In case you missed it: swine flu, the baby brain, Glavin closing, healthcare overhaul, Wellness Community closure, neighborhood friends, college student healthcare

In the Sunday Globe:

Public health authorities in Massachusetts urged doctors and clinics yesterday to be vigilant for patients exhibiting signs of respiratory illness, after an international health official warned that a swine flu virus that is responsible for a deadly outbreak in Mexico and has been detected in parts of the United States could spark a global epidemic.

By using new research techniques and tools, scientists have revealed that the baby brain is abuzz with activity, capable of learning astonishing amounts of information in a relatively short time.

The closing of Irving A. Glavin Regional Center in Shrewsbury is decried as the state prepares to transfer clients of it and three other facilities for the mentally retarded to group homes.

In Saturday's Globe:

Congressional Democrats reached a tentative deal yesterday that will let the Senate pass a healthcare overhaul with a simple majority, rather than the 60 votes needed to overcome a Republican filibuster, dramatically increasing the odds of passing sweeping changes to the country's healthcare system this year.

For nearly two decades, thousands of cancer patients turned to the Wellness Community of Greater Boston when news of their diagnosis upended their lives. But at the start of this year, the popular nonprofit abruptly shut down, its chief executive resigned, and staff and patients were offered vague explanations about fiscal problems related to the "economic climate."

It turns out that Townies, as they are called in Charleestown, are more likely to have a bounty of neighborhood chums than people in any other corner of the city. That's the conclusion of the annual "Health of Boston" report released yesterday by the city's Public Health Commission.

State regulators are proposing that colleges start tracking problems students encounter with their health insurance coverage, including how many times insurers refuse to pay for care, and also report the amount of profit the companies make on student plans.