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Browse the failure-mode index

21,222 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 ReportMaterials Science

Nascent particle sizes and degrees of entanglement are responsible for the significant differences in impact strength of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene

Huan Zhang, Shicheng Zhao, Xin Yu et al. · 2019 · Journal of Polymer Science Part B Polymer Physics

ABSTRACT The physical properties of ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) are generally highly dependent on its molecular weight. However, in our study, it was found that two UHMWPE samples of similar molecular weight, SLL‐5 and…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

The Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE) Contributes to Severe Inflammatory Liver Injury in Mice

Toni Weinhage, Timo Wirth, Paula Schütz et al. · 2020 · Frontiers in Immunology

Background. The receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) is a multiligand receptor involved in a number of processes and disorders. While it is known that RAGE-signaling can contribute to toxic liver damage and fibrosis, its role in acute inflammatory liver injury and septic multiorgan failure is yet undefined. We examined RAGE in lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced acute liver injury of D-galN sensitized mice as a classical model for tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) dependent inflammatory organ damage. Methods. Mice (Rage-/- and C57BL/6) were intraperitoneally injected with D galN

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEnvironmental Science

Modelling of extreme minimum rainfall using generalised extreme value distribution for Zimbabwe

Delson Chikobvu, Retius Chifurira · 2015 · South African Journal of Science

We modelled the mean annual rainfall for data recorded in Zimbabwe from 1901 to 2009. Extreme value theory was used to estimate the probabilities of meteorological droughts. Droughts can be viewed as extreme events which go beyond and/or below normal rainfall occurrences, such as exceptionally low mean annual rainfall. The duality between the distribution of the minima and maxima was exploited and used to fit the generalised extreme value distribution (GEVD) to the data and hence find probabilities of extreme low levels of mean annual rainfall. The augmented Dickey Fuller test confirmed that r

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEconomics, Econometrics and Finance

Determinants of innovation

Jorge Aníbal Restrepo Morales, Osmar Leandro Loaiza, Juan Gabriel Vanegas López · 2019 · Journal of Economics Finance and Administrative Science

Purpose This paper aims to study the influence of innovation on micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSME) performance in Colombia through the 403 MSMES survey analysis. In particular, this paper measures the effect of participation in R&D alliances, product innovation and process innovation on it. Design/methodology/approach MSME performance is measured through a composite index, estimated through principal components analysis using polychoric correlations, which is based on eight self-reported assessments of MSME performance. Then, this measure of performance is related to MSME par

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

A mouse model of hepatic encephalopathy: bile duct ligation induces brain ammonia overload, glial cell activation and neuroinflammation

Wouter Claeys, Lien Van Hoecke, Anja Geerts et al. · 2022 · Scientific Reports

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of chronic liver disease, characterized by an altered mental state and hyperammonemia. Insight into the brain pathophysiology of HE is limited due to a paucity of well-characterized HE models beyond the rat bile duct ligation (BDL) model. Here, we assess the presence of HE characteristics in the mouse BDL model. We show that BDL in C57Bl/6j mice induces motor dysfunction, progressive liver fibrosis, liver function failure and hyperammonemia, all hallmarks of HE. Swiss mice however fail to replicate the same phenotype, underscoring the import

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

The Use of Genome-Wide eQTL Associations in Lymphoblastoid Cell Lines to Identify Novel Genetic Pathways Involved in Complex Traits

Josine L. Min, Jennifer M. Taylor, J. Brent Richards et al. · 2011 · PLoS ONE

The integrated analysis of genotypic and expression data for association with complex traits could identify novel genetic pathways involved in complex traits. We profiled 19,573 expression probes in Epstein-Barr virus-transformed lymphoblastoid cell lines (LCLs) from 299 twins and correlated these with 44 quantitative traits (QTs). For 939 expressed probes correlating with more than one QT, we investigated the presence of eQTL associations in three datasets of 57 CEU HapMap founders and 86 unrelated twins. Genome-wide association analysis of these probes with 2.2 m SNPs revealed 131 potential

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPsychology

Association of regional gray matter volumes in the brain with disruptive behavior disorders in male and female children

Kalina J. Michalska, Jean Decety, Thomas A. Zeffiro et al. · 2014 · NeuroImage Clinical

Because the disruptive behavior disorders are highly impairing conditions, it is important to determine if structural variations in brain are associated early in life with these problems among children. Structural MRI data were acquired…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Identification of Susceptibility Genes for Peritoneal, Ovarian, and Deep Infiltrating Endometriosis Using a Pooled Sample-Based Genome-Wide Association Study

Bruno Borghese, Jörg Tost, Magalie de Surville et al. · 2015 · BioMed Research International

Characterizing genetic contributions to endometriosis might help to shorten the time to diagnosis, especially in the most severe forms, but represents a challenge. Previous genome-wide association studies (GWAS) made no distinction between peritoneal endometriosis (SUP), endometrioma (OMA), and deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). We therefore conducted a pooled sample-based GWAS and distinguished histologically confirmed endometriosis subtypes. We performed an initial discovery step on 10-individual pools (two pools per condition). After quality control filtering, a Monte-Carlo simulation w

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

A Replication Study for Association of 53 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms in ScoliScore Test With Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis in French-Canadian Population

Qi Tang, Cédric Julien, Robert Eveleigh et al. · 2015 · Spine

In Brief Study Design. A replication association study that used genomic data generated from French-Canadian case and control cohorts. Objectives. To determine whether the 53 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) that were previously…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEconomics, Econometrics and Finance

The geography of the effectiveness and consequences of Covid‐19 measures: Global evidence

Simplice Asongu, Samba Diop, Joseph Nnanna · 2020 · Journal of Public Affairs

This study has: (a) analysed the economic impact of the Covid‐19 pandemic, (b) evaluated the effectiveness and relevance of different measures against the pandemic and (c) examined nexuses between the corresponding measures and economic…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Proactive vs Reactive Treatment of Hypotension During Surgery

Matthijs Kant, Wilton A. van Klei, Markus W. Hollmann et al. · 2025 · JAMA

Importance: Intraoperative hypotension is associated with adverse postoperative outcomes, but whether a proactive strategy to prevent intraoperative hypotension improves outcomes is uncertain. Objective: To determine whether intraoperative…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEconomics, Econometrics and Finance

‘Not clinically effective but cost-effective’ - paradoxical conclusions in randomised controlled trials with ‘doubly null’ results: a cross-sectional study

James Raftery, Hywel C Williams, Aileen Clarke et al. · 2020 · BMJ Open

OBJECTIVES: Randomised controlled trials in healthcare increasingly include economic evaluations. Some show small differences which are not statistically significant. Yet these sometimes come to paradoxical conclusions such as: 'the…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

From bench to bedside: translating mesenchymal stem cell therapies through preclinical and clinical evidence

Jai Chand Patel, Meenakshi Shukla, Manish Shukla et al. · 2025 · Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are emerging as a powerful tool in regenerative medicine due to their ability to differentiate into mesenchymal lineages, such as bone, cartilage, and fat, along with their low immunogenicity and strong immunomodulatory properties. Unlike traditional cell therapies that rely on engraftment, MSCs primarily function through paracrine signaling-secreting bioactive molecules like vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β), and exosomes. These factors contribute to tissue repair, promote angiogenesis, and modulate immune response

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Ferroptosis is a targetable detrimental factor in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease

Cédric Peleman, Stig Hellemans, Geraldine Veeckmans et al. · 2024 · Cell Death and Differentiation

There is an unmet clinical need for pharmacologic treatment for metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). Hepatocyte cell death is a hallmark of this highly prevalent chronic liver disease, but the dominant type of cell death remains uncertain. Here we report that ferroptosis, an iron-catalyzed mode of regulated cell death, contributes to MASLD. Unsupervised clustering in a cohort of biopsy-proven MASLD patients revealed a subgroup with hepatic ferroptosis signature and lower glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) levels. Likewise, a subgroup with reduced ferroptosis defenses

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Exploring the lung-gut direction of the gut-lung axis in patients with ARDS

Mairi Ziaka, Aristomenis K. Exadaktylos · 2024 · Critical Care

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) represents a life-threatening inflammatory reaction marked by refractory hypoxaemia and pulmonary oedema. Despite advancements in treatment perspectives, ARDS still carries a high mortality rate, often due to systemic inflammatory responses leading to multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS). Indeed, the deterioration and associated mortality in patients with acute lung injury (LI)/ARDS is believed to originate alongside respiratory failure mainly from the involvement of extrapulmonary organs, a consequence of the complex interaction between initial

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEarth and Planetary Sciences

Global biogeography of Albian ammonoids: A network-based approach

Alexis Rojas, Pedro Patarroyo, Liang Mao et al. · 2017 · Geology

Large-scale biogeographic provinces of Cretaceous ammonoids, as currently defined in the literature, were delimited using qualitative assessments of taxonomic inventories. Using aggregated species occurrences in the Paleobiology Database, we generated a geographic network to quantify connectivity of Albian epicontinental basins and used the flow-based Infomap algorithm to delineate bioprovinces. Despite taxonomic, stratigraphic, and geographic limitations of the data, the Infomap bioprovinces are largely concordant with the traditional, qualitatively derived biogeographic model, including the

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Lung-Protective Mechanical Ventilation in Patients with Severe Acute Brain Injury: A Multicenter Randomized Clinical Trial (PROLABI)

Luciana Mascia, Vito Fanelli, Alice Mistretta et al. · 2024 · American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine

Abstract Rationale Lung-protective strategies using low Vt and moderate positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) are considered best practice in critical care, but interventional trials have never been conducted in patients with acute brain…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessDecision Sciences

The intriguing evolution of effect sizes in biomedical research over time: smaller but more often statistically significant

Paul Monsarrat, Jean‐Noël Vergnes · 2017 · GigaScience

Background: In medicine, effect sizes (ESs) allow the effects of independent variables (including risk/protective factors or treatment interventions) on dependent variables (e.g., health outcomes) to be quantified. Given that many public health decisions and health care policies are based on ES estimates, it is important to assess how ESs are used in the biomedical literature and to investigate potential trends in their reporting over time. Results: Through a big data approach, the text mining process automatically extracted 814 120 ESs from 13 322 754 PubMed abstracts. Eligible ESs were risk

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Effect of vorapaxar on myocardial infarction in the thrombin receptor antagonist for clinical event reduction in acute coronary syndrome (TRA{middle dot}CER) trial

Sergio Leonardi, Pierluigi Tricoci, HD White et al. · 2013 · European Heart Journal

AIMS: The TRA·CER trial compared vorapaxar, a novel platelet protease-activated receptor (PAR)-1 antagonist, with placebo in 12 944 patients with high-risk non-ST-segment elevation acute coronary syndromes (NSTE ACS). In this analysis, we…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessMedicine

Association of Severe Hyperoxemia Events and Mortality Among Patients Admitted to a Pediatric Intensive Care Unit

Sriram Ramgopal, Cameron Dezfulian, Robert W. Hickey et al. · 2019 · JAMA Network Open

Importance: A high Pao2, termed hyperoxemia, is postulated to have deleterious health outcomes. To date, the association between hyperoxemia during the ongoing management of critical illness and mortality has been incompletely evaluated in children. Objective: To examine whether severe hyperoxemia events are associated with mortality among patients admitted to a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Design, Setting, and Participants: A retrospective cohort study was conducted over a 10-year period (January 1, 2009, to December 31, 2018); all 23 719 PICU encounters at a quaternary children's ho

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessEconomics, Econometrics and Finance

Are the Central East European Countries Pollution Havens?

Inmaculada Martínez‐Zarzoso, Martina Vidovic, Anca M. Voicu · 2016 · The Journal of Environment & Development

The aim of this article is to investigate the relationship between environmental stringency and intra–European Union (EU) trade flows. Two main hypotheses are tested. First, we test whether the stringency of a country's environmental…

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Negative / Null Result ReportMedicine

Desire to Dissociate: Implications for Problematic Drinking in College Students with Childhood or Adolescent Sexual Abuse Exposure

Alicia K. Klanecky, Dennis E. McChargue, Lindsay Bruggeman · 2012 · American Journal on Addictions

Alcohol use to replace inadequate dissociative capabilities, or chemical dissociation, has been linked to college students with childhood or adolescent sexual abuse (CASA). Insofar as CASA-exposed persons experience a restricted range of…

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Trajectory inference across multiple conditions with condiments

Hector Roux de Bézieux, Koen Van den Berge, Kelly Street et al. · 2024 · Nature Communications

In single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-Seq), gene expression is assessed individually for each cell, allowing the investigation of developmental processes, such as embryogenesis and cellular differentiation and regeneration, at unprecedented resolution. In such dynamic biological systems, cellular states form a continuum, e.g., for the differentiation of stem cells into mature cell types. This process is often represented via a trajectory in a reduced-dimensional representation of the scRNA-Seq dataset. While many methods have been suggested for trajectory inference, it is often unclear how to h

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPsychology

No effect of focused attention whilst eating on later snack food intake: Two laboratory experiments

Victoria Whitelock, Suzanne Higgs, Jeffrey M. Brunstrom et al. · 2018 · Appetite

Focusing attention on food during a meal has been shown to reduce later snack consumption. We report the results of two studies that aimed to replicate this effect and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. We hypothesised that focused attention during a lunchtime meal would improve visual memory and/or memory for the satiating effects of the meal, and that this would reduce later food intake. In Study 1, participants (N = 108, 52.8% female, BMI M = 25.75 kg/m2) were randomly allocated to eat a fixed lunchtime meal while listening to instructions that encouraged them to pay attention to the s

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Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessBiochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

PPARA Intron Polymorphism Associated with Power Performance in 30-s Anaerobic Wingate Test

Miroslav Petr, Petr Šťastný, Ondřej Pecha et al. · 2014 · PLoS ONE

To date, polymorphisms in several genes have been associated with a strength/power performance including alpha 3 actinin, ciliary neurotrophic factor, vitamin D receptor, or angiotensin I converting enzyme, underlining the importance of genetic component of the multifactorial strength/power-related phenotypes. The single nucleotide variation in peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha gene (PPARA) intron 7 G/C (rs4253778; g.46630634G>C) has been repeatedly found to play a significant role in response to different types of physical activity. We investigated the effect of PPARA intron 7

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