Tail wagging plays an important role in social interactions, e.g., dogs show asymmetrical tail wagging in response to different social stimuli. However, the effects of social cues on tail wagging and the intrinsic organization of wagging behavior remain largely unknown. Here, we developed a platform using a deep-learning-based motion-tracking technique to extract and analyze the movement trajectory of a dog's tail tip during dog-human interactions. Individual dogs exhibited unique and stable wagging characteristics. We further found that tail wagging developed asymmetry toward the right side over three days of dog-human interactions, suggesting that it is a time-sensitive indicator of social familiarity. In addition, wagging appeared to follow an attractor-like dynamic process consisting of stable states and unstable, transitional states. Together, these results revealed sophisticated characteristics and organization of a dog's tail-wagging behavior during interactions with humans, providing a useful paradigm for studying dogs' social behaviors and the underlying neural mechanisms.

The major clinical consequences of atherosclerosis such as myocardial infarction or stroke are because of thrombotic events associated with acute rupture or erosion of an unstable plaque. Here, we identify an lncRNA Noncoding Repressor of NFAT (Nron) as a critical regulator of atherosclerotic plaque stability. Nron overexpression (OE) in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) induces a highly characteristic architecture of more-vulnerable plaques, while Nron knockdown (KD) suppresses the development of atherosclerosis and favors plaque stability. Mechanistically, Nron specifically binds to and negatively regulates NFATc3, thus inhibiting the proliferation and promoting the apoptosis of VSMCs. Moreover, we also provide evidence that Nron increases the production and secretion of VEGFA from VSMCs, which functions as a paracrine factor to enhance intra-plaque angiogenesis. All of these effects contribute to plaque instability. Genetic or pharmacological inhibition of Nron may have potential for future therapy of atherosclerosis.

Recent studies have demonstrated the pivotal involvement of endocannabinoids in regulating learning and memory, but the conclusions obtained from different paradigms or contexts are somewhat controversial, and the underlying mechanisms remain largely elusive. Here, we show that JZL195, a dual inhibitor of fatty acid amide hydrolase and monoacylglycerol lipase, can enhance the performance of mice in a contextual fear conditioning task and increase the time spent in open arms in the elevated zero maze (EZM). Although the effect of JZL195 on fear memory could not be inhibited by antagonists of cannabinoid receptors, the effect on the EZM seems to be mediated by CB1R. Simultaneously, hippocampal neurons are hyperactive, and theta oscillation power is significantly increased during the critical period of memory consolidation upon treatment with JZL195. These results suggest the feasibility of targeting the endocannabinoid system for the treatment of various mental disorders.

Accurate tumor diagnosis by pathologists relies on identifying specific morphological characteristics. However, summarizing these unique morphological features in tumor classifications can be challenging. Although deep learning models have been extensively studied for tumor classification, their indirect and subjective interpretation obstructs pathologists from comprehending the model and discerning the morphological features accountable for classifications. In this study, we introduce a new approach utilizing Style Generative Adversarial Networks, which enables a direct interpretation of deep learning models to detect significant morphological characteristics within datasets representing patients with deficient mismatch repair/microsatellite instability-high gastric cancer. Our approach effectively identifies distinct morphological features crucial for tumor classification, offering valuable insights for pathologists to enhance diagnostic accuracy and foster professional growth.