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Despite all the advances in medical care and technology the mortality rate from severe sepsis has changed little over the past 3 decades [1]. The failure to improve survival from severe sepsis is in part due to the aging population and an increasing number of patients at risk who have substantial comorbidities, including iatrogenic immunosuppression from chemotherapy for malignancy and the variety of immunosuppressive agents now used in a host of chronic autoimmune diseases. However, another substantial contributing factor is that many patients present with, or rapidly develop, sepsis-induced complications for which we have no effective prevention or cure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]