GESTATION LENGTH OF KARI SHEEP

Previously, the concept of a gestation period of sheep shorter than 121 days was unheard of in the field of sheep biology. Our findings during a farmers’ survey in the Lotkho area of Chitral, Pakistan, revealed that the sheep native to the region, locally called “Kari”, gestates for a period of only three months. This duration is 25-40% short of the usual gestation length and is shorter than ever recorded for the species. The mean and mode gestation length (GL) was 110 and 92 days respectively and was concentrated in three distinct clusters: day 87-95, 120-123 and 151-153, accounting for 52% of all observations. GL was influenced by location, season of conception and lambing and the interaction of location with season; had an estimated repeatability of zero. The mean lambing interval was 224.7 ±5.24 days, ranging between 109 and 467 days. During a trial conducted in a controlled environment, only three out of the 27 copulated ewes conceived, and gestated in 113, 125 and 145 days respectively. Gestation length during the trial supported field findings. The results suggest that GL in Kari sheep is unusual as many ewes gestated in three months, with variations of up to 5 months. Genotype by environment interaction is a possibility. However, reasons for the findings are still not clear and further controlled studies should be carried out to establish and further explore the factor(s) responsible for this unusual and unique manifestation of the Kari with regards to its gestation length

How and Why has American Media Shifted the On-Screen Image of Asian Americans from Stereotypical Roles to Lead Roles?

Growing up as an Asian American, I never really had a role model of sort that I could relate to entirely. There were the general characters in movies that I looked up to but there was never that one character that I could possibly see myself as because there was never any lead characters that looked like me. Every time an Asian character was showed on-screen they were never a normal relatable person; they were always rather a living stereotype or unrealistic. Asians are always portrayed as intellectuals that are very awkward and geeky or one who has a very thick ethnic accent. Apart from Aladdin and Jackie Chan there never was a core Asian character who I looked up to as a role model. So, growing up there was always a stigma towards me that I had to be very Asian or very smart. Ever since Asians immigrated to the United States, they were being portrayed by the media in one form or another. The portrayal was often stereotyped extensively which affected the public’s viewpoint towards Asian Americans. But in the recent decade the portrayal of Asian Americans has shifted to a more positive and everyday image. So, I wondered about how this happened and asked my research question, “How and Why has American Media Shifted the On-Screen Image of Asian Americans from Stereotypical Roles to Lead Roles?”https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/1259/thumbnail.jp

Population studies on gerbils of the western desert of Egypt, with special reference to Gerbillus andersoni DE Winton

Population studies on the gerbil, Gerbillus andersoni, were carried out in Omayed in the Western Desert of Egypt during the period from July 1976 through August 1978 inclusive. Studies included determination of the sex ratio in the different age and weight groups, as well as seasonal changes in this ratio. The mean weight and age at the onset of maturity and the reproductive activity of both sexes were determined. The study also included seasonal changes in mean body weights of both sexes, those of the testes in relation to body weights, as well as changes in the length of the testis and of the cauda epididymis. Changes in the age structure of the population were also studied