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Background and objective: Nicotine metabolic ratio (NMR) has been associated with nicotine metabolism and smoking characteristics. However, there are few studies on the potential association between NMR and smoking cessation efficacy in smokers with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in China or elsewhere. Methods: This study was a stratified block randomized controlled trial for smoking cessation in Chinese smokers with COPD. NMR was used as a stratification factor; slow metabolizers were defined as those with NMR <0.31, and normal metabolizers as those with NMR ≥0.31. Participants were randomly assigned to the varenicline or bupropion group. Follow‐up visits were conducted at 1, 2, 4, 6, 9, 12 and 24 weeks. Results: Two hundred twenty‐four participants were recruited and analysed from February 2019 to June 2022. In normal metabolizers, the 9–12 weeks continuous abstinence rate of varenicline (43.1%) was higher than in bupropion (23.5%) (OR = 2.47, 95% CI 1.05–5.78, p = 0.038). There was no significant difference in abstinence rates between treatment groups in slow metabolizers (54.1% vs. 45.9%, OR = 1.39, 95% CI 0.68–2.83, p = 0.366). For slow metabolizers, the total score of side effects in the varenicline group was significantly higher than the bupropion group (p = 0.048), while there was no significant difference in side effects between groups for normal metabolizers (p = 0.360). Conclusion: Varenicline showed better efficacy than bupropion in normal metabolizers, and bupropion showed equivalent efficacy in slow metabolizers with less side effects. According to our study, NMR provides a better justification for both scientific research and tailoring optimal pharmacotherapy for smoking cessation among smokers in COPD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the vector breather waves and higher-order rouge waves of the coupled higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equations via the Darboux-dressing transformation. Firstly, based on the Darboux-dressing transformation, we introduce the asymptotic expansion theory, which allows the solution of the equation to be iterated through the same spectral parameters. Then, the matrix exponential function and the Taylor multi-series expansion method are used to derive the vector breather wave solutions and the higher-order rouge wave solutions. Moreover, we analyze the characteristic lines of the breather waves, which determine the dynamic behaviours of the breather waves. Finally, we give some conclusions of this work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we investigate the (2+1)-dimensional generalized Bogoyavlensky–Konopelchenko (gBK) equation. Based on its bilinear form, the N th-order breather solutions of the gBK equation are successful given by taking appropriate parameters. Furthermore, the N th-order lump solutions of the gBK equation are obtained via the long-wave limit method. In addition, the semi-rational solutions are generated to reveal the interaction between lump solutions, soliton solutions, and breather solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate whether puerarin protects against high glucose (HG)-induced apoptosis by suppressing calpain activation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). HUVECs were exposed to normal glucose (NG) (5.5 m m) or HG (33 m m) for 48 h; then, apoptosis and caspase-3 activity were determined. The expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA was evaluated by RT-PCR analysis. The activation of calpain and HO activity were also assessed. Compared with the NG group, exposure of HUVECs to HG for 48 h resulted in significant increases in calpain and caspase-3 activity as well as apoptosis, which were prevented by co-incubation with puerarin (1-100 μ m) in a concentration-dependent manner. HO-1 mRNA expression and HO activity were decreased in HUVECs treated with HG for 48 h. Compared with the group exposed to HG alone, co-incubation of HUVECs with puerarin and HG induced increases in HO-1 mRNA expression and HO activity. The HO-1 inhibitor protoporphyrin IX zinc (II) abolished the inhibitory effect of puerarin on HG-induced calpain and caspase-3 activation, as well as apoptosis. The data show that puerarin protects against HG-induced endothelial cell apoptosis by a mechanism involving upregulation of HO-1 expression and inhibition of calpain activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]