A naturally produced molecule that helps the body’s immune system fight HIV could be used to stop cell destruction by the virus, according to a study published this week.

HIV, the virus that leads to AIDS, attacks the body’s defense system by hiding inside cells called T-cells, researchers from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases said.

Researchers found that adding the molecule called interleukin 7 (IL-7) to blood samples from 24 HIV-infected patients at varying stages of infection reduced the levels of cell destruction.

Mentally Ill More at Risk of Heart Disease

The severely mentally ill are more likely to die from heart and circulatory problems than is the general population, said a British study released this week.

However, chances of developing cancer are not higher for the severely mentally ill than in the population at large, according to the study, conducted in Britain and published in the February issue of the US publication Archives of General Psychiatry.

The study shows that the severely mentally ill age 18-49 are 3.22 as likely to die from heart problems and 2.53 times as likely to die from a stroke than those enjoying mental heath.