The Cape Town Convention Offers Registered International Interests Providing Maximal Security to American Lessees of Aircraft

This paper focuses on the acquisition of aircraft by United States-based airlines. At present in the U.S., airlines are faced with a fierce competition, and to commercially survive, they keep advertising that they operate modern and safe aircraft. Since the beginning of aviation, there does not exist a fully state-owned “flag carrier” in the U.S. On the contrary, the commercial airlines market has always been in the hands of private undertakings. Traditionally, the airlines themselves have arranged the acquisition of their fleets of aircraft. For this purpose, they have to obtain loans from private banks and other non-governmental financial institutions. A substantial amount of credit is annually extended to realize the acquisition of the costly aircraft. The credit is generally supplied through a “purchase-money loan” that is secured on the aircraft. This practice is called asset-based financing. In the U.S., the aircraft which are operated by the local airlines have generally been acquired by means of international finance and lease transactions. As the acquisition of aircraft is extremely capital-intensive, the financier or lessor must be able to successfully enforce its proprietary interests in the specific aircraft. This requirement is of particular significance in the event that an airline defaults or becomes insolvent. While the aforementioned need to safeguard the financiers and lessors is undisputed, this article firmly puts forward that also the lessees of aircraft must be adequately protected. The arguments contained in this contribution are substantiated by the local laws and international aviation finance and lease conventions which apply in the United States. With respect to the local situation currently existing in the U.S., this contribution focuses on the relevant articles of the Uniform Commercial Code (UCC). Moreover, it refers to the manner in which these provisions have been implemented in the substantive property law of the State of New York. It is noted that in several other countries, the local airlines may obtain similar proprietary rights from the lessors. These foreign legal regimes aim, inter alia, to facilitate the creation, validity, and enforcement of the secured rights of the lessees of aircraft. Nevertheless, not all of these instruments are successful in providing the aircraft lessees with adequate security

The Circadian Rhythm of Blood Pressure During Pregnancy

To review the literature on the circadian rhythm of blood pressure during pregnancy. Data Sources : Computerized searches on MEDLINE, CINAHL, and MIRLYN. Study Selection : Selected studies from 1969 to 1997 were evaluated. Data Extraction : Data were extracted and information was organized under the following areas: definition of and the interconnection between circadian rhythm and blood pressure; the circadian variability of blood pressure throughout the trimesters; the patterns of the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in pregnancies defined as normal and those complicated by chronic hypertension and preeclampsia; and clinical implications. Data Synthesis : The circadian rhythm of blood pressure in pregnancy is the same as in the nonpregnant state, with a nocturnal decrease, especially during sleep. In patients with chronic hypertension, the nocturnal fall in blood pressure may be steeper. Patients with mild preeclampsia may experience a less pronounced nocturnal decrease in blood pressure. Patients with severe preeclampsia may display a reversed circadian rhythm, with no decrease and/or an increase in nocturnal blood pressure. Conclusions : The patterns of the circadian rhythm of blood pressure during normal pregnancy and pregnancies complicated by chronic hypertension and preeclampsia warrant consideration when monitoring patients and implementing management plans.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/71412/1/j.1552-6909.2000.tb02771.x.pd

Hearing loss in a mouse model of Muenke syndrome

The heterozygous Pro250Arg substitution mutation in fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3), which increases ligand-dependent signalling, is the most common genetic cause of craniosynostosis in humans and defines Muenke syndrome. Since FGF signalling plays dosage-sensitive roles in the differentiation of the auditory sensory epithelium, we evaluated hearing in a large group of Muenke syndrome subjects, as well as in the corresponding mouse model (Fgfr3P244R). The Muenke syndrome cohort showed significant, but incompletely penetrant, predominantly low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss, and the Fgfr3P244R mice showed dominant, fully penetrant hearing loss that was more severe than that in Muenke syndrome individuals, but had the same pattern of relative high-frequency sparing. The mouse hearing loss correlated with an alteration in the fate of supporting cells (Deiters'-to-pillar cells) along the entire length of the cochlear duct, with the most extreme abnormalities found at the apical or low-frequency end. In addition, there was excess outer hair cell development in the apical region. We conclude that low-frequency sensorineural hearing loss is a characteristic feature of Muenke syndrome and that the genetically equivalent mouse provides an excellent model that could be useful in testing hearing loss therapies aimed at manipulating the levels of FGF signalling in the inner ear

Melatonin Membrane Receptors in Peripheral Tissues: Distribution and Functions

Many of melatonin’s actions are mediated through interaction with the G-protein coupled membrane bound melatonin receptors type 1 and type 2 (MT1 and MT2, respectively) or, indirectly with nuclear orphan receptors from the RORα/RZR family. Melatonin also binds to the quinone reductase II enzyme, previously defined the MT3 receptor. Melatonin receptors are widely distributed in the body; herein we summarize their expression and actions in non-neural tissues. Several controversies still exist regarding, for example, whether melatonin binds the RORα/RZR family. Studies of the peripheral distribution of melatonin receptors are important since they are attractive targets for immunomodulation, regulation of endocrine, reproductive and cardiovascular functions, modulation of skin pigmentation, hair growth, cancerogenesis, and aging. Melatonin receptor agonists and antagonists have an exciting future since they could define multiple mechanisms by which melatonin modulates the complexity of such a wide variety of physiological and pathological processes