[Federal Register Volume 88, Number 239 (Thursday, December 14, 2023)]
[Notices]
[Page 86635]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2023-27482]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

International Trade Administration


Stanford University et al.; Notice of Decision on Application for 
Duty-Free Entry of Scientific Instruments

    This is a decision 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). On 
November 1, 2023, the Department of Commerce published a notice in the 
Federal Register requesting public comment on whether instruments of 
equivalent scientific value, for the purposes for which the instruments 
identified in the docket(s) below are intended to be used, are being 
manufactured in the United States. See Application(s) for Duty-Free 
Entry of Scientific Instruments, 88FR74977, November 1, 2023. (Notice). 
We received no public comments.
    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: The instrument 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.
    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: The instrument 
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 
involvestwo complete swim tunnel respirometry systems (1500 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.

    Dated: December 11, 2023.
Gregory W. Campbell,
Director, Subsidies and Economic Analysts, Enforcement and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2023-27482 Filed 12-13-23; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3510-DS-P