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XENOTRANSPLANTS Nobody likes the idea of taking organs from another species and putting them in people, a procedure known as xenotransplantation. But human organs are scarce, and pigs' body parts are similar in size and physiology to humans'. Researchers have even found a way to make pig organs less piglike (and thus less likely to be rejected by human immune systems): by removing one of the genes responsible for the most severe form of rejection. That doesn't mean that pig-to-human transplants are about to begin. The gene is probably one of several that trigger the human immune response, so the genetically engineered pigs are the first in what will probably be several generations of human-friendly porkers.
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ZOLOFT For 5% of menstruating women, their time of the month can be particularly exhausting, both emotionally and physically. Those who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD), a severe form of PMS, are often debilitated by feelings of sadness and changes in their sleeping and eating habits. Now there's help. The FDA has approved a popular antidepressant, Zoloft, for treatment of PMDD. It works by keeping brain nerves bathed in the chemical serotonin. And unlike other PMDD treatments, such as hormones or psychotherapy, it has been studied in depth in clinical trials.