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Failure-mode index

Search what already failed

A searchable index of real negative results, null findings, and replication failures from the published literature — so you can learn what didn't work before repeating it.

WASTE indexes published research — it does not host or republish full papers. Each entry is a metadata record (title, authors, DOI) compiled from open scholarly databases, with the abstract shown in full only where the paper is openly licensed (e.g. Creative Commons); otherwise a short excerpt is shown for reference under fair use. WASTE classifies each work by failure type; classifications are automated and approximate.

21713 results · page 348 of 724

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Perfect quantum excitation energy transport via single edge perturbation in a complete network

Hassan Bassereh, Vahid Salari, Farhad Shahbazi et al. · 2015 · arXiv

We consider quantum excitation energy transport (EET) in a network of two-state nodes in the Markovian approximation by employing the Lindblad formulation. We find that EET from an initial site, where the excitation is inserted to the sink, is generally inefficient due to the inhibition of transport by localization of the excitation wave packet in a symmetric, fully-connected network. We demonstrate that the EET efficiency can be significantly increased up to %100 by perturbing hopping transport between the initial node and the one connected directly to the sink, while the rate of energy trans

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

DVB-S2 Spectrum Efficiency Improvement with Hierarchical Modulation

Hugo Meric, Jose Miguel Piquer · 2013 · arXiv

We study the design of a DVB-S2 system in order to maximise spectrum efficiency. This task is usually challenging due to channel variability. Modern satellite communications systems such as DVB-SH and DVB-S2 rely mainly on a time sharing strategy to optimise the spectrum efficiency. Recently, we showed that combining time sharing with hierarchical modulation can provide significant gains (in terms of spectrum efficiency) compared to the best time sharing strategy. However, our previous design does not improve the DVB-S2 performance when all the receivers experience low or large signal-to-noise

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Is Bottom-Up Attention Useful for Scene Recognition?

Samuel F. Dodge, Lina J. Karam · 2013 · arXiv

The human visual system employs a selective attention mechanism to understand the visual world in an eficient manner. In this paper, we show how computational models of this mechanism can be exploited for the computer vision application of scene recognition. First, we consider saliency weighting and saliency pruning, and provide a comparison of the performance of different attention models in these approaches in terms of classification accuracy. Pruning can achieve a high degree of computational savings without significantly sacrificing classification accuracy. In saliency weighting, however,

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Towards Deep Robot Learning with Optimizer applicable to Non-stationary Problems

Taisuke Kobayashi · 2020 · arXiv

This paper proposes a new optimizer for deep learning, named d-AmsGrad. In the real-world data, noise and outliers cannot be excluded from dataset to be used for learning robot skills. This problem is especially striking for robots that learn by collecting data in real time, which cannot be sorted manually. Several noise-robust optimizers have therefore been developed to resolve this problem, and one of them, named AmsGrad, which is a variant of Adam optimizer, has a proof of its convergence. However, in practice, it does not improve learning performance in robotics scenarios. This reason is h

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Background Knowledge Grounding for Readable, Relevant, and Factual Biomedical Lay Summaries

Domenic Rosati · 2023 · arXiv

Communication of scientific findings to the public is important for keeping non-experts informed of developments such as life-saving medical treatments. However, generating readable lay summaries from scientific documents is challenging, and currently, these summaries suffer from critical factual errors. One popular intervention for improving factuality is using additional external knowledge to provide factual grounding. However, it is unclear how these grounding sources should be retrieved, selected, or integrated, and how supplementary grounding documents might affect the readability or rele

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Non-unitary neutrino mixing in the NO$ν$A near detector data

Ushak Rahaman, Soebur Razzaque · 2021 · arXiv

The $ν_μ\to ν_e$ oscillation probability over short baseline ($\lesssim 1$~km) would be negligible in case the mixing matrix for three active neutrinos is unitary. However, in case of non-unitary mixing of three neutrinos, this probability would be non-negligible due to the so-called "zero distance" effect. Hence, the near detector of the accelerator experiments such as NO$ν$A can provide strong constraints on the parameters of the non-unitary mixing with very large statistics. By analyzing the NO$ν$A near detector data we find that the non-unitary mixing does not improve fits to the $ν_e$ or

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Joint-sparse recovery from multiple measurements

Ewout van den Berg, Michael P. Friedlander · 2009 · arXiv

The joint-sparse recovery problem aims to recover, from sets of compressed measurements, unknown sparse matrices with nonzero entries restricted to a subset of rows. This is an extension of the single-measurement-vector (SMV) problem widely studied in compressed sensing. We analyze the recovery properties for two types of recovery algorithms. First, we show that recovery using sum-of-norm minimization cannot exceed the uniform recovery rate of sequential SMV using $\ell_1$ minimization, and that there are problems that can be solved with one approach but not with the other. Second, we analyze

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessAgricultural and Biological Sciences

Optimizing fMRI Data Acquisition for Decoding Natural Speech with Limited Participants

Louis Jalouzot, Alexis Thual, Yair Lakretz et al. · 2025 · arXiv

We investigate optimal strategies for decoding perceived natural speech from fMRI data acquired from a limited number of participants. Leveraging Lebel et al. (2023)'s dataset of 8 participants, we first demonstrate the effectiveness of training deep neural networks to predict LLM-derived text representations from fMRI activity. Then, in this data regime, we observe that multi-subject training does not improve decoding accuracy compared to single-subject approach. Furthermore, training on similar or different stimuli across subjects has a negligible effect on decoding accuracy. Finally, we fin

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

The Unlearnability Phenomenon in RLVR for Language Models

Yulin Chen, He He, Chen Zhao · 2026 · arXiv

Reinforcement Learning with Verifiable Reward (RLVR) has proven effective in improving Large Language Model's (LLM) reasoning ability. However, the learning dynamics of RLVR remain underexplored. In this paper, we reveal a counterintuitive phenomenon: among hard examples that the model initially struggles with, a substantial subset remains unlearnable even when correct rollouts are present. To understand the phenomenon, we first demonstrate that existing optimization and sampling techniques fail to resolve unlearnability. With cross-example gradient analysis, we show that unlearnable examples

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Debate or Vote: Which Yields Better Decisions in Multi-Agent Large Language Models?

Hyeong Kyu Choi, Xiaojin Zhu, Sharon Li · 2025 · arXiv

Multi-Agent Debate~(MAD) has emerged as a promising paradigm for improving the performance of large language models through collaborative reasoning. Despite recent advances, the key factors driving MAD's effectiveness remain unclear. In this work, we disentangle MAD into two key components--Majority Voting and inter-agent Debate--and assess their respective contributions. Through extensive experiments across seven NLP benchmarks, we find that Majority Voting alone accounts for most of the performance gains typically attributed to MAD. To explain this, we propose a theoretical framework that mo

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Compressing BERT: Studying the Effects of Weight Pruning on Transfer Learning

Mitchell A. Gordon, Kevin Duh, Nicholas Andrews · 2020 · arXiv

Pre-trained universal feature extractors, such as BERT for natural language processing and VGG for computer vision, have become effective methods for improving deep learning models without requiring more labeled data. While effective, feature extractors like BERT may be prohibitively large for some deployment scenarios. We explore weight pruning for BERT and ask: how does compression during pre-training affect transfer learning? We find that pruning affects transfer learning in three broad regimes. Low levels of pruning (30-40%) do not affect pre-training loss or transfer to downstream tasks a

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Linguistic Features for Readability Assessment

Tovly Deutsch, Masoud Jasbi, Stuart Shieber · 2020 · arXiv

Readability assessment aims to automatically classify text by the level appropriate for learning readers. Traditional approaches to this task utilize a variety of linguistically motivated features paired with simple machine learning models. More recent methods have improved performance by discarding these features and utilizing deep learning models. However, it is unknown whether augmenting deep learning models with linguistically motivated features would improve performance further. This paper combines these two approaches with the goal of improving overall model performance and addressing th

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Upper Energy Limit of Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory in Neutral Pion Photoproduction

C. Fernandez-Ramirez, A. M. Bernstein · 2012 · arXiv

With the availability of the new neutral pion photoproduction from the proton data from the A2 and CB-TAPS Collaborations at Mainz it is mandatory to revisit Heavy Baryon Chiral Perturbation Theory (HBChPT) and address the extraction of the partial waves as well as other issues such as the value of the low-energy constants, the energy range where the calculation provides a good agreement with the data and the impact of unitarity. We find that, within the current experimental status, HBChPT with the fitted LECs gives a good agreement with the existing neutral pion photoproduction data up to $\s

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessComputer Science

Source Coding When the Side Information May Be Delayed

Osvaldo Simeone, Haim H. Permuter · 2011 · arXiv

For memoryless sources, delayed side information at the decoder does not improve the rate-distortion function. However, this is not the case for more general sources with memory, as demonstrated by a number of works focusing on the special case of (delayed) feedforward. In this paper, a setting is studied in which the encoder is potentially uncertain about the delay with which measurements of the side information are acquired at the decoder. Assuming a hidden Markov model for the sources, at first, a single-letter characterization is given for the set-up where the side information delay is arb

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPhysics

Breakdown of Boltzmann-type Models for the Alignment of Self-propelled Rods

Patrick Murphy, Misha Perepelitsa, Ilya Timofeyev et al. · 2023 · arXiv

Studies in the collective motility of organisms use a range of analytical approaches to formulate continuous kinetic models of collective dynamics from rules or equations describing agent interactions. However, the derivation of these kinetic models often relies on Boltzmann's hypothesis of "molecular chaos", that correlations between individuals are short-lived. While this assumption is often the simplest way to derive tractable models, it is often not valid in practice due to the high levels of cooperation and self-organization present in biological systems. In this work, we illustrated this

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPhysics

Semi-Analytical Models for Lensing by Dark Halos: I. Splitting Angles

Li-Xin Li, Jeremiah P. Ostriker · 2000 · arXiv

We use the semi-analytical approach to analyze gravitational lensing of quasars by dark halos in various cold dark matter (CDM) cosmologies, in order to determine the sensitivity of the prediction probabilities of images separations to the input assumptions regarding halos and cosmologies. The mass function of dark halos is assumed to be given by the Press-Schechter function. The mass density profile of dark halos is alternatively taken to be the singular isothermal sphere (SIS), the Navarro-Frenk-White (NFW) profile, or the generalized NFW profile. The cosmologies include: the Einstein-de Sit

Negative / Null Result ReportOpen accessPhysics

Accurate coarse-graining of small organic molecules in melts and thin films using density-dependent potentials

Sayan Dutta, Maria C. Lesniewski, Muhammad Nawaz Qaisrani et al. · 2025 · arXiv

Conjugated organic molecules play a central role in a wide range of optoelectronic devices, including organic light-emitting diodes, organic field-effect transistors, and organic solar cells. A major bottleneck in the computational design of these materials is the discrepancy between simulation and experimental time and length scales. Coarse-graining (CG) offers a promising solution to bridge this gap by reducing redundant degrees of freedom and smoothing the potential energy landscape, thereby significantly accelerating molecular dynamics simulations. However, standard CG models are typically

Negative / Null Result Report

No significant effect of acupuncture on assisted pregnancy

L Rose · 2011 · Focus on Alternative and Complementary Therapies

Andersen D, Løssl K, Andersen AN, Fürbringer J, Bach H, Simonsen J, Larsen EC. Acupuncture on the day of embryo transfer: a randomized controlled trial of 635 patients. Reprod Biomed Online 2010; 21: 366–372.

View details →DOI: 10.1111/j.2042-7166.2011.01091_6.x
Negative / Null Result Report

Effect of Significant Machining Parameters Towards Turning Cutting Performance

A.A.M. Redhwan, A. Arifuddin, A.M. Syafiq et al. · 2024 · Journal of Advanced Research Design

Selection of significant machining parameters before the cutting process is necessary to produce the best outcome in the machining performances. The use of cutting fluids due to their cooling capabilities helps in producing a good finished…

View details →DOI: 10.37934/ard.113.1.110
Negative / Null Result Report

MON-436 Understanding The Mass Effect, Chronic Grave’s Ophthalmopathy Improvement After Significant BMI Reduction

Zygy Roe-Zurz, Liliana Madrigal, Rahul Sharma et al. · 2025 · Journal of the Endocrine Society

Abstract Disclosure: Z. Roe-Zurz: None. L. Madrigal: None. Graves’ ophthalmopathy (GO) is a serious complication of autoimmune hyperthyroidism, affecting approximately 30% of patients. It is characterized by immune-mediated inflammation of…

View details →DOI: 10.1210/jendso/bvaf149.2207
Negative / Null Result Report

Does Carbon Dioxide Have a Significant Dynamic Effect on Agricultural Productivity in Indonesia?

Aliasuddin Aliasuddin, Nanda Rahmi, Fathina Almahira Sakhi · 2026 · International Journal of Energy Economics and Policy

This study investigates the dynamic influence of carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions, labor, and capital formation on agricultural productivity in Indonesia, utilizing annual data from 2000 to 2023 and employing an Autoregressive Distributed…

View details →DOI: 10.32479/ijeep.22400
Negative / Null Result Report

Temperature Assessment of Urban Rooftop Farming for Cooling Effect to Buildings Significant Determinant of Micro-Climate Change and Urban Heat Island Effects.

Kartik Sahu · 2026 · International Journal For Multidisciplinary Research

Abstract Recently the increasing of urbanization larger number of flats, buildings apartment and hotels are establish rapidly. For that the heat is increase due to the roof of the buildings and tremendous use air condition, hot air relies…

View details →DOI: 10.36948/ijfmr.2026.v08i02.70904
Negative / Null Result Report

Effect of HPWS systems: researchers show HPWS has significant impact on innovation and organization performance in West Africa HR organization

· 2023 · Human Resource Management International Digest

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent…

View details →DOI: 10.1108/hrmid-09-2022-0247