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Browse the failure-mode index

21,216 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.

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Pairwise comparisons across species are problematic when analyzing functional genomic data

Casey W. Dunn, Felipe Zapata, Catriona Munro et al. · 2018 · Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

There is considerable interest in comparing functional genomic data across species. One goal of such work is to provide an integrated understanding of genome and phenotype evolution. Most comparative functional genomic studies have relied…

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Replication FailureEarth and Planetary Sciences

Tree‐ring analysis and modeling approaches yield contrary response of circumboreal forest productivity to climate change

Shunsuke Tei, Atsuko Sugimoto, Hitoshi Yonenobu et al. · 2017 · Global Change Biology

Circumboreal forest ecosystems are exposed to a larger magnitude of warming in comparison with the global average, as a result of warming-induced environmental changes. However, it is not clear how tree growth in these ecosystems responds…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPsychology

No Association between Oxytocin Receptor (OXTR) Gene Polymorphisms and Experimentally Elicited Social Preferences

Coren L. Apicella, David Cesarini, Magnus Johannesson et al. · 2010 · PLoS ONE

BACKGROUND: Oxytocin (OXT) has been implicated in a suite of complex social behaviors including observed choices in economic laboratory experiments. However, actual studies of associations between oxytocin receptor (OXTR) gene variants and experimentally elicited social preferences are rare. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We test hypotheses of associations between social preferences, as measured by behavior in two economic games, and 9 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the OXTR gene in a sample of Swedish twins (n = 684). Two standard economic games, the dictator game and the trust ga

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Negative / Null Result ReportSocial Sciences

Exploring Teachers’ Depressive Symptoms, Interaction Quality, and Children’s Social-Emotional Development in Head Start

Amy Roberts, Jennifer LoCasale‐Crouch, Bridget K. Hamre et al. · 2016 · Early Education and Development

Research Findings: This study explored the role Head Start teachers’ (n = 355) depressive symptoms play in their interactions with children and in children’s (n = 2,203) social-emotional development, specifically changes in children’s…

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Negative / Null Result ReportSocial Sciences

Show Don’t Tell: Diversity Dishonesty Harms Racial/Ethnic Minorities at Work

Leigh S. Wilton, Ariana N. Bell, Mariam Vahradyan et al. · 2020 · Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin

Organizations aim to convey that they are diverse and inclusive, in part, to recruit racial minorities. We investigate a previously unexamined downside of this recruitment strategy: diversity dishonesty, that is, belief that an…

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Negative / Null Result ReportBusiness, Management and Accounting

Exogenous Determinants for Renegotiating Public Infrastructure Concessions: Evidence from Portugal

Carlos Oliveira Cruz, Rui Cunha Marques · 2013 · Journal of Construction Engineering and Management

Renegotiations are frequently perceived as the Achilles’ heel of concessions. After two decades of concessions development, empirical evidence suggests a recurrent need to renegotiate contracts. What drives renegotiation? Why does it…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Pulmonary Hypertension in Patients with Chronic Fibrosing Idiopathic Interstitial Pneumonias

Marius M. Hoeper, Juergen Behr, Matthias Held et al. · 2015 · PLoS ONE

BACKGROUND: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a common finding in patients with chronic fibrosing idiopathic interstitial pneumonias (IIP). Little is known about the response to pulmonary vasodilator therapy in this patient population. COMPERA is an international registry that prospectively captures data from patients with various forms of PH receiving pulmonary vasodilator therapies. METHODS: We retrieved data from COMPERA to compare patient characteristics, treatment patterns, response to therapy and survival in newly diagnosed patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) and

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessImmunology and Microbiology

Effect of Adding Motolimod to Standard Combination Chemotherapy and Cetuximab Treatment of Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

Robert L. Ferris, Nabil F. Saba, Barbara J. Gitlitz et al. · 2018 · JAMA Oncology

Importance: Immunotherapy for recurrent and/or metastatic (R/M) squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) is promising. The toll-like receptor 8 (TLR8) agonist motolimod may stimulate innate and adaptive immunity. Objective: To…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Low Serum Thyrotropin Level and Duration of Suppression as a Predictor of Major Osteoporotic Fractures—The OPENTHYRO Register Cohort

Bo Abrahamsen, Henrik L. Jørgensen, Anne Sofie Laulund et al. · 2014 · Journal of Bone and Mineral Research

The relationship between thyrotoxicosis and osteoporotic fractures remains controversial, particularly in men. Register-based cohort study including all patients with a serum thyrotropin (TSH) measurement in the region of Funen 1996-2010.…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Effects of Six versus Three Times per Week Hemodialysis on Physical Performance, Health, and Functioning

Yoshio N. Hall, Brett Larive, Patricia Painter et al. · 2012 · Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Relatively little is known about the effects of hemodialysis frequency on the disability of patients with ESRD. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS: This study examined changes in physical performance…

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Negative / Null Result ReportEngineering

Biochar as a Fuel: 2. Significant Differences in Fuel Quality and Ash Properties of Biochars from Various Biomass Components of Mallee Trees

Hanisom Abdullah, Kun Mediaswanti, Hongwei Wu · 2010 · Energy & Fuels

This study shows the significant differences in the fuel quality and ash properties of biochars produced from the slow pyrolysis of various biomass components (leaf, wood, and bark). The objective is to identify which component is likely…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessAgricultural and Biological Sciences

Comparative Transcriptome Analyses inZymoseptoria triticiReveal Significant Differences in Gene Expression Among Strains During Plant Infection

Javier Palma‐Guerrero, Xin Ma, Stefano F. F. Torriani et al. · 2017 · Molecular Plant-Microbe Interactions

Zymoseptoria tritici is an ascomycete fungus that causes Septoria tritici blotch, a globally distributed foliar disease on wheat. Z. tritici populations are highly polymorphic and exhibit significant quantitative variation for virulence.…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Reversing age-associated immunosenescence via exercise

Marian L. Kohut, David S. Senchina · 2026 · PubMed

Decreases in immune responsiveness with age are thought to contribute to the increased incidence and severity of infectious disease among the elderly. Several interventions, including exercise, have been proposed to restore immune function…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Eslicarbazepine acetate as adjunctive therapy in patients with uncontrolled partial‐onset seizures: Results of a phase III, double‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled trial

Michael R. Sperling, Bassel Abou‐Khalil, Jay Harvey et al. · 2014 · Epilepsia

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of adjunctive eslicarbazepine acetate (ESL) in patients with refractory partial-onset seizures. METHODS: This randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, parallel-group, phase III study was…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

A multicenter randomized open-label clinical trial for convalescent plasma in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia

C. Avendaño, António Ramos, Elena Múñez et al. · 2021 · Journal of Clinical Investigation

BACKGROUNDPassive immunotherapy with convalescent plasma (CP) is a potential treatment for COVID-19. Evidence from controlled clinical trials is inconclusive.METHODSWe conducted a randomized, open-label, controlled clinical trial at 27…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Retinal nerve fibre layer and macular thickness in amblyopia as measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

Christiane Al‐Haddad, Georges M. El Mollayess, Carol Cherfan et al. · 2011 · British Journal of Ophthalmology

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To study peripapillary retinal nerve fibre layer (RNFL) and macular thickness in amblyopia using high-definition spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and to compare the results with available literature…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Randomized Phase III Study of FOLFOX Alone or With Pegilodecakin as Second-Line Therapy in Patients With Metastatic Pancreatic Cancer That Progressed After Gemcitabine (SEQUOIA)

J. Randolph Hecht, Sara Lonardi, Johanna C. Bendell et al. · 2021 · Journal of Clinical Oncology

PURPOSE SEQUOIA compared efficacy and safety of adding pegilodecakin (PEG), a pegylated recombinant human interleukin (IL)-10, with folinic acid, fluorouracil, and oxaliplatin (FOLFOX) in patients following progression on first-line…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Comparison of in vivo acute stent recoil between the bioresorbable everolimus‐eluting coronary scaffolds (revision 1.0 and 1.1) and the metallic everolimus‐eluting stent

Yoshinobu Onuma, Patrick W. Serruys, J.A. Fernández Gómez et al. · 2011 · Catheterization and Cardiovascular Interventions

OBJECTIVES: The ABSORB cohort A trial using the bioresorbable everolimus-eluting scaffold (BVS revision 1.0, Abbott Vascular) demonstrated a slightly higher acute recoil with BVS than with metallic stents. To reinforce the mechanical…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Association of Age With Polypharmacy and Risk of Drug Interactions With Antiretroviral Medications in HIV-Positive Patients

Alice Tseng, Leah Szadkowski, Sharon Walmsley et al. · 2013 · Annals of Pharmacotherapy

BACKGROUND: Interactions between antiretroviral (ARV) therapy and medications to treat age-related comorbidities are a growing concern in the aging HIV population. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of age with potential drug-drug…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Recovery of Urinary Function After Radical Prostatectomy: Predictors of Urinary Function on Preoperative Prostate Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Christian von Bodman, Kazuhito Matsushita, Caroline Savage et al. · 2012 · The Journal of Urology

PURPOSE: We determined whether pelvic soft tissue and bony dimensions on endorectal magnetic resonance imaging influence the recovery of continence after radical prostatectomy, and whether adding significant magnetic resonance imaging…

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Negative / Null Result ReportEngineering

The Use of an Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Anticoagulation Laboratory Protocol Is Associated With Decreased Blood Product Use, Decreased Hemorrhagic Complications, and Increased Circuit Life*

Michael S. Northrop, Robert F. Sidonio, Sharon Phillips et al. · 2014 · Pediatric Critical Care Medicine

OBJECTIVES: To determine if a comprehensive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation anticoagulation monitoring protocol results in fewer hemorrhagic complications, reduced blood product usage, and increased circuit life. DESIGN: In September…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessSocial Sciences

Firm efficiency, foreign ownership and CEO gender in corrupt environments

Jan Hanousek, Anastasiya Shamshur, Jiří Trešl · 2017 · Journal of Corporate Finance

We study the effects of corruption on firm efficiency using a unique dataset of private firms from 14 Central and Eastern European countries from 2000 to 2013. We find that an environment characterized by a high level of corruption has an adverse effect on firm efficiency. This effect is stronger for firms with a lower propensity to behave corruptly, such as foreign-controlled firms and firms managed by female CEOs, while local firms and firms with male CEOs are not disadvantaged. We also find that an environment characterized by considerable heterogeneity in the perception of corruption is as

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Blood Biomarkers in Moderate-To-Severe Traumatic Brain Injury: Potential Utility of a Multi-Marker Approach in Characterizing Outcome

Alex P. Di Battista, John E. Buonora, Shawn G. Rhind et al. · 2015 · Frontiers in Neurology

BACKGROUND: Blood biomarkers are valuable tools for elucidating complex cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying traumatic brain injury (TBI). Profiling distinct classes of biomarkers could aid in the identification and characterization of initial injury and secondary pathological processes. This study characterized the prognostic performance of a recently developed multi-marker panel of circulating biomarkers that reflect specific pathogenic mechanisms including neuroinflammation, oxidative damage, and neuroregeneration, in moderate-to-severe TBI patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Periphera

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Negative / Null Result Report

Pulmonary Hypertension in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: Is it Clinically Significant? a Critical Analysis of the Association and Pathophysiology

Cyrus Kholdani, Wassim H. Fares, Vahid Mohsenin · 2015 · Pulmonary Circulation

The development of pulmonary hypertension is a poor prognostic sign in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and affects both mortality and quality of life. Although pulmonary hypertension in OSA is traditionally viewed as a result…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessDecision Sciences

Publication Bias in Antipsychotic Trials: An Analysis of Efficacy Comparing the Published Literature to the US Food and Drug Administration Database

Erick H. Turner, Daniel Knoepflmacher, Lee Shapley · 2012 · PLoS Medicine

BACKGROUND: Publication bias compromises the validity of evidence-based medicine, yet a growing body of research shows that this problem is widespread. Efficacy data from drug regulatory agencies, e.g., the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can serve as a benchmark or control against which data in journal articles can be checked. Thus one may determine whether publication bias is present and quantify the extent to which it inflates apparent drug efficacy. METHODS AND FINDINGS: FDA Drug Approval Packages for eight second-generation antipsychotics-aripiprazole, iloperidone, olanzapine, pali

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Inhalation aromatherapy in children and adolescents undergoing stem cell infusion: results of a placebo‐controlled double‐blind trial

Deborah H. Ndao, Elena J. Ladas, Bin Cheng et al. · 2010 · Psycho-Oncology

OBJECTIVE: Though often lifesaving, stem cell transplantation (SCT) is a period of great distress for both child and parent. METHODS: We conducted a double-blind, placebo-controlled randomized study evaluating the effect of the respiratory…

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