— San Diego-based Illumina announced today that it has fully sequenced the genome of American actress Glenn Close — making her the first sequenced female to be named and have her genome made publicly available. (Dutch geneticist Marjolein Kriek reportedly had her DNA sequenced in 2008, although the work was never published.) The news also follows two published studies (here and here) that fully sequenced the genomes of individuals and their family members with rare genetic diseases. This week’s announcements nearly doubles the number of individuals who have had their full genomes sequenced, bringing the tally from seven up to 13.

— A recent survey of 180,000 US physician offices found that 36% have adopted electronic health records (EHRs) — up 3% from 2009. As expected, larger practices are outpacing smaller ones: 71% of practices with 26 or more physicians have adopted EHRs, while only 29% of solo practices and 37% of two-physician practices have followed suit (AMNews). For more on EHRs, including why small practices are slow on the uptake, check out our March issue.

— The US Food and Drug Administration says it has found no link thus far between femur fractures and the use of bisphosphonate drugs for osteoporosis. The statement comes just after new data suggested that long-term use of these meds by postmenopausal women could lead to more brittle bones and a greater likelihood of fracture. (Pharmalot)

— Scientists claim they’ve found a mechanism — and a potential treatment — for alcohol cravings. In the study, published today in the journal Neuron, rats deprived of alcohol showed increased activity in a brain region related to motivation. Researchers say the activity, which was caused by inhibited potassium channels, could be treated with drugs like the FDA-approved chlorzoxazone, which is currently used to treat muscle spasms.

Image: Вени Марковски via Wikimedia Commons