Of fetal testing and libido boosters

• Scientists at Xenomics have discovered a way to detect possible genetic diseases in a fetus by screening the mother's urine. In some chromosomal disorders, such as Gaucher's disease and Down syndrome, key pieces of fetal DNA pass through the mom's kidneys. The company is developing tests that can detect disease telltales at seven weeks, six sooner than today's more invasive procedures, and can also reveal the gender.


• In the British Journal of Ophthalmology, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham reaffirmed the link between vision problems and erectile dysfunction drugs. They studied men who had histories of heart trouble, and found that those who had taken Viagra or Cialis were 10 times as likely to have optic nerve damage as those who had not.


• For women, meanwhile, caffeine may offer a natural boost to the libido. Scientists at Southwestern University in Georgetown, Tex., found that female rats were more interested in sex after a dose of caffeine, according to Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior. In the test, females returned for second encounters with males more quickly if they had received a moderate amount of the stimulant. The researchers are planning further studies to assess the effects of repeated exposure to caffeine.

The McGraw-Hill Companies, Copyright 2006