Digital Commons Network^™

Hair Of The Dog: Obtaining Samples From Coyotes And Wolves Noninvasively, David E. Ausband, Julie K. Young, Barbara Fannin, Michael S. Mitchell, Jennifer L. Stenglen, Lizette P. Waits, John A. Shivik

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Canids can be difficult to detect and their populations difficult to monitor. We tested whether hair samples could be collected from coyotes (Canis latrans) in Texas, USA and gray wolves (C. lupus) in Montana, USA using lure to elicit rubbing behavior at both man-made and natural collection devices. We usedmitochondrial and nuclearDNA to determine whether collected hair samples were from coyote, wolf, or nontarget species. Both coyotes and wolves rubbed on man-made barbed surfaces but coyotes in Texas seldom rubbed on hanging barbed surfaces. Wolves in Montana showed a tendency to rub at stations where natural material collection devices (sticks …

Wild Dogma Ii: The Role And Implications Of Wild Dogma For Wild Dog Management In Australia., Benjamin L. Allen, Richard M. Engeman, Lee R. Allen

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

The studies of Allen (2011) and Allen et al. (2011) recently examined the methodology underpinning claims that dingoes provide net benefits to biodiversity by suppressing foxes and cats. They found most studies to have design flaws and/or observational methods that preclude valid interpretations from the data, describing most of the current literature as ‘wild dogma’. In this short supplement, we briefly highlight the roles and implications of wild dogma for wild dog management in Australia. We discuss nomenclature, and the influence that unreliable science can have on policy and practice changes related to apex predator management

Diseases And Parasites, Kurt C. Vercauteren, Tyler A. Campbell

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

No abstract provided.

Efficacy Of The Boar-Operated-System To Deliver Baits To Feral Swine., Tyler A. Campbell, David B. Long, Giovanna Massei

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

Feral swine (Sus scrofa) pose a significant disease threat to livestock and humans. Emerging technologies to reduce feral swine disease transmission risks include fertility control, vaccination, and toxicants. However, for these technologies to be appropriate for field application, a feral swine-specific oral delivery system is needed. We used two field trials to generate information related to appropriate field application of the Boar-Operated-System (BOSTM), an oral delivery system designed to provide bait access only to feral swine. Our objectives were to determine whether pre-baiting BOSTM units increased bait removal and to evaluate the proportion of feral swine and non-target animals that …

Conventional And Glyphosate-Resistant Maize Yields Across Plant Densities In Single- And Twin-Row Configurations, Kipling S. Balkcom, Jason L. Satterwhite, Francisco J. Arriaga, Andrew J. Price, Edzard Van Santen

United States Department of Agriculture-Agricultural Research Service / University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Faculty Publications

Maize (Zea mays L.) produced in narrow rows can increase yields and accelerate canopy closure. Costly equipment modifications make narrow rows impractical, but a twin-row configuration may boost production with fewer equipment modifications. Four field experiments were conducted to measure weed biomass, leaf area index (LAI), and yield for a conventional (CN) and a glyphosate-resistant (GR) hybrid across three plant densities (low 4.0–4.4 plants m⁻²; medium 5.9–6.4 plants m⁻²; and high 7.9–8.4 plants m⁻²) and two row configurations (single vs. twin) in a conservation tillage system during the 2005 growing season. The experimental design …

An Ideal Combination For Marine Turtle Conservation: Exceptional Nesting Season, With Low Nest Predation Resulting From Effective Low-Cost Predator Management, Richard M. Engeman, R. Erik Martin, John Woolard, Margo Stahl, Charles Pelizza, Anthony Duffiney, Bernice Constantin

United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services: Staff Publications

We examined impacts from effective predator management on nesting success of marine turtles in an exceptional nesting year at Hobe Sound National Wildlife Refuge, Florida, USA, a beach with a high density of nesting marine turtles that has a history of severe nest predation. Historically up to 95% of nests were predated, primarily by raccoons Procyon lotor and, more recently, armadillos Dasypus novemcinctus. Predator control was identified as the most important conservation tool for marine turtle reproduction. Predator management by refuge staff as ancillary duties typically only held predation levels to c. 50%. However, when experts in predator control …

Learning Gains And Response To Digital Lessons On Soil Genesis And Development, Martha Mamo, James A. Ippolito, Timothy A. Kettler, Ronald Reuter, Dennis L. Mccallister, Patricia Morner, Dann E. Husmann, Erin E. Blankenship

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Evolving computer technology is offering opportunities for new online approaches in teaching methods and delivery. Well-designed web-based (online) lessons should reinforce the critical need of the soil science discipline in today's food, energy, and environmental issues, as well as meet the needs of the diverse clientele with interest in agricultural and/ or environmental disciplines. The objectives of the project were to: (1) develop web-based lessons in soil genesis and development and (2) evaluate context-based case studies or application lessons (agronomic, environmental, and ecological situations) to teach soil genesis and development. Six principles lessons, along with three applications lessons, were developed …

Volume, Texture, And Molecular Mechanism Behind The Collapse Of Bread Made With Different Levels Of Hard Waxy Wheat Flours, Shivananda K. Garimella Purna, Rebecca A. Miller, Paul A. Seib, Robert A. Graybosch, Yong-Cheng Shi

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Physico-chemical properties of bread baked by partially replacing normal wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) flour (15, 30, and 45%) with two hard waxy wheat flours were investigated. Substitution with waxy wheat flour resulted in higher loaf volume and softer loaves. However, substitution at >30% resulted in excessive post-bake shrinkage and a ‘key-hole’ shape with an open crumb structure. Bread crumb microstructure indicated a loss of starch granule rigidity and fusing of starch granules. The cells in the interior of the bread did not become gas-continuous and as a result, shrunk as the loaf cooled. Soluble starch content was significantly higher in …

Biological Suppression Of Velvetleaf (Abutilon Theophrasti ) In An Eastern Nebraska Soil, Jane Okalebo, Gary Y. Yuen, Rhae A. Drijber, Erin E. Blankenship, Cafer Eken, John L. Lindquist

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Weed-suppressive soils contain naturally occurring microorganisms that suppress a weed by inhibiting its growth, development, and reproductive potential. Increased knowledge of microbe–weed interactions in such soils could lead to the identification of management practices that create or enhance soil suppressiveness to weeds. Velvetleaf death and growth suppression was observed in a research field (fieldA) that was planted with high populations of velvetleaf, which may have developed via microbial mediated plant–soil feedback. Greenhouse studies were conducted with soil collected from fieldA (soilA) to determine if it was biologically suppressive to velvetleaf. In one study, mortality of velvetleaf …

Switchgrass Contains Two Cinnamyl Alcohol Dehydrogenases Involved In Lignin Formation, Aaron J. Saathoff, Christian M. Tobias, Scott E. Sattler, Eric J. Haas, Paul Twigg, Gautam Sarath

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Lignin content of switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.), a bioenergy species, is a critical determinant of biomass quality since it can negatively impact conversion of biomass into liquid fuels via biochemical platforms. Cinnamyl alcohol dehydrogenase (CAD) is a key enzyme in lignin biosynthesis. Here, we have shown that cv. Kanlow switchgrass contains at least two closely related CAD genes (PviCAD1 and PviCAD2) that code for proteins containing highly conserved domains and residues that identify them as bona fide CADs. Both recombinant proteins displayed substrate kinetics consistent with their presumed role in cell wall lignification. Proteomic and immunoblotting detected …

The Spreading, Migration And Proliferation Of Mouse Mesenchymal Stem Cells Cultured Inside Hyaluronic Acid Hydrogels, Yuguo Lei, Shiva Gojgini, Jonathan Lam, Tatiana Segura

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Synthetic hydrogel scaffolds that can be used as culture systems that mimic the natural stem cell niche are of increased importance for stem cell biology and regenerative medicine. These artificial niches can be utilized to control the stem cell fate and will have potential applications for expanding/differentiating stem cells in vitro, delivering stem cells in vivo, as well as making tissue constructs. In this study, we synthesized hyaluronic acid (HA) hydrogels that could be degraded through a combination of cell-released enzymes and used them to culture mouse mesenchymal stem cells (mMSC). To form the hydrogels, HA was modified to contain …

Hyaluronic Acid And Fibrin Hydrogels With Concentrated Dna/ Pei Polyplexes For Local Gene Delivery, Yuguo Lei, Maha Rahim, Quinn Ng, Tatiana Segura

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Local delivery of DNA through a hydrogel scaffold would increase the applicability of gene therapy in tissue regeneration and cancer therapy. However, the delivery of DNA/cationic polymer nanoparticles (polyplexes) using hydrogels is challenging due to the aggregation and inactivation of polyplexes during their incorporation into hydrogel scaffolds. We developed a novel process (termed Caged Nanoparticle Encapsulation or CnE) to load concentrated and unaggregated nonviral gene delivery nanoparticles into various hydrogels. Previously, we showed that PEG hydrogels loaded with DNA/PEI polyplexes through this process were able to deliver genes both in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we found that …

Experimental Validation Of A Fundamental Model For Pcr Efficiency, Tobias M. Louw, Christine S. Booth, Elsje Pienaar, Joel R. Termaat, Scott E. Whitney, Hendrik J. Viljoen

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Recently a theoretical analysis of PCR efficiency has been published by Booth et al., (2010). The PCR yield is the product of three efficiencies: (i) the annealing efficiency is the fraction of templates that form binary complexes with primers during annealing, (ii)the polymerase binding efficiency is the fraction of binary complexes that bind to polymerase to form ternary complexes and (iii)the elongation efficiency is the fraction of ternary complexes that extend fully. Yield is controlled by the smallest of the three efficiencies and control could shift from one type of efficiency to another over the course of a PCR experiment. …

Could Metabolic Syndrome, Lipodystrophy, And Aging Be Mesenchymal Stem Cell Exhaustion Syndromes?, Eduardo Mansilla, Vanina Díaz Aquino, Daniel Zambón, Gustavo Horacio Marin, Karina Mártire, Gustavo Roque, Thomas Ichim, Neil H. Riordan, Amit Patel, Flavio Sturla, Gustavo F. Larsen, Rubén Spretz, Luis Núñez, Carlos Soratti, Ricardo Ibar, Michiel Van Leeuwen, José María Tau, Hugo Drago, Alberto Maceira

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

One of the most important and complex diseases ofmodern society is metabolic syndrome. This syndrome has not been completely understood, and therefore an effective treatment is not available yet. We propose a possible stem cell mechanism involved in the development ofmetabolic syndrome. This way of thinking lets us consider also other significant pathologies that could have similar etiopathogenic pathways, like lipodystrophic syndromes, progeria, and aging. All these clinical situations could be the consequence of a progressive and persistent stemcell exhaustion syndrome (SCES). Themain outcome of this SCES would be an irreversible loss of the effective regenerative mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) …

Improved Cellular Infiltration Into Nanofibrous Electrospun Crosslinked Gelatin Scaffolds Templated With Micrometer Sized Polyethylene Glycol Fibers, Maciej Skotak, Jorge Ragusa, Daniela Gonzalez, Anuradha Subramanian

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Gelatin-based nanofibrous scaffolds with a mean fiber diameter of 300 nm were prepared with and without micrometer-sized polyethylene glycol (PEG) fibers that served as sacrificial templates. Upon fabrication of the scaffolds via electrospinning, the gelatin fibers were crosslinked with glutaraldehyde, and the PEG templates were removed using tert-butanol to yield nanofibrous scaffolds with pore diameters ranging from 10 to 100 μm, as estimated with mercury intrusion porosimetry. Non-templated gelatin-based nanofibrous matrices had an average pore size of 1 μm. Fibroblasts were seeded onto both types of the gelatin-based nanfibrous surfaces and cultured for 14 days. For comparative purposes, chitosan-based and …

Functional Factor Viii Made With Von Willebrand Factor At High Levels In Transgenic Milk, Steven W. Pipe, Hongzhi Miao, Stephen P. Butler, Jennifer Calcaterra, William H. Velander

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Background—Current manufacturing methods for recombinant human Factor VIII (rFVIII) within mammalian cell cultures are inefficient which limit the abundance needed for affordable, worldwide treatment of hemophilia A. However, rFVIII has been expressed at very high levels by the transgenic mammary gland of mice, rabbits, sheep and pigs. Unfortunately, it is secreted into milk with low specific activity due in part to the labile, heterodimeric structure that results from furin processing of its B domain.

Objectives—To express biologically active rFVIII in the milk of transgenic mice through targeted bioengineering.

Methods—Transgenic mice were made with a mammary specific FVIII gene (226/N6) bioengineered …

Induction Of Tolerance By Oral Administration Of Factor Viii And Treatment Of Hemophila, Oral Alpan, Tirumalai Kamala, Polly Matzinger, William Hugold Velander

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Faculty Publications

Disclosed herein is a simple method for the treatment of antigen-deficiency diseases, by orally administering to a Subject a therapeutically effective amount of the deficient anti gen, wherein the antigen is not present in a liposome. In one embodiment, the method increases hemostasis in a subject having hemophilia A or B, by orally administering to the hemophiliac atherapeutically effective amount of the appropriate clotting factor other than in a liposome, Sufficient to induce oral tolerance and Supply exogenous clotting factor to the subject.

Process Development And Cgmp Manufacturing Of A Recombinant Ricin Vaccine: An Effective And Stable Recombinant Ricin A-Chain Vaccine—RveCTm, Michael M. Meagher, Javier G. Seravalli, S. Todd Swanson, Roger G. Ladd, Yogender P. Khasa, Mehmet Inan, Jay C. Harner, Scott K. Johnson, Kevin E. Van Cott, Changhong Lindsey, Robert Wannemacher, Leonard A. Smith

Papers in Biomolecular Engineering

Ricin is a potent toxin and a potential bioterrorism weapon with no specific countermeasures or vaccines available. The holotoxin is composed of two polypeptide chains linked by a single disulfide bond: the A-chain (RTA), which is an N-glycosidase enzyme, and the B-chain (RTB), a lectin polypeptide that binds galactosyl moieties on the surface of the mammalian target cells. Previously (McHugh et al.), a recombinant truncated form of RTA (rRTA1-33/ 44-198 protein, herein denoted RVEa^TM) expressed in Escherichia coli using a codon-optimized gene was shown to be non-toxic, stable, and protective against a ricin challenge in mice. Here, we …

Combined Optical And Acoustical Method For Determination Of Thickness And Porosity Of Transparent Organic Layers Below The Ultra-Thin Film Limit, Keith B. Rodenhausen Jr., Tadas Kasputis, Angela K. Pannier, J. Y. Gerasimov, R. Y. Lai, M. Solinsky, T. E. Tiwald, H. Wang, Amitabha Sarkar, Tino Hofmann, Natale J. Ianno, Mathias Schubert, Jennifer Y. Gerasimov

Papers in Biomolecular Engineering

Analysis techniques are needed to determine the quantity and structure of materials composing an organic layer that is below an ultra-thin film limit and in a liquid environment. Neither optical nor acoustical techniques can independently distinguish between thickness and porosity of ultra-thin films due to parameter correlation. A combined optical and acoustical approach yields sufficient information to determine both thickness and porosity. We describe application of the combinatorial approach to measure single or multiple organic layers when the total layer thickness is small compared to the wavelength of the probing light. The instrumental setup allows for simultaneous in situ spectroscopic …

The Composition And Origins Of Genomic Variation Among Individuals Of The Soybean Reference Cultivar Williams 82, William J. Haun, D. L. Hyten, Wayne W. Xu, Daniel J. Gerhardt, Thomas J. Albert, Todd Richmond, Jeffrey A. Jeddeloh, Gaofeng Jia, Nathan M. Springer, Carroll P. Vance, Robert M. Stupar

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Soybean (Glycine max) is a self-pollinating species that has relatively low nucleotide polymorphism rates compared with other crop species. Despite the low rate of nucleotide polymorphisms, a wide range of heritable phenotypic variation exists. There is even evidence for heritable phenotypic variation among individuals within some cultivars. Williams 82, the soybean cultivar used to produce the reference genome sequence, was derived from backcrossing a Phytophthora root rot resistance locus from the donor parent Kingwa into the recurrent parent Williams. To explore the genetic basis of intracultivar variation, we investigated the nucleotide, structural, and gene content variation of different …

Genome-Wide Association Analysis Identifies Candidate Genes Associated With Iron Deficiency Chlorosis In Soybean, Sujan Mamidi, Shireen Chikara, R. Jay Goos, D. L. Hyten, Deepti Annam, Samira Mafi Moghaddam, Rian K. Lee, P. B. Cregan, Phillip E. Mcclean

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Iron deficiency chlorosis (IDC) is a significant yield-limiting problem in several major soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] production regions in the United States. Soybean plants display a variety of symptoms that range from a slight yellowing of the leaf to interveinal chlorosis, to stunted growth that reduces yield. The objective of this analysis was to employ single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based genome-wide association mapping to uncover genomic regions associated with IDC tolerance. Two populations [2005 (n = 143) and 2006 (n = 141)] were evaluated in replicated, multilocation IDC trials. After controlling for population structure and individual relatedness, and selecting …

The Role Of Transition Metal Homeostasis In Plant Seed Development, Elsbeth L. Walker, Brian M. Waters

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. Used by permission.

Moving Magnesium In Plant Cells, Brian M. Waters

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Magnesium (Mg) is among the most abundant mineral elements in plants, yet the knowledge of which genes control its accumulation in specific tissues and organelles lags behind that of many other mineral elements. Only in recent years has identification of important molecular players begun to take shape. In this issue of New Phytologist, Conn et al. (pp. 583–594) shed additional light on two Mg transporters that play important roles in accumulation of Mg in leaf cell vacuoles. Using subcellular-level ion measurements on leaves, gene expression measurements after single-cell sampling, a genetic approach, and clever use of calcium (Ca) and …

Registration Of Seven Winter Wheat Germplasm Lines Carrying The Wsm1 Gene For Wheat Streak Mosaic Virus Resistance, Jasdeep S. Mutti, P. Stephen Baenziger, Robert A. Graybosch, Roy French, Kulvinder S. Gill

Department of Agronomy and Horticulture: Faculty Publications

Seven winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) germplasm lines carrying the Wsm1 gene conferring resistance to Wheat streak mosaic virus (WSMV)—Alliance-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-858, PI 653710), Arrowsmith-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-859, PI 653711), Goodstreak-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-860, PI 653712), Harry-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-861, PI 653713), Millennium-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-862, PI 653714), Wahoo-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-863, PI 653715), and Wesley-Wsm1 (Reg. No. GP-864, PI 653716)—were codeveloped by Washington State University, Pullman, WA; the University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE; and the USDA-ARS. These seven different winter wheat cultivars were selected to provide more sources of effective …

Biocomposites Developed Using Water-Plasticized Wheat Gluten As Matrix And Jute Fibers As Reinforcement, Narendra Reddy, Yiqi Yang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Biocomposites developed from wheat gluten using water without any chemicals as plasticizer and jute fibers as reinforcement have much better flexural and tensile properties than similar polypropylene composites reinforced with jute fibers. Wheat gluten is an inexpensive and abundant co-product derived from renewable resources and is biodegradable but non-thermoplastic. Previous attempts at developing biocomposites from wheat gluten have used plasticizers such as glycerol or chemical modifications to make gluten thermoplastic. However, plasticizers have a considerably negative effect on the mechanical properties of the composites and chemical modifications make wheat gluten less biodegradable, expensive and/or environmentally unfriendly. In the research reported, …

Corn Seed Spacing Uniformity As Affected By Seed Tube Condition, Michael F. Kocher, John M. Coleman, John A. Smith, Stephen D. Kachman

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Variation in corn seed spacing from a John Deere MaxEmerge^TM Plus Vacumeter planter was evaluated on the University of Nebraska Planter Test Stand in a laboratory setting for two seed tube conditions (new or worn) with two examples of corn seed shape (round or flat). Seed spacing uniformity was measured using three seed spacing uniformity parameters: Coefficient of Precision (CP3), ISO Multiples index, and ISO Miss index.

Differences were detected in all three seed spacing uniformity parameters due to the seed tube condition. The new seed tubes had better seed spacing uniformity than the worn seed tubes, within each …

Spatial Variability Of Field Machinery Use And Efficiency, Viacheslav I. Adamchuk, Robert Grisso, Michael F. Kocher

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

In site-specific crop management, It is a common practice to log the geographic coordinates of agricultural machinery measured using a global satellite navigation system (GNSS) such as the global positioning system (GPS). Yield, fertilizer application, and seed placement maps provide useful data for making agronomic decisions. However, the travel path itself reveals valuable information about machinery performance. Often, during field operations, odd field shapes, obstacles, or contour farming will require operators to increase the complexity of the machinery maneuvering. This usually reduces field efficiency. This chapter presents a methodology to parameterize the spatially variable characteristics of traffic patterns, and to …

Completely Biodegradable Soyprotein–Jute Biocomposites Developed Using Water Without Any Chemicals As Plasticizer, Narendra Reddy, Yiqi Yang

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Soyprotein–jute fiber composites developed using water without any chemicals as the plasticizer show much better flexural and tensile properties than polypropylene–jute composites. Co-products of soybean processing such as soy oil, soyprotein concentrate and soy protein isolates are inexpensive, abundantly available and are renewable resources that have been extensively studied as potential matrix materials to develop biodegradable composites. However, previous attempts on developing soy-based composites have either chemically modified the co-products or used plasticizers such as glycerol. Chemical modifications make the composites expensive and less environmentally friendly and plasticizers decrease the properties of the composites. In this research, soyprotein composites reinforced …

Verifying Power Claims Of High‐Power Agricultural Tractors Without A Pto To Sell In Nebraska, Michael F. Kocher, Viacheslav Adamchuk, John A. Smith, Roger M. Hoy

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Nebraska law requires the Nebraska Tractor Test Board of Engineers to compare results of the tests of an agricultural tractor model with the manufacturer's claims regarding power, fuel use, and other performance ratings in order to recommend a permit to sell that tractor model in the state. PTO tests are conducted to verify the manufacturer's PTO power and fuel claims for tractor models. In recent years, several tractor manufacturers have been producing models of large tractors either without a PTO or with a PTO not capable of transmitting the full engine power and, therefore, have chosen to advertise engine power. …

Evaluation Of Soil Salinity Leaching Requirement Guidelines, John Letey, Glenn J. Hoffman, Jan W. Hopmans, Stephen R. Grattan, Donald Louis Suarez, Dennis L. Corwin, Jim D. Oster, Laosheng Wu, Christopher Amrhein

Department of Agricultural and Biological Systems Engineering: Faculty Publications

Water for irrigation is a major limitation to agricultural production in many parts of the world. Use of waters with elevated levels of salinity is one likely option to meet the supply of increased demands. The sources of these waters include drainage water generated by irrigated agriculture, municipal wastewater, and poor quality groundwater. Soil salinity leaching requirements that were established several decades ago were based on steady-state conditions. Recently transient-state models have been developed that potentially can more correctly predict the dynamics of the chemical–physical–biological interactions in an agricultural system. The University of California Center for Water Resources appointed a …