Does neuroprotective kappa-opioid receptor agonist BRL 52537 attenuate ischemia-evoked nitric oxide production in vivo in rats?
These data demonstrate that (1) the selective KOR agonist BRL 52537 provides significant neuroprotection from focal cerebral ischemia when given as a pretreatment or as a posttreatment and (2) attenuation of ischemia-evoked nitric oxide production in vivo may represent one mechanism of ischemic neuroprotection.
In the fetal circulation, the presence of Doppler-detected umbilical-placental vascular disease was associated with significantly enhanced fetal platelet activation and resistance to thrombin challenge. These changes were not noted in the maternal circulation. This provides further evidence of a primary vascular pathology in the fetal-placental circulation independent of disease in the uteroplacental circulation when the umbilical Doppler flow velocity waveform reveals a high resistance pattern.