Noted

Being a cuckold has its evolutionary benefits—at least for the ocellated wrasse. In a recent study reported in the online edition of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, Suzanne H. Alonzo, assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology, and postdoc Kellie L. Heckman describe the fish’s unusual mating habits. Despite the greater chance of being cuckolded when prowling “sneaker” males are nearby, the nesting ocellated wrasse has a better chance of raising his own offspring: a female lays more eggs where she’s already produced large numbers of offspring.

Scientists have measured “persistent current,” the formerly unquantifiable electric current that flows through tiny rings of metal wire even in the absence of a power source. A team led by physicist Jack Harris used nanoscale cantilevers to measure the current indirectly through changes in magnetic force. The findings were published in Science.

A five-year $3.9 million research grant has been awarded to fund the development of a video game. Lynn Fiellin, assistant professor of medicine, is conducting a study to develop a virtual reality video game called “Retro-Warriors.” The game will be targeted at ethnically diverse adolescents, teaching them to avoid behaviors that might put them at risk of contracting HIV.

A new study conducted by Nina Kadan-Lottick, assistant professor of pediatrics, and her colleagues shows that childhood cancer survivors are less likely to marry. The study, published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, reports that of nearly 9,000 survivors who participated, 42 percent were married, 7.3 percent were divorced, and 46 percent never married. The research suggests that in addition to its long-term physical effects, childhood cancer can affect social behavior.