The timeline shows the independent (red) and dependent (blue) variables in relation to the experimental protocol. Two independent variables were assigned by the CC for each subject, while the rest were left to each site’s preference. Time to MCAo was calculated from anesthesia onset to onset of MCAo. Total anesthesia duration (gray shaded areas) included the duration of surgery, the duration of MCAo (60 minutes) in animals maintained under anesthesia until reperfusion, the reperfusion procedure, and the time required to administer the centrally allocated control intervention (IP, intraperitoneal vehicle; IV, intravenous vehicle; RIC, sham remote ischemic conditioning).