Cell-pool tryptophan phases in ergot alkaloid fermentation

Three cell-pool tryptophan phases are recorded as characteristics of the alkaloid fermentation byClaviceps paspali grown on a simple defined medium without tryptophan. Within the early phase designated “tryptophan down” the alkaloid-biosynthetic activity of the mycelium attains the maximum, protein synthesis is reduced and extracellular proteases are formed. Cell-pool tryptophan level (b) drops, tryptophan synthetase activity (c) intensifies and sums of logb+logc after different time intervals remain constant. In the subsequent “tryptophan up” phase tryptophan level (b) increases, alkaloid yield (a) becomes a function of time and reaches the top level still tolerable by tryptophan synthetase. The difference of the logb—logc is constant. The tryptophan synthetase diminishes its activity simultaneously with the alkaloid-biosynthetic activity of the mycelium. The district between the “tryptophan down” and “tryptophan up” phase is an especially promising target for the investigation of the regulation of alkaloid formation and continuous fermentation of these compounds. During the third, i.e. “tryptophan over” phase, cell-pool tryptophan accumulates and attains a concentration exerting a negative effect on the alkaloid biosynthesis.     

Modification of Baroreceptor Cardiac Reflex Function by Biofeedback

Baroreceptor sensitivity (BRS) is considered a powerful prognostic factor in cardiovascular health. This study investigated the possibility of modifying the baroreflex cardiac function through biofeedback. Thirty-two psychology students underwent 3 biofeedback sessions, with four 5-min trials each, in which they had to increase and decrease baroreflex function. BRS was assessed by a system that analyzed baroreflex cardiac function on-line using a noninvasive spontaneous sequence method in the time domain. Baroreceptor parameters were differentiated in terms of blood pressure increases ("up" sequences) or blood pressure decreases ("down" sequences). BRS in the "up" sequences increased during the Increase Condition and decreased during the Decrease Condition. BRS in the "down" sequences decreased during the Decrease Condition but was unchanged during the Increase Condition. The increase in BRS during the Increase Condition was associated with a significant reduction in blood pressure and increase in heart period. The opposite cardiovascular changes were observed during the Decrease Condition. Suggestions for future research were discussed.     

Theoretical studies of the anti-tumor drug FR900482

Hartree-Fock and density functional theory (B3LYP) calculations were applied to the study of the anti-tumor drug FR900482 and some of its analogs. Optimum geometries were obtained and it was found that the most stable conformations feature the N-H bond of the aziridine ring nitrogen “down” and the oxygen bridge and aziridine nitrogen “up”. It was also found that the analog containing NH₂ (in place of the -CHO of the natural product) is the most prone to oxidation. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. It seems that a simple name for FR900482 has not been adopted so far because there is still a search for the most stable analog.     

Interpreting co-variation in species richness and productivity in terrestrial vegetation: Making sense of causations and correlations at multiple scales

This commentary examines conventional and recent ideas regarding the interpretation of species richness-productivity relationships (SRPR) in terrestrial vegetation. A new conceptual modelling approach — cascading graph diagrams — is used to search for maximum parsimony by distilling and clarifying synthetic linkages between several potential causes of variation and co-variation in these two vegetation attributes at three distinctly different spatial scales: global/continental scale (variation between climatic/geographic regions within a continent, or across latitudes); regional scale (variation between local communities representing different habitat (soil) fertility types or different habitat disturbance levels within a climatic/geographic region); and local community scale (variation between neighbourhood plots within a particular plant community/habitat). In contrast with a number of interpretations in recent literature, the approach developed here emphases that SRPR at each scale in terrestrial vegetation involve a “cascade” of several intermediary causational variables that have not been generally accounted for in previous studies of SRPR. Accordingly, SRPR are expected usually to be correlational, sometimes indirectly causational, but never directly causational, at any scale. Rather than suggesting that causational mechanisms “scale up”, the analysis here illustrates that several mechanistic features may be shared across scales and that in some cases, mechanisms may “scale down”. This has crucial implications for identifying testable and un-confounded hypotheses for future research and for selecting effective experimental designs and appropriate methods of data analyses for the interpretation of SRPR in natural vegetation.     

A Biofeedback System of Baroreceptor Cardiac Reflex Sensitivity

The evidence presently available suggests that the parasympathetic nervous system and sympathetic-parasympathetic interactions could play a role in the pathophysiology of cardiovascular disorders and, specifically, in hypertension. A loss of sensitivity of the baroreceptor reflex is one of the fundamental mechanisms underlying the deficits found in parasympathetic cardiac control. The baroreceptor reflex is a basic mechanism for the regulation of blood pressure, a powerful source of vagal afferent input to the central nervous system, and one of the most important physiological mechanisms affecting efferent cardiac vagal activity. This paper describes a computerized system for the on-line analysis of the baroreceptor cardiac reflex function using the noninvasive spontaneous sequence method in the time domain. The system provides feedback of the baroreceptor reflex sensitivity (the change in heart period per unit change in systolic blood pressure) differentially both when the systolic blood pressure is increasing and when it is decreasing. The accuracy of the described system has been tested against the conventional off-line procedure. None of the parameters supplied by the analysis show a significant difference between the on-line and off-line methods. These results confirm the accuracy of the on-line system to analyze baroreceptor cardiac reflex function.     

Effects of positive-pressure ventilation on the spontaneous baroreflex in healthy subjects.

To determine the short-term effects of noninvasive positive-pressure ventilation (PPV) on spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, we acquired time series of R-R interval and beat-to-beat blood pressure in 55 healthy volunteers (mean age 46.5 +/- 10.5 yr) who performed breathing on four occasions at frequencies of 12 and 15 breaths/min without positive pressure (control) and also using PPV of 5 mbar. By using spectral and cross-spectral analysis, R-R interval variability and systolic blood pressure variability as well as the gain (alpha-index) of the baroreceptor reflex were estimated for the low-frequency and high-frequency (HF) bands. Compared with control breathing, PPV at 12 breaths/min and 15 breaths/min led to an increase in mean R-R (P < 0.001) and blood pressure (P < 0.05). The alpha-index of the HF band increased significantly for both respiratory frequencies (P < 0.05) due to PPV. These results indicate that short-term administration of PPV in normal subjects elicits a significant enhancement in the HF index of the baroreflex gain. These findings may contribute to understanding the mechanisms, indications, and effectiveness of positive pressure breathing strategies in treating cardiorespiratory and other disease conditions.     

Estimation of spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity using transfer function analysis: effects of positive pressure ventilation.

To determine the short-term effects of non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (PPV) on spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, we acquired time series of RR interval and beat-to-beat blood pressure in 55 healthy volunteers (mean age 46.5+/-10.5 years), who performed breathing tests on four occasions at frequencies of 12 and 15/min, with application of PPV of 5 mbar, and without positive pressure (control). Using spectral and transfer function analysis, we estimated RR interval variability (HRV) and systolic blood pressure variability (SBPV), as well as the gain (alpha-index) and phase shift (Phi) of the baroreceptor reflex for low- (LF) and high-frequency (HF) bands. Compared to control breathing, PPV at 12 and 15/min led to an increase in mean RR (p<0.001) and blood pressure (p<0.05). The alpha-index in the HF band increased significantly due to PPV for both respiratory frequencies (p<0.05). Phase shifts did not show significant changes in response to pressure ventilation. These results indicate that short-term administration of PPV in normal subjects elicits significant enhancement in the HF index of baroreflex gain. These findings may contribute to understanding the mechanisms, indications, and effectiveness of positive pressure breathing strategies in treating cardiorespiratory and other disease conditions.     

Going Beyond a Mean-field Model for the Learning Cortex: Second-Order Statistics

Mean-field models of the cortex have been used successfully to interpret the origin of features on the electroencephalogram under situations such as sleep, anesthesia, and seizures. In a mean-field scheme, dynamic changes in synaptic weights can be considered through fluctuation-based Hebbian learning rules. However, because such implementations deal with population-averaged properties, they are not well suited to memory and learning applications where individual synaptic weights can be important. We demonstrate that, through an extended system of equations, the mean-field models can be developed further to look at higher-order statistics, in particular, the distribution of synaptic weights within a cortical column. This allows us to make some general conclusions on memory through a mean-field scheme. Specifically, we expect large changes in the standard deviation of the distribution of synaptic weights when fluctuation in the mean soma potentials are large, such as during the transitions between the “up” and “down” states of slow-wave sleep. Moreover, a cortex that has low structure in its neuronal connections is most likely to decrease its standard deviation in the weights of excitatory to excitatory synapses, relative to the square of the mean, whereas a cortex with strongly patterned connections is most likely to increase this measure. This suggests that fluctuations are used to condense the coding of strong (presumably useful) memories into fewer, but dynamic, neuron connections, while at the same time removing weaker (less useful) memories.     

Biomanipulation as a useful water quality management tool in deep stratifying reservoirs

In six deep, soft-water reservoirs, ranging from oligotrophic to eutrophic, fishery management has been guided by the use of biomanipulation to improve water quality and opportunities for recreational fishing. As evidenced by the establishment of larger-bodied daphnids, a low level of zooplanktivory could be maintained in the newly filled Grosse Dhünn and refilled Brucher and Lingese Reservoirs only by regular stocking of piscivores (Sander lucioperca, Esox lucius, Salmo trutta lacustris, Onchorhynchus mykiss) in combination with size and bag limitations for the recreational fisheries. However, in the mesotrophic Pre-Reservoir Grosse Dhünn, Bever Reservoir and the newly filled slightly eutrophic Wupper Reservoir it took between 8 and 10 years before the predator-resistant zooplankton community responded to management with a switch to larger daphnids. Except for oligotrophic Grosse Dhünn Reservoir where angling is prohibited, the expected enhancement of piscivore biomass through stocking not least was prevented by anglers. However, growth of perch (Perca fluviatilis) benefited from the changed fishery management relying upon stocking piscivores only allowing them to reach the size of piscivory. The appearance of larger daphnids in Pre-Reservoir Grosse Dhünn and Wupper Reservoir resulted in the biomass of the Daphnia spring peak to increase and occur earlier causing prolonged clear water conditions. Although the larger daphnids increased transparency, total summer mean chlorophyll concentrations in the euphotic zone only decreased in the slightly eutrophic reservoirs due to reduced phosphorus availability following unchanged external phosphorus loadings. Reduced phosphorus availability in these reservoirs caused a real oligotrophication. Although the edible seston fraction was controlled “top down” the results did not support the trophic cascade hypotheses because total phytoplankton remained controlled “bottom up”, admittedly triggered by “top down” forces. In general, the results support the importance of indirect (non-lethal) effects as the driving forces for the successful biomanipulations, particularly in slightly eutrophic reservoirs. Not least, the delayed zooplankton response provides an indication that the underlying change of internal feedbacks was not driven by external forces to stabilize the reservoirs trophic state in these deep stratifying reservoirs. Handling editor: D. Ryder     

Serotonin2 Receptors in the Nucleus Tractus Solitarius: Characterization and Role in the Baroreceptor Reflex Arc

1. There is a general agreement concerning the key role of the baroreceptor reflex in blood pressure homeostasis. It is also well accepted that baroreceptor afferent messages are first integrated within the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and that an excitatory amino acid, probably glutamate, is the principal neurotransmitter of corresponding afferents fibers. However, important points concerning the processing of baroreceptor messages within the NTS remain to be clarified, in particular the possible modulatory role of other neuroactive substances at this particular level in the medulla oblongata.2. In this context, the present review focuses on serotonin, and the possible facilitatory influence of NTS serotonergic afferents and receptors on the baroreceptor reflex arc. Relevant pharmacological, electrophysiological, immunohistochemical, and biochemical data, are presented and discussed. They can be summarized as follows.3. The selective destruction of the nodose ganglion-NTS serotonergic pathway produces a long-term increase in blood pressure variability, similar to that caused by baroreceptor denervation.4. Microinjection of picomolar doses of 5-HT into the NTS elicits the typical responses of baroreceptor activation.5. The cardiovascular effects elicited by local microinjections of specific agonists and antagonists into the NTS of intact rats and of animals that underwent nodose ganglionectomy indicate that the baroreceptor-like effects of locally administered 5-HT are mediated by the activation of postsynaptic 5-HT₂ receptors.6. The medullary pathways which mediate NTS 5-HT₂ receptor-evoked responses are similar to those involved in the baroreceptor reflex arc.7. Pharmacological and electrophysiological studies suggest that the cardiovascular effects of intra-NTS 5-HT involve the 5-HT_2A receptor subtype expressed by NTS barosensitive neurons that receive polysynaptic vagal afferents.8. Intra-NTS microinjection of a subthreshold dose of DOI, a 5-HT₂ receptor agonist, which, on its own, does not produce any cardiovascular changes, significantly enhances the bradycardiac component of the baroreflex.9. Altogether, the data summarized above show that, in the NTS, 5-HT acting at 5-HT_2A receptors exerts a facilitatory influence on the baroreceptor reflex, especially on the cardiac component of this reflex.10. Convergent pharmacological and electrophysiological data indicate that, in the NTS, functional interactions between NMDA- and 5-HT_2A-receptors coexpressed by the same neurons probably underlie the facilitatory influence of 5-HT upon the baroreceptor reflex.11. Under physiological conditions, the 5-HT_2A receptor-mediated facilitatory modulation of the cardiovagal component of the baroreflex might be triggered by 5-HT released from nodose ganglion-NTS serotoninergic afferent neurons and/or for serotoninergic projections originating in raphe nuclei. The latter possibility might notably occur during recovery after physical exercise and/or during the freezing reaction in stressed animals.     

Microinjection of a cannabinoid receptor antagonist into the NTS increases baroreflex duration in dogs

Baroreceptor afferent fibers synapse in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) of the medulla. Neuronal cannabinoid (CB)(1) receptors are expressed in the NTS and central administration of CB(1) receptor agonists affect blood pressure (BP) and heart rate. In addition, there is evidence that endocannabinoids are produced in the brain stem. This study examined whether changes in CB(1) receptor activity in the NTS modulated the baroreceptor reflex, contributing to changes seen in BP and heart rate. Baroreflexes were evoked in anesthetized dogs by pressure ramp stimulations of the isolated carotid sinus before and after microinjection of CB(1) receptor agonist WIN-55212-2 (1.25-1.50 pmol) or antagonist SR-141716 (2.5-3.0 pmol) into cardiovascular regions of the NTS. Microinjection of the SR-141716 did not affect baseline BP or baroreflex sensitivity. However, SR-141716 significantly prolonged the time needed to return to the baseline level of BP after the pressure ramp. Microinjection of WIN-55212-2 had no effect on the baroreflex. These data suggest that endocannabinoids can modulate the excitability of NTS neurons involved in the baroreceptor reflex, leading to modulation of baroreflex regulation.     

心力衰竭状态下的动脉压力感受器反射

心力衰竭是以心脏泵血功能降低（心输出量减少）为始动因素的临床综合征。心输出量降低首先引起动脉压力感受性反射失负荷,进而通过迷走-交感机制加快心率;同时,支配血管床的交感传出活动增强,进而增加总外周阻力。本文主要论述在心力衰竭状态下压力感受性反射在循环功能异常调控中的作用机制。本综述及我们近年的研究表明：（1）在心力衰竭状态下压力感受性反射功能明显减弱;（2）中枢血管紧张素Ⅱ和活性氧在压力感受性反射功能失调中发挥关键作用;（3）心交感传入刺激和化学感受性反射能抑制压力感受性反射;（4）适当的运动可以部分纠正异常的心血管反射活动。     

Cardiac autonomic control during balloon carotid angioplasty and stenting

Hemodynamic alterations during balloon carotid angioplasty (BCA) and stenting have been ascribed to the consequences of direct carotid baroreceptor stimulation during balloon inflation. BCA with stenting in patients with carotid atheromatous stenoses offers a unique opportunity for elucidating the cardiovascular autonomic response to direct transient intravascular stimulation of the baroreceptors. We analysed the consequences of BCA on the autonomic control of heart rate and on breathing components in nine patients with atheromatous stenoses involving the bifurcation and the internal carotid. A time-frequency domain method, the smoothed pseudo-Wigner-Ville transform (SPWVT), was used to evaluate the spectral parameters (i.e., the instantaneous amplitude and centre frequency (ICF) of the cardiovascular and respiratory oscillations). Those parameters and their dynamics (8 and 24 h later) were evaluated during and after the procedure. BCA stimulates baroreceptors in all patients, which markedly reduces heart rate and blood pressure. Vagal baroreflex activation altered the respiratory sinus arrhythmia in terms of amplitude and frequency (ICF HF RR shifted from 0.27 +/- 0.03 to 0.23 +/- 0.04 Hz pre-BCA vs. BCA, respectively; p < 0.01). Both the high- and low-frequency amplitudes of heart rate oscillations were altered during carotid baroreceptor stimulation, strongly supporting a contribution of the baroreflex to the generation of both oscillations of heart rate. Carotid baroreceptors stimulation increased the inspiratory time (Ti) (1.5 +/- 0.5 to 2.3 +/- 0.6 s pre-BCA vs. BCA, respectively; p < 0.01). In awake patients, BCA with stenting of atheromatous stenosis involving the bifurcation and internal carotid causes marked changes in the cardiac autonomic and respiratory control systems.     

A Markov model for interspike interval distributions of auditory cortical neurons that do not show periodic firings

Spontaneous firing properties of individual auditory cortical neurons are interpreted in terms of local and global order present in functioning brain networks, such as alternating “up” and “down” states. A four-state modulated Markov process is used to model neuronal firings. The system alternates between a bound and an unbound state, both with Poisson-distributed lifetimes. During the unbound state, active and closed states alternate with Poisson-distributed lifetimes. Inside the active state, spikes are generated as a realization of a Poisson process. This combination of processes constitutes a four-state modulated Markov process, determined by five independent parameters. Analytical expressions for the probability density functions (pdfs) that describe the interspike interval (ISI) distribution and autocorrelation function are derived. The pdf for the ISI distribution is shown to be a linear combination of three exponential functions and is expressed through the five system parameters. Through fitting experimental ISI histograms by the theoretical ones, numerical values of the system parameters are obtained for the individual neurons. Both Monte Carlo simulations and goodness-of-fit tests are used to validate the fitting procedure. The values of the estimated system parameters related to the active-closed and bound–unbound processes and their independence on the neurons’ mean firing rate suggest that the underlying quasi-periodic processes reflect properties of the network in which the neurons are embedded. The characteristic times of autocorrelations, determined by the bound–unbound and active-closed processes, are also independent of the neuron’s firing rate. The agreement between experimental and theoretical ISI histograms and autocorrelation functions allows interpretation of the system parameters of the individual neurons in terms of slow and delta waves, and high-frequency oscillations observed in cortical networks. This procedure can identify and track the influence of changing brain states on the single-unit firing patterns in experimental animals.     

Causation in biology: stability,specificity, and the choice of levels of explanation

This paper attempts to elucidate three characteristics of causal relationships that are important in biological contexts. Stability has to do with whether a causal relationship continues to hold under changes in background conditions. Proportionality has to do with whether changes in the state of the cause “line up” in the right way with changes in the state of the effect and with whether the cause and effect are characterized in a way that contains irrelevant detail. Specificity is connected both to David Lewis’ notion of “influence” and also with the extent to which a causal relation approximates to the ideal of one cause–one effect. Interrelations among these notions and their possible biological significance are also discussed.     

The Gigantocellular Depressor Area Revisited

1. In studies conducted with Dr Donald Reis we described a functionally distinct region of the rat medullary reticular formation that we called the Gigantocellular Depressor Area (GiDA). The GiDA was defined as a region from which vasodepressor and sympathoinhibitory responses were evoked by nanoinjections of glutamate. We later showed that cells in the GiDA project to autonomic nuclei in the medulla, brainstem, and spinal cord, including the intermediolateral cell column. We also showed that kainic acid lesions of the GiDA induce hypertension and block the baroreceptor reflex evoked by electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve. The present studies describe the effects of muscimol nanoinjections into the GiDA.2. Nanoinjections of muscimol were made in the GiDA of anesthetized rats and changes in arterial pressure, heart rate, and responses to aortic depressor nerve stimulation were measured.3. Bilateral nanoinjections of muscimol into the GiDA evoke an increase in arterial pressure and lead to fulminating hypertension. Unilateral injections of muscimol into the GiDA block the baroreflex response evoked by electrical stimulation of the ipsilateral aortic depressor nerve. However, these unilateral injections of muscimol into the GiDA evoked profound falls in arterial pressure to nearly spinal levels. In spite of this fall in blood pressure, heart rate also decreased significantly and there was not a compensatory tachycardia. Both the arterial pressure and baroreceptor responses required several hours to recover following the muscimol injections.4. Although these data are consistent with the proposal that the GiDA is critical for the baroreflex, the opposing effects on blood pressure of unilateral and bilateral injections of muscimol are difficult to reconcile with our current models of central sympathetic regulation.     

Baroreflex sensitivity during operant blood pressure conditioning

Baroreflex sensitivity was measured in baboons operantly conditioned to increase their diastolic blood pressure in daily, 12-hr sessions, by using the extent of increases in interpulse interval per unit of increase in systolic pressure after intravenous phenylephrine injection as an index of baroreflex sensitivity. Following training, baroreflex sensitivity increases averaging 32% were observed before and after the 12-hr conditioning sessions. During the conditioning sessions, however, consistent diastolic blood pressure elevations averaging 17% (14 mmHg) were accompanied by significant decreases in baroreflex sensitivity averaging 44% relative to the increased before and after sensitivity levels. The results suggest that changes in baroreflex sensitivity participate in operantly conditioned blood pressure changes.     

兔肾性高血压时的动脉压力感受器反射

14只雄性家兔在双肾缩扎术后12周,经氨基甲酸乙酯静脉麻醉,分别在缓冲神经完整、切断两侧减压神经或切断两侧窦神经后静注新福林或硝普钠升降血压以改变动脉压力感受器活动,观察其心率、后肢血管阻力和肾交感神经活动的反射性变化,并与正常血压兔的反射效应相比较。主要结果如下:(1) 动物双肾动脉缩扎后12周,平均动脉血压(131±9mmHg)较正常动物血压(95±10mmHg)有显著升高(P<0.001);(2) 缓冲神经完整时,新福林和硝普钠升降血压诱发的心率反射性变化与正常血压动物相比显著减弱(P<0.001),而后肢血管阻力和肾交感神经活动的反射性调节无明显改变,表明肾性高血压动物的心率反射性调节与外周循环的反射性调节机能不相平行;而由股动脉内直接注射新福林或硝普钠时,股动脉灌流压的增减幅度与正常血压动物相比并无明显差异;(3) 切断两侧减压神经或切断两侧窦神经后,在正常动物仅使反射性心率调节作用减弱,而后肢血管阻力和肾交感神经活动的反射性调节无明显改变;但在高血压动物,除心率的反射性调节进一步减弱外,新福林和硝普钠升降血压时后肢血管阻力和肾交感神经活动的反射性调节效应也显著地减弱(P<0.001),提示肾性高血压时动脉压力感受器反射的潜在调节能力降低。由此似表明,肾性高血压时动脉压力感受器反射     

The structure of social behaviour inTheropithecus gelada

Through the use of principal components analysis of the correlation matrix between excentricity quotients of intra- and inter-individual transitions between pairs of the 22 most frequent behaviour elements of male and female gelada baboons observed in captivity, the total variance could be described in terms of a low number of causal factors. In intra-individual sequences the five factors requested of the analysis explain 74 per cent of the total variance. The following intra-individual groupings were found: (I) “autostimulation”, (II) “intensive social” versus “groom”, (III) “male sexual”, (IV) “attack” versus “sexual presentation”, and (V) “greeting” versus “threat”. In inter-individual transitions, the five factors explain 68 per cent of the variance. The following communicative sets were found: (1) “female-sexual releasing”, (2) “greeting and approaching releasing” versus “groom releasing”, (3) “austostimulation releasing” versus “male-sexual releasing”, (4) “fight releasing”, and (5) “conflict”. Mimetic induction of same acts or acts within one particular intra-individual set was frequent.     

Postural baroreflex stimuli may affect EEG arousal and sleep in humans

Past research has shown that baroreceptor stimulation can induce sleep. The present study investigated whether the upright posture inhibits sleep by reducing baroreceptor firing. Twenty-eight men were each exposed to four conditions on separate days: 40 degrees head-up tilt with (TP) and without (TN) 45 mmHg positive pressure on the legs and the supine position with (SP) and without (SN) leg pressure. Heart rate and blood pressure changes indicated that baroreceptor firing was strongly reduced by TN and only mildly reduced by TP in 24 subjects. Baroreceptor effects of SP were unclear. SN and SP did not differ significantly in their effects on electroencephalogram (EEG) sleep. Among subjects who showed a normal baroreflex response to tilt, both TN and TP inhibited sleep, but TN caused a persistent elevation of EEG beta activity that did not occur in TP plus a greater delay in sleep onset. TN had no such arousing effects in four subjects who showed little or no baroreflex response to tilt. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that the fall in baroreceptor firing produced by the upright posture contributes to EEG arousal.