[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 210 (Wednesday, November 1, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 74977]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-24048]



[[Page 74977]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Stanford University, et al.; Application(s) for Duty-Free Entry 
of Scientific Instruments

    Pursuant to section 6(c) of the Educational, Scientific and 
Cultural Materials Importation Act of 1966 (Pub. L. 89-651, as amended 
by Pub. L. 106-36; 80 Stat. 897; 15 CFR part 301), we invite comments 
on the question of whether instruments of equivalent scientific value, 
for the purposes for which the instruments shown below are intended to 
be used, are being manufactured in the United States.
    Comments must comply with 15 CFR 301.5(a)(3) and (4) of the 
regulations and be postmarked on or before November 21, 2023. Address 
written comments to Statutory Import Programs Staff, Room 3720, U.S. 
Department of Commerce, Washington, DC 20230. Please also email a copy 
of those comments to [email protected].
    Docket Number: 23-014. Applicant: Stanford University, Department 
of Neurosurgery, Ivan Soltesz Laboratory, 1201 Welch Road, Stanford, CA 
94305. Instrument: 50 mW Fiber-coupled DPSS 473nm blue lasers (x5). 
Manufacturer: Shanghai Laser & Optics Century Co., Ltd., China. 
Intended Use: These lasers will be used to control the activity of 
neuronal populations in the brain of mice in order to study how 
altering the activity of specific neurons can lead to changes in mouse 
behavior and/or the emergence of pathological activity in the brain. 
Specifically, mice will be genetically induced to express particular 
optogenetic receptors in neuronal populations in the brain. These 
lasers will be used to deliver light into the brain via implanted 
fiberoptic cannula. The receptors, when activated by light, cause an 
increase in the activity of the neurons in which they are expressed. 
Lasers will be controlled through an external controller in order to 
only turn on in response to specific behaviors detected in the mouse. 
The goal of these studies is to identify specific populations of 
neurons responsible for the emergence of various behaviors and brain 
states. These insights will enable the identification of neuronal 
targets for future therapeutic intervention to treat various 
neurological disorders. Justification for Duty-Free Entry: According to 
the applicant, there are no instruments of the same general category 
manufactured in the United States. Application accepted by Commissioner 
of Customs, April 10, 2023.
    Docket Number: 23-015. Applicant: University of Connecticut, 3107 
Horsebarn Hill Road, Unit 4210, Storrs, CT 06269. Instrument: Swim 
Tunnel Respirometry Systems and Vertical Resting Respirometry Systems. 
Manufacturer: Loligo Systems, Denmark. Intended Use: Respirometry 
refers to the study of an organism's metabolic rates. For this 
research, water bath respirometry systems will be used to measure how 
the metabolic rates of small-bodied fish and bivalves (oysters, 
mussels, clams, etc.,) are influenced by the different environmental 
conditions including temperature change and the presence of chemical 
stressors such as contaminants. This scientific equipment order 
involves two complete swim tunnel respirometry systems (1,500 mL 
chamber size for small-bodied fish species) and four vertical 
respirometry chambers (bivalve species) which allow for the measure of 
an organism's metabolic rate by measuring oxygen consumption over time. 
This research falls under the broader scientific area of study known as 
organismal bioenergetics. The order is broken down into component parts 
(for example, chambers, pumps, tubing, temperature controls) which 
together comprise the complete respirometry systems. Justification for 
Duty-Free Entry: According to the applicant, there are no instruments 
of the same general category manufactured in the United States. 
Application accepted by Commissioner of Customs, April 22, 2023.

    Dated: October 26, 2023.
Gregory W. Campbell,
Director, Subsidies and Economic Analysts, Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-24048 Filed 10-31-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P