TNF and Sepsis: When inserted in parallel with the animal's circulation starting 20 h after cecal ligation and puncture (an inflammatory insult resulting in native bacteria invading the peritoneal cavity) for a duration of 4 h, we observed a significant improvement in short-term mortality (figure 8), mortality at one week (data not shown) and a remarkable clearance of TNF, IL-10 and IL-6, arguably key cytokines in the early pathophysiology of sepsis.