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Li Ang et al. present an investigation of feral and domesticated horse gut microbiomes across three continents. Their results provide new insight into how changes in horse lifestyle are reflected in the resident gut microbiome.

Persistent individual variation in behaviour, or 'personality', is a widespread phenomenon in animals, and understanding the evolution of animal personality is a key task of current biology. Natural selection has been proposed to promote the integration of personality with animal 'intrinsic states', such as metabolic or endocrine traits, and this integration varies with ecological conditions. However, these external ecological modulatory effects have rarely been examined. Here, we investigate the effects of thermal acclimation on between-individual covariations between physiology and behaviour in Asiatic toads (Bufo gargarizans) along an altitudinal gradient. Our results reveal that the thermal modulatory effects on the covariations depend on the altitudinal population. Specifically, at low altitudes, between-individual covariations are highly plastic, with risk-taking behaviour covarying with baseline glucocorticoids (GCs) under warm acclimation, but risk-taking and exploration behaviour covarying with resting metabolic rate (RMR) under cold acclimation. In contrast, between-individual covariations are relatively fixed at high altitudes, with risk-taking behaviour consistently covarying with baseline GCs. Furthermore, at low altitudes, changes in covariations between RMR and personality are associated with adjustment of energy management models. Evidently, animal physiological states that determine or covary with personality can adapt according to the seasonal thermal environment and the thermal evolutionary background of populations. Our findings highlight the importance of a multi-system physiological approach to understand the evolution of animal personality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: Rice dregs, a by‐product of the process of making sugar from broken rice, have a protein content of up to 70%. However, rice dreg protein (RDP) has not yet been fully utilized due to its high‐temperature liquefaction denaturation during sugar production. In this study, the structural, functional, and in vitro digestive properties of rice protein (RP) extracted from broken rice and RDP derived from rice dregs were compared, with a view to providing a basis for further utilization of RDP. Findings: Although RDP was a heat‐denatured protein, it was found to have relatively better functional properties and a well‐balanced amino acid composition. Structural analysis results revealed that RDP showed a looser and disordered structure. However, SDS‐PAGE results showed that the subunit composition of the two proteins was similar. The in vitro simulated digestion results showed that the digests of RDP had higher antioxidant and ACE inhibitory activity, but RDP showed significantly lower digestibility than RP. Conclusions: Through relevant modifications of RDP, RDP has the potential to be a good source of high‐quality protein in the human diet as the demand for plant‐based protein increases. Significance and Novelty: This study can provide a basic theoretical basis for further development and utilization of RDP, which is also of great practical significance for seeking new plant protein resources and increasing the added value of broken rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous pharmacological interventions are now under investigation for the treatment of the 2019 coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19), and the evidence is rapidly evolving. Our aim is to evaluate the comparative efficacy and safety of these drugs.Methods: We searched for randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on the efficacy and safety of novel oral antivirals for the treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 patients until November 30, 2022, including baricitinib, ivermectin (IVM), favipiravir (FVP), chloroquine (CQ), lopinavir and ritonavir (LPV/RTV), hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), and hydroxychloroquine plus azithromycin (HCQ+AZT). The main outcomes of this network meta-analysis (NMA) were in-hospital mortality, adverse event (AE), recovery time, and improvement in peripheral capillary oxygen saturation (SpO2). For dichotomous results, the odds ratio (OR) was used, and the 95% confidence interval (CI) was determined. We also used meta-regression to explore whether different treatments affected efficacy and safety. STATA 15.0 was used to conduct the NMA. The research protocol was registered with PROSPERO (#CRD 42023415743).Results: Thirty-six RCTs, with 33,555 hospitalized COVID-19 patients, were included in this analysis. First, we compared the efficacy of different novel oral antivirals. Baricitinib (OR 0.56, 95% CI: 0.35 to 0.90) showed the highest probability of being the optimal probiotic species in reducing in-hospital mortality and suggested that none of the interventions reduced AE better than placebo. In terms of safety outcomes, IVM ranked first in improving the recovery time of hospitalized COVID-19 patients (mean difference (MD) − 1.36, 95% CI: − 2.32 to − 0.39). In addition, patients were most likely to increase SpO2 (OR 1.77, 95% CI: 0.09 to 3.45). The meta-regression revealed no significant differences between participants using different novel oral antivirals in all outcomes in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.Conclusion: Currently, baricitinib has reduced in-hospital mortality in hospitalized COVID-19 patients, with moderate certainty of evidence. IVM appeared to be a safer option than placebo in improving recovery time, while FVP was associated with increased SpO2 safety outcomes. These preliminary evidence-based observations should guide clinical practice until more data are made public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]