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Browse the failure-mode index

12,368 real negative results, null findings, and replication failures in Medicine. Search the index →

WASTE indexes published research — it does not host or republish full papers. Each entry is a metadata record compiled from open scholarly databases; the abstract is shown in full only where the paper is openly licensed, otherwise a short excerpt under fair use. Classifications are automated and approximate.

Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Real-world data on melanoma brain metastases and survival outcome

Sidsel Pedersen, Søren Møller, Marco Donia et al. · 2022 · Melanoma Research

Novel medical therapies have revolutionized outcome for patients with melanoma. However, patients with melanoma brain metastases (MBM) still have poor survival. Data are limited as these patients are generally excluded from clinical…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Addition of chemotherapy to intensity-modulated radiotherapy does not improve survival in stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients

Fangzheng Wang, Jiang Chuner, Quanquan Sun et al. · 2018 · Journal of Cancer

In this study, we examined whether combining neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) and/or concurrent chemotherapy (CC) with intensity-modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) improved survival in patients with stage II nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Two hundred forty-two stage II NPC patients were enrolled between May 2008 and April 2014 and received radical IMRT with simultaneous integrated boost technique using 6 MV photons; some patient groups also received chemotherapy every 3 weeks for 2-3 cycles. The median follow-up duration was 69 months for all patients. At the last follow-up, 18 patients had experien

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

EFFECTS OF ROUTINE PHYSICAL THERAPY WITH AND WITHOUT HIGH INTENSITY INTERVAL TRAINING ON BALANCE, QUALITY OF LIFE AND FUNCTION IN PARKINSON’S DISEASE PATIENTS

Muhammad Junaid Tahir, Komal Tehzeeb, Farah Javaid et al. · 2023

Background: Parkinson's disease, is a degenerative neurological disorder, may have an adverse effect on movement, balance, and coordination. Physical therapy, a frequent Parkinson's disease treatment, tries to improve the patient's…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Results of the Kigali Imbereheza Project: A 2-Arm Individually Randomized Trial of TI-CBT Enhanced to Address ART Adherence and Mental Health for Rwandan Youth Living With HIV.

Geri R. Donenberg, Jessica Fitts, Charles Ingabire et al. · 2022 · PubMed

BACKGROUND: Adolescents living with HIV have elevated mental distress and suboptimal antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence. SETTING: Two urban clinics in Kigali, Rwanda. METHODS: A 2-arm individual randomized controlled trial compared…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Histogram analysis from stretched exponential model on diffusion-weighted imaging: evaluation of clinically significant prostate cancer

Eun-Ju Kim, Chan Kyo Kim, Hyun Soo Kim et al. · 2020 · British Journal of Radiology

Objective: To evaluate the usefulness of histogram analysis of stretched exponential model (SEM) on diffusion-weighted imaging in evaluating clinically significant prostate cancer (CSC). Methods: A total of 85 patients with prostate cancer…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Machine Learning Did Not Outperform Conventional Competing Risk Modeling to Predict Revision Arthroplasty

Jacobien H. F. Oosterhoff, Anne de Hond, Rinne M Peters et al. · 2024 · Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research

BACKGROUND: Estimating the risk of revision after arthroplasty could inform patient and surgeon decision-making. However, there is a lack of well-performing prediction models assisting in this task, which may be due to current conventional…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

A comprehensive evaluation of early potential risk factors for disease aggravation in patients with COVID-19

Qiang Tang, Yanwei Liu, Yingfeng Fu et al. · 2021 · Scientific Reports

The 2019 Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) has become an unprecedented public crisis. We retrospectively investigated the clinical data of 197 COVID-19 patients and identified 88 patients as disease aggravation cases. Compared with patients without disease aggravation, the aggravation cases had more comorbidities, including hypertension (25.9%) and diabetes (20.8%), and presented with dyspnoea (23.4%), neutrophilia (31.5%), and lymphocytopenia (46.7%). These patients were more prone to develop organ damage in liver, kidney, and heart (P < 0.05). A multivariable regression analysis showed that adv

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Impact of prenatal diagnosis on the outcome of patients with a transposition of great arteries: A 24‐year population‐based study

Anne Debost‐Legrand, Lemlih Ouchchane, Christine Francannet et al. · 2015 · Birth Defects Research Part A Clinical and Molecular Teratology

BACKGROUND: Transposition of great arteries (TGA) defined as the combination of concordant atrioventricular and discordant ventriculo-arterial connections is one of the most common congenital heart defects. Prenatal diagnosis of TGA…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Successful Multimodal Treatment for Aggressive Metastatic and Recurrent Fibrolamellar Hepatocellular Carcinoma in a Child

Arzu Okur, Eylem Pınar Eser, Güldal Yılmaz et al. · 2014 · Journal of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology

Fibrolamellar variant of hepatocellular carcinoma (FLHCC) does not have a favorable prognosis than conventional HCC, and there is no difference regarding the response to chemotherapy and the degree of surgical resectability. FLHCC commonly…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Does Moxa Smoke Have Significant Effect on the Acupuncturist’s Respiratory System? A Population-Based Study

Chang Yu, Ning Zhang, Weikang Zhu et al. · 2019 · Evidence-based Complementary and Alternative Medicine

Objectives . To evaluate the safety of moxa smoke, especially to provide quantitative information and details for the occupational prevention of acupuncturists. Methods . We combined the questionnaire-based cross-sectional survey and lung function testing-based historical retrospective cohort research to investigate the safety of moxa smoke exposure (MSE) among acupuncturists. A mathematical regression model was established to quantitatively evaluate the relationship between moxa smoke exposure and the respiratory health of the acupuncturist. The smoke exposure time of the acupuncturist and th

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

No Significant Effect of the Individual Chronotype on the Result of Moderate Calorie Restriction for Obesity—A Pilot Study

Zofia Strojny, Rafał Rutkowski, Alina Kanikowska et al. · 2021 · Nutrients

Background: Chronotype is the pattern of the circadian rhythm that allows an individual to optimize times of sleep and activity. It has been observed that chronotypes may associate with some conditions and diseases, including obesity. It is not known, however, whether chronotypes determine the effectiveness of weight loss regimens. Therefore, in the present study, we compared the outcomes of a 3-week moderate calorie restriction undertaken by individuals with obesity under the same controlled hospital conditions. Methods: A total of 131 participants with obesity (median BMI 40.0) were studied.

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Balancing Potential Benefits and Risks of Bruton Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor Therapies in Multiple Sclerosis During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Martin S. Weber, Jacqueline Nicholas, Michael R. Yeaman · 2021 · Neurology Neuroimmunology & Neuroinflammation

Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKis) encompass a new class of therapeutics currently being evaluated for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS). Whether BTKis affect COVID-19 risk or severity or reduce vaccine efficacy are important…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

The effects of amiodarone prophylaxis on cardiac dysrhythmia in acute aluminium phosphide poisoning

Mohammad Reza Beyranvand, Soleyman Farrokhi, Hassan Peyvandi et al. · 2019 · Archives of Industrial Hygiene and Toxicology

Cardiovascular toxicity is the most common cause of fatality in the first 24 hours of poisoning with aluminium phosphide (AlP). Most often manifesting itself in cardiac dysrhythmias. The aim of this study was to evaluate the benefits of amiodarone prophylaxis against cardiac dysrhythmia in 46 patients with acute AlP poisoning. They were divided in two groups of 23: one receiving amiodarone and the other not (control). The treatment group received amiodarone prophylaxis in the initial intravenous bolus dose of 150 mg, followed by a drip of 1 mg/min for six hours and then of 0.5 mg/min for eight

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Rethinking phase 2 trials in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Michael Benatar, Christopher McDermott, Martin R. Turner et al. · 2024 · Brain

There is a long history in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) of promoting therapies based on phase 2 data, which then fail in phase 3 trials. Experience suggests that studies of 6 months in duration are too short, especially with…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

18F-PI-2620 Tau PET is associated with cognitive and motor impairment in Lewy body disease

Joseph R. Winer, Hillary Vossler, Christina B. Young et al. · 2024 · Brain Communications

Abstract Co-pathology is frequent in Lewy body disease, which includes clinical diagnoses of both Parkinson’s disease and dementia with Lewy bodies. Measuring concomitant pathology in vivo can improve clinical and research diagnoses and prediction of cognitive trajectories. Tau PET imaging may serve a dual role in Lewy body disease by measuring cortical tau aggregation as well as assessing dopaminergic loss attributed to binding to neuromelanin within substantia nigra. We sought to characterize 18F-PI-2620, a next generation PET tracer, in individuals with Lewy body disease. We recruited 141 p

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

CONCUSS randomised clinical trial of vergence/accommodative therapy for concussion-related symptomatic convergence insufficiency

Tara L. Alvarez, Mitchell Scheiman, Farzin Hajebrahimi et al. · 2025 · British Journal of Sports Medicine

OBJECTIVE: The CONCUSS randomised clinical trial compared the effectiveness of immediate office-based vergence/accommodative therapy with movement (OBVAM) to delayed therapy for the treatment of concussion-related convergence insufficiency…

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Replication FailureOpen accessMedicine

Randomized Sham-controlled Trial of Targeted Lung Denervation in Patients with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (AIRFLOW-3)

Pallav L. Shah, Dirk‐Jan Slebos, Richard Sue et al. · 2025 · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Abstract Rationale AIRFLOW-3 was a 1:1 randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled trial of the D’Nerva targeted lung denervation (TLD) system in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Objective To evaluate the impact of…

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Replication FailureOpen accessMedicine

A Ketogenic Diet for Treatment-Resistant Depression

Min Gao, Megan Kirk, Heather Knight et al. · 2026 · JAMA Psychiatry

Importance: Preclinical evidence and case reports suggest potential therapeutic benefits of ketogenic diets (KDs) in the treatment of depression, but evidence from well-controlled randomized clinical trials (RCTs) is lacking. Objective: To assess the efficacy of a KD compared with a control diet in adults with treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Design, Setting, and Participants: This RCT was conducted between February 22 and June 15, 2024. Participants aged 18 to 65 years with TRD and a score of 15 or greater on the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9) from across the UK were include

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Therapeutic Potential of Short-Chain Fatty Acids in Gastrointestinal Diseases

Mengting Zhu, Jonathan Lee · 2025 · Nutraceuticals

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are metabolites derived from the fermentation of dietary fibre by gut bacteria. SCFAs function as essential regulators of host-microbiome interactions by participating in numerous physiological and pathological processes within the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. In recent years, the depletion of SCFAs has been increasingly linked to the pathogenesis of GI diseases. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of SCFAs in GI diseases, including inflammatory bowel disease, irritable bowel syndrome, metabolic dysfunction-associ

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Neutrophil-initiated nociceptive ingrowth orchestrates inflammation resolution to potentiate bone regeneration

Xuanyu Qi, Guangzheng YANG, Zeqian Xu et al. · 2026 · Bone Research

Abstract Nociceptive pain is a cardinal feature of traumatic and inflammatory bone diseases. However, whether and how nociceptors actively regulate the immune response during bone regeneration remains unclear. Here, we found that neutrophil-triggered nociceptive ingrowth functioned as negative feedback regulation to inflammation during bone healing. A unique Il4ra + Ccl2 high neutrophil subset drove intense postinjury TRPV1 + nociceptive ingrowth, which in return dissipated inflammation by activating the production of pro-resolving mediator lipoxin A4 (LXA4) in osteoblasts. Mechanistically, os

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

“Regression to the truth”: lessons learned from negative IPF trials

Athina Trachalaki, Anna Lindahl, Simone Petrarulo et al. · 2025 · Breathe

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic lung disease with limited treatment options. Despite the approval of pirfenidone and nintedanib that slow disease progression, IPF remains a disease with poor survival. Promising therapeutic…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Vitamin D and Chronic Disorders: A Review of Metabolic and Cardiovascular Diseases

Ewelina Młynarska, Wiktoria Lisińska, Katarzyna Hossa et al. · 2025 · Pharmaceuticals

Vitamin D, long recognized for its essential role in calcium-phosphate balance and bone health, has increasingly been identified as a pleiotropic regulator of metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal function. Deficiency of vitamin D is widespread worldwide and has been linked to a higher risk of insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, atherosclerosis, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease. Meta-analyses suggest that each 10 nmol/L (≈4 ng/mL) increase in serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] is associated with about a 4% lower risk of type 2 diabetes, whereas other analyses indicate an approximately

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Deep feature engineering for accurate sperm morphology classification using CBAM-enhanced ResNet50

Şafak Kılıç · 2025 · PLoS ONE

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Male fertility assessment through sperm morphology analysis remains a critical component of reproductive health evaluation, as abnormal sperm morphology is strongly correlated with reduced fertility rates and poor assisted reproductive technology outcomes. Traditional manual analysis performed by embryologists is time-intensive, subjective, and prone to significant inter-observer variability, with studies reporting up to 40% disagreement between expert evaluators. This research presents a novel deep learning framework combining Convolutional Block Attention Module (CB

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Why Is Clozapine Uniquely Effective in Treatment-Resistant Schizophrenia? A Review and Proposal

Robin Murray, Alice Egerton, Yueming Gao et al. · 2025 · Biological Psychiatry

Much is known about the use, benefits, and side-effects, of clozapine in treatment resistant schizophrenia (TRS). However, why clozapine is more effective than other antipsychotics in TRS remains unclear. This paper addresses this question. TRS patients show glutamate abnormalities, and clozapine has widespread effects on glutamate. However, these actions have not been proven different to those of other antipsychotics. Immune dysfunction is also reported in TRS, and clozapine has anti-inflammatory actions, but these have not been correlated with clinical improvement. Currently, there is much i

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