Publications by authors named "Alan Cruz"
Genetic parameters for different types of medullated fibre in Alpacas.
J Anim Breed Genet
September 2024
Article Synopsis
- The study focuses on enhancing the quality of alpaca textile fiber by reducing objectionable coarse fibers that cause itching.
- Researchers analyzed data from 3149 alpaca fiber samples to estimate genetic parameters related to different fiber types and their diameters.
- Findings suggest that targeting non-medullated and fragmented medullated fibers as key selection criteria in breeding programs could improve overall fiber quality by decreasing undesirable fiber types.
The aim of this study was the identification of candidate genomic regions associated with fiber diameter in alpacas. DNA samples were collected from 1011 female Huacaya alpacas from two geographical Andean regions in Peru (Pasco and Puno), and three alpaca farms within each region. The samples were genotyped using an Affymetrix Custom Alpaca genotyping array containing 76,508 SNPs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFFiber diameter is the main selection objective and criterion in alpaca breeding programs, but it can vary across anatomic regions of the animal. As fiber diameter is usually registered from a unique sample from the mid side of the body, fiber diameter variability within fleece is never addressed and phenotypic and genetic differences may exist for fleece uniformity in alpaca populations. The objective of this work was to estimate the genetic parameters of fleece uniformity in an alpaca population.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImproving textile characteristics is the main objective of alpaca breeding. A recently developed SNP chip for alpacas could potentially be used to implement genomic selection and accelerate genetic progress. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the increase in prediction accuracy of three important fiber traits: fiber diameter (FD), standard deviation of fiber diameter (SD), and percentage of medullation (PM) in Huacaya alpacas.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Research suggests recently graduated urology residents do not feel ready for independent practice. We conducted a study to determine if Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) minimum case requirements, resident case logs, and graduating resident perceived readiness for practice are aligned with the procedural demand and needs of the current urology workforce.
Design: Correlative study comparing the association between (1) workforce demand and ACGME case requirements, and (2) workforce demand and perceived resident competency.
Objective: To present a case series and literature review on post radical cystectomy (RC) pelvic organ prolapse (POP) to heighten awareness of the symptoms, imaging findings, and risk factors associated with this complication and discuss opportunities for prevention. Women with muscle invasive bladder cancer undergo RC with anterior exenteration, significantly disrupting the pelvic floor. These women are at risk for POP.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- The seasonal reproduction of alpacas limits pregnancy opportunities, which affects fertility rates and offspring survival due to food availability and disease exposure.
- Optimizing calving dates rather than focusing solely on age at first calving and calving intervals can improve genetic selection practices for alpacas, with analysis conducted on 6,533 birth records over 17 years in Peru.
- The study found heritability and repeatability values indicating the potential for genetic selection of calving dates, suggesting this approach may also benefit the breeding of camels and dromedaries, with a heterogeneity model providing better predictive accuracy.
Handcrafted Vacuum-Assisted Device for Skin Ulcers Treatment Versus Traditional Therapy, Randomized Controlled Trial.
World J Surg
February 2017
Background: Chronic lower limb ulcers constitute a public health problem, with important socioeconomic implications and high attention cost. This trial evaluates handcrafted vacuum-assisted therapy versus traditional treatment effectiveness for lower limbs ulcers.
Materials And Methods: It was a prospective randomized clinical trial conducted over 144 patients with lower limbs ulcers.