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Browse the failure-mode index

21,234 real negative results, null findings, and replication failures. 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.

Failed Experiment ReportOpen accessMedicine

Biologic Therapy in Head and Neck Cancer: A Road with Hurdles

Pol Specenier, Jan B. Vermorken · 2012 · ISRN Oncology

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in the vast majority of cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN). A high EGFR expression is associated with an unfavorable prognosis. Cetuximab is a chimeric human/murine IgG1 antibody which binds with high affinity to the EGFR. It is the only targeted agent which got approval for the treatment of SCCHN from the regulatory agencies of Europe and the United States, both in locoregionally advanced disease, in association with radiation, and in recurrent/metastatic disease. The outcome of trials involving other EGFR

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

A Randomized Controlled Trial of Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment for Depression Versus Relaxation Training for Alcohol-Dependent Individuals With Elevated Depressive Symptoms

Richard A. Brown, Susan E. Ramsey, Christopher W. Kahler et al. · 2011 · Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs

OBJECTIVE: A previous pilot study found positive outcomes among alcohol-dependent individuals with elevated depressive symptoms who received cognitive-behavioral treatment for depression (CBT-D; n = 19) compared with a relaxation training…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessSocial Sciences

Gamified Inoculation Against Misinformation in India: A Randomized Control Trial

Trisha Harjani, Melisa-Sinem Basol, Jon Roozenbeek et al. · 2023 · Journal of Trial and Error

Although the spread of misinformation is a pervasive and disruptive global problem, extant research is skewed towards “WEIRD” countries leaving questions about how to tackle misinformation in the developing world with different media and consumption patterns unanswered. We report the results of a game-based intervention against misinformation in India. The game is based on the mechanism of psychological inoculation; borrowed from the medical context, inoculation interventions aim to pre-emptively neutralize falsehoods and help audiences spot and resist misinformation strategies. Though the eff

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessSocial Sciences

Investigator Characteristics and Respondent Behavior in Online Surveys

Ariel White, Anton Strezhnev, Christopher Lucas et al. · 2018 · Journal of Experimental Political Science

Abstract Prior research demonstrates that responses to surveys can vary depending on the race, gender, or ethnicity of the investigator asking the question. We build upon this research by empirically testing how information about…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Evolution of Omicron lineage towards increased fitness in the upper respiratory tract in the absence of severe lung pathology

Arthur Wickenhagen, Meaghan Flagg, Julia R. Port et al. · 2025 · Nature Communications

The emergence of the Omicron lineage represented a major genetic drift in SARS-CoV-2 evolution. This was associated with phenotypic changes including evasion of pre-existing immunity and decreased disease severity. Continuous evolution within the Omicron lineage raised concerns of potential increased transmissibility and/or disease severity. To address this, we evaluate the fitness and pathogenesis of contemporary Omicron variants XBB.1.5, XBB.1.16, EG.5.1, and JN.1 in the upper (URT) and lower respiratory tract (LRT). We compare in vivo infection in Syrian hamsters with infection in primary h

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Negative / Null Result ReportBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

A significant effect of the TSPY1 copy number on spermatogenesis efficiency and the phenotypic expression of the gr/gr deletion

Ying Shen, Yuanlong Yan, Yunqiang Liu et al. · 2013 · Human Molecular Genetics

AZFc deletions cause a significant phenotypic heterogeneity with respect to spermatogenesis; however, the reason for this is poorly understood. Recently, testis-specific protein Y-encoded 1 (TSPY1) copy number variation (CNV) was…

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Failed Experiment ReportOpen accessImmunology and Microbiology

Retargeting Oncolytic Vesicular Stomatitis Virus to Human T-Cell Lymphotropic Virus Type 1-Associated Adult T-Cell Leukemia

Dillon M. Betancourt, Juan Carlos Ramos, Glen N. Barber · 2015 · Journal of Virology

UNLABELLED: Adult T cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATL) is an aggressive cancer of CD4/CD25(+) T lymphocytes, the etiological agent of which is human T-cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV-1). ATL is highly refractory to current therapies, making…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Combined metagenomic and phenomic approaches identify a novel salt tolerance gene from the human gut microbiome

Eamonn P. Culligan, Julian R. Marchesi, Colin Hill et al. · 2014 · Frontiers in Microbiology

In the current study, a number of salt-tolerant clones previously isolated from a human gut metagenomic library were screened using Phenotype MicroArray (PM) technology to assess their functional capacity. PM's can be used to study gene function, pathogenicity, metabolic capacity and identify drug targets using a series of specialized microtitre plate assays, where each well of the microtitre plate contains a different set of conditions and tests a different phenotype. Cellular respiration is monitored colorimetrically by the reduction of a tetrazolium dye. One clone, SMG 9, was found to be po

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

A randomized controlled trial of liposomal cyclosporine A for inhalation in the prevention of bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome following lung transplantation

Claus Neurohr, Nikolaus Kneidinger, Alessandro Ghiani et al. · 2021 · American Journal of Transplantation

Long-term survival after lung transplantation is limited by chronic allograft dysfunction. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of locally augmented immunosuppression with liposomal cyclosporine A for inhalation (L-CsA-i)…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessNeuroscience

Elevated decision uncertainty and reduced avoidance drives in depression, anxiety and substance use disorders during approach–avoidance conflict: a replication study

Ryan Smith, Claire A. Lavalley, S Taylor et al. · 2023 · Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience

BACKGROUND: Decision-making under approach-avoidance conflict (AAC; e.g., sacrificing quality of life to avoid feared outcomes) may be affected in multiple psychiatric disorders. Recently, we used a computational (active inference) model…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessSocial Sciences

Does organizational culture influence employee productivity at the local level? A test of Denison's culture model in Ghana’s local government sector

Juliana Abagsonema Abane, Ronald Adamtey, Virceta Owusu Ayim · 2022 · Future Business Journal

Abstract There is mixed evidence that low levels of productivity at the local government level are not common with organizations with strong cultures as these are less prone to any externalities. The paper investigated the link between organizational culture and employee productivity from the perspectives of employees of the Sekondi-Takoradi Metropolitan Assembly (STMA) in Ghana. The study used the quantitative approach with descriptive and cross-sectional designs. The simple random and stratified sampling techniques were used to select 132 respondents from the STMA using a self-administered s

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEngineering

Part Qualification Methodology for Composite Aircraft Components Using Acoustic Emission Monitoring

Shane Esola, Brian Wisner, Prashanth A. Vanniamparambil et al. · 2018 · Applied Sciences

The research presented in this article aims to demonstrate how acoustic emission (AE) monitoring can be implemented in an industrial setting to assist with part qualification, as mandated by related industry standards. The combined structural and nondestructive evaluation method presented departs from the traditional pass/fail criteria used for part qualification, and contributes toward a multi-dimensional assessment by taking advantage of AE data recorded during structural testing. To demonstrate the application of this method, 16 composite fixed-wing-aircraft spars were tested using a struct

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPsychology

Can a Commercial Video Game Prevent Depression? Null Results and Whole Sample Action Mechanisms in a Randomized Controlled Trial

Marlou Poppelaars, Anna Lichtwarck‐Aschoff, Roy Otten et al. · 2021 · Frontiers in Psychology

Depressive symptoms and disorders are major public health concerns, affecting many adolescents and young adults. Despite extensive research, depression prevention programs for youth show limited effectiveness. Moreover, the maximal potential of youth psychotherapy — on which depression prevention programs are based — may have been reached. Commercial video games may offer an engaging alternative vehicle for youth to practice emotional and social skills vital to mental health. The current study investigated the potential for the commercial video game Journey to prevent the exacerbation of depre

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessNeuroscience

Perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale at the beginning of the 8th decade of life: effect on cognition and associations with mineral deposition

María Valdés Hernández, Lucia Ballerini, Andreas Glatz et al. · 2019 · Brain Imaging and Behavior

Brain iron deposits (IDs) are indicative of microvessel dysfunction which may predispose to small vessel disease (SVD) brain damage and worsen cognition later in life. Visible perivascular spaces in the centrum semiovale (CSO-PVS) are SVD features linked with microvessel dysfunction. We examined possible associations of CSO-PVS volume and count with brain IDs and cognitive abilities in 700 community-dwelling individuals from the Lothian Birth Cohort 1936 who underwent detailed cognitive testing and multimodal brain MRI at mean age 72.7 years. Brain IDs were assessed automatically followed by m

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Negative / Null Result ReportBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Sex‐dependent associations of genetic variants identified by GWAS with indices of adiposity and obesity risk in a Chinese children population

Bo Xi, Yue Shen, Kathleen H. Reilly et al. · 2012 · Clinical Endocrinology

OBJECTIVE: Recent genome-wide association studies have identified a few single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are associated with body mass index (BMI)/obesity. This study aimed to examine the identified associations among a…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEngineering

Analysis of water distribution network under pressure-deficient conditions through emitter setting

Suribabu Conety Ravi, Neelakantan Thurvas Renganathan, Sivakumar Perumal et al. · 2019 · Drinking water engineering and science

Abstract. Pressure-driven analysis (PDA) of water distribution networks necessitates an assessment of the supplying capacity of a network within the minimum and required pressure ranges. Pressure-deficient conditions happen due to the uncertainty of nodal demands, failure of electromechanical components, diversion of water, aging of pipes, permanent increase in the demand at certain supply nodes, fire demand, etc. As the demand-driven analysis (DDA) solves the governing equations without any bound on pressure head, it fails to replicate the real scenario, particularly when the network experien

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

2-GHz Band CW and W-CDMA Modulated Radiofrequency Fields Have No Significant Effect on Cell Proliferation and Gene Expression Profile in Human Cells

Masaru Sekijima, Hiroshi Takeda, Katsuaki Yasunaga et al. · 2010 · Journal of Radiation Research

We investigated the mechanisms by which radiofrequency (RF) fields exert their activity, and the changes in both cell proliferation and the gene expression profile in the human cell lines, A172 (glioblastoma), H4 (neuroglioma), and IMR-90…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Antimicrobial Resistance Patterns in Women with Positive Urine Culture: Does Menopausal Status Make a Significant Difference?

Paweł Miotła, Katarzyna Romanek-Piva, Michał Bogusiewicz et al. · 2017 · BioMed Research International

Aim . Urinary tract infection (UTI) is considered one of the most common bacterial infections in women. The aim of this study was to investigate the types of uropathogens present, as well as the degree of antimicrobial drug resistance seen among premenopausal (n=2748) and postmenopausal (n=1705) women with uncomplicated UTI. Methods . Urinary samples (n=4453) collected from women with UTI were analyzed in terms of uropathogens present. These were considered as positive if bacterial growth was ≥10 5 colony forming units (CFUs)/mL. Susceptibility and resistance testing for commonly used antibiot

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Multiple system atrophy: an update and emerging directions of biomarkers and clinical trials

Min Liu, Zhiyao Wang, Huifang Shang · 2024 · Journal of Neurology

Multiple system atrophy is a rare, debilitating, adult-onset neurodegenerative disorder that manifests clinically as a diverse combination of parkinsonism, cerebellar ataxia, and autonomic dysfunction. It is pathologically characterized by oligodendroglial cytoplasmic inclusions containing abnormally aggregated α-synuclein. According to the updated Movement Disorder Society diagnostic criteria for multiple system atrophy, the diagnosis of clinically established multiple system atrophy requires the manifestation of autonomic dysfunction in combination with poorly levo-dopa responsive parkinsoni

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Significant differences in terms of codon usage bias between bacteriophage early and late genes: a comparative genomics analysis

Oriah Mioduser, Eli Goz, Tamir Tuller · 2017 · BMC Genomics

BACKGROUND: Viruses undergo extensive evolutionary selection for efficient replication which effects, among others, their codon distribution. In the current study, we aimed at understanding the way evolution shapes the codon distribution in early vs. late viral genes in terms of their expression during different stages in the viral replication cycle. To this end we analyzed 14 bacteriophages and 11 human viruses with available information about the expression phases of their genes. RESULTS: We demonstrated evidence of selection for distinct composition of synonymous codons in early and late vi

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEnvironmental Science

Osmotic stress in colony and planktonic cells of Pseudomonas putida mt-2 revealed significant differences in adaptive response mechanisms

Nancy Hachicho, Astrid Birnbaum, Hermann J. Heipieper · 2017 · AMB Express

Planktonic cells and those grown on surfaces (or as colony biofilm) are known to show significant differences regarding growth behavior, cell physiology, gene expression and stress tolerance. In order to compare stress behavior of different growth forms, shake cultures for planktonic growth and agar plate cultivation for colony growth, were carried out with the well investigated model organism, Pseudomonas putida mt-2. Cells were exposed to sodium chloride to cause osmotic stress as one main environmental stressor bacteria have to cope with when growing in soil. Planktonic cells were more tole

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Failed Experiment ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Inhibitory Receptors Induced by VSV Viroimmunotherapy Are Not Necessarily Targets for Improving Treatment Efficacy

Kevin G. Shim, Shane Zaidi, Jill Thompson et al. · 2017 · Molecular Therapy

Systemic viroimmunotherapy activates endogenous innate and adaptive immune responses against both viral and tumor antigens. We have shown that therapy with vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) engineered to express a tumor-associated antigen…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Blood-based extracellular matrix biomarkers as predictors of survival in patients with metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma receiving pegvorhyaluronidase alfa

Song Wang, Cecilie L. Bager, M.A. Karsdal et al. · 2021 · Journal of Translational Medicine

BACKGROUND: Extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling is a hallmark of metastatic pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (mPDA). We investigated fragments of collagen types III (C3M, PRO-C3), VI (PRO-C6), and VIII (C8-C), and versican (VCANM) in plasma as biomarkers for predicting progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) in patients with mPDA treated with pegvorhyaluronidase alfa, a biologic that degrades the ECM component hyaluronan (HA), in a randomized phase 2 study (HALO109-202). METHODS: HALO109-202 comprised a discovery cohort (Stage 1, n = 94) and a validation cohort (S

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

One year in review 2016: Behçet's syndrome.

Gülen Hatemi, Emire Seyahi, İzzet Fresko et al. · 2017 · PubMed

Several articles highlighting the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical features, treatment modalities and disease assessment of Behçet's syndrome (BS) have been published during the last year. Clinical and radiological features of lower…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEnergy

Ecological Stoichiometry Meets Ecological Engineering: Using Polycultures to Enhance the Multifunctionality of Algal Biocrude Systems

Casey M. Godwin, David C. Hietala, Aubrey R. Lashaway et al. · 2017 · Environmental Science & Technology

For algal biofuels to be economically sustainable and avoid exacerbating nutrient pollution, algal cultivation and processing must maximize rates of biofuel production while simultaneously minimizing the consumption of nitrogen (N) and…

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