journal Article
Baker, R. (2017). Creating new distributions by blunting cusps. Statistics and Probability Letters, 124, 55-63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spl.2017.01.003

A simple method is proposed for `blunting' cusped distributions, ie removing the cusp. No additional parameters are required. The method is applied to the asymmetric Laplace distribution, to the van Dorp and Kotz double-sided power distribution, an... Read More about Creating new distributions by blunting cusps.

Is blue dye still required during sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer? (2016)
Journal Article
Peek, M., Kovacs, T., Baker, R., Hamed, H., Kothari, A., & Douek, M. (2016). Is blue dye still required during sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer?. ecancermedicalscience, 10, https://doi.org/10.3332/ecancer.2016.674

BACKGROUND: In early breast cancer, the optimal technique for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) is the combined technique (radioisotope and Patent Blue V) which achieves high identification rates. Despite this, many centres have decided to stop us... Read More about Is blue dye still required during sentinel lymph node biopsy for breast cancer?.

Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using the magnetic technique (2016)
Journal Article
Zada, A., Peek, M., Muneer, A., Bauke, A., Baker, R., Kusakabe, M., …Douek, M. (2016). Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using the magnetic technique. British Journal of Surgery, 103(11), 1409-1419. https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.10283

Background 3 The gold standard for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB), the dual technique (radiolabelled tracer and 4 blue dye), has several drawbacks. A novel magnetic technique without these drawbacks, has been 5 evaluated in a number of clinical... Read More about Meta-analysis of sentinel lymph node biopsy in breast cancer using the magnetic technique.

Meta-analysis of aberrant lymphatic drainage in recurrent breast cancer (2016)
Journal Article
Ahmed, M., Baker, R., & Rubio, I. (2016). Meta-analysis of aberrant lymphatic drainage in recurrent breast cancer. British Journal of Surgery, 103(12), 1579-1588. https://doi.org/10.1002/bjs.10289

Background Sentinel node biopsy (SNB) in recurrent breast cancer offers targeted axillary staging compared with axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or no treatment. The evidence for lymphatic mapping in recurrent breast cancer is reviewed, focusi... Read More about Meta-analysis of aberrant lymphatic drainage in recurrent breast cancer.