Domestication of Marama Bean in Arid Namibia: Challenges and Opportunities in a Climate Changing Agroecology

Tylosema esculentum (Burch.) A. Schreib. (Marama bean), referred to as marama in sections of this article, is an obligate outcrossing native plant with a yield potential of 2 ton/hectare which grows naturally in the deep sandy soils of the Kalahari Desert. It has adapted to the low precipitation levels in that agro-ecosystem. Marama serves as a staple food for the San and Bantus in that area. In Namibia, in the past you could find wild stands of marama in the Khomas region, Omaheke region, and the Otjozondjupa region without must struggle. It is renowned for its brown seeds, which are rich in high-quality oils and proteins. The tuberous root contains a significant amount of starch. The objective of domesticating orphaned marama is to provide farmers in this climate change-prone region with a viable alternative for food and nutrition security. This program, initiated in 2008 with an open-minded mindset, required swift implementation using harsh and occasionally unconventional methods. To introduce indigenous tools for resource-poor farmers, the domestication program prioritized the utilization of farmer-participatory methodologies. It was crucial to integrate old and new approaches to ensure learning from past and present experiences, leading to innovative solutions. There is little research and development of native crops in Africa because most of the currently cultivates crops were brought for use from abroad. Only a few numbers of indeginous African crops can be named. The arid Kalahari region, susceptible to climate change, necessitates the revival of indigenous crops like marama, which are resilient and well-adapted to the region’s conditions and have thrived for centuries. In many discussions regarding the health and nutrition of Africa, the recommendation to consume traditional foods to avoid exposure to modern foods, which may not be genetically compatible, is frequently emphasized. Regardless of their validity, these opinions must be acknowledged, and steps need to be taken to ensure a positive legacy for future generations. However, this chapter will address the limitations and challenges that exist in this regard. This article will summarize the progress made in the domestication program of the marama bean in Namibia thus far. Furthermore, this article will highlight the challenges that have been faced during the domestication journey for marama bean and other orphaned crops. The domestication program commenced with a broad germplasm collection, characterization, and preselection for breeding. Crop selection in this program was influenced by climate change-related concerns of shorter and uncertain rain seasons, and recurrent droughts. Selection included but was not limited to identifying marama genotypes with superior characteristics, early germination and many seeds per pod were among some of the identified and selected characteristics. The Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) has compiled a list of potential marama bean varieties and is currently testing marama seeds in anticipation of their introduction as a new crop alternative with good adaptation to the effects of climate change, since conventional crops like maize underperform due to persistent droughts. Marama bean, if properly developed, holds significant potential to address issues of hunger and malnutrition in arid regions of Southern Africa and other similar territories. The findings presented here are the result of ongoing field research and experiments conducted at multiple sites using superior marama bean varieties.

The Application of the Domestication and Foreignization Translation Strategies in the Context of the Dissemination of Chinese Culture:A Case Study of the English Translation of Long

In January 2024,the Chinese Year of the Loong,how to translate the Chinese character Long went viral on the Internet.Taking the English translation of Long as an example,this study tends to make a tentative analysis of the application of translation strategies in the macro context of the dissemination of Chinese culture.Moreover,it probes into the phenomenon of Chinese cultural aphasia by analyzing the domestication and foreignization of Long in three aspects.The three attitudes provided ought to be addressed in the Chinese-English translations.This study emphasizes enhancing translators’cultural awareness and their cultural confidence in the process of translating the source language to the target language.

The Translation and Introduction of Chinese Myth in English World

Different from Greek myth,Chinese myth is scattered among many kinds of ancient books such as The Classic of Mountains and Seas,Chuci,Huainanzi,etc.There is no Chinese classic that records mythology like the Odyssey and Iliad.After the 20th century,Chinese scholars began to collect and study myths.In the English world,missionaries began to translate and introduce Chinese myths from the middle and late 19th century,and then Chinese scholars and sinologists have been translating and introducing Chinese myths.At present,the English translation of Chinese mythology has made a lot of achievements,but there are also many misunderstandings.This paper explores the current situation of the English translation of Chinese mythology by analyzing several well-known translations.

Research on the Evaluation of the Implementation Effect of Curriculum Examination Reform: Taking the Course of “Introduction to Language” as an Example

“Introduction to Language,”as the core course of the English major,mainly reveals the basic laws of language,enabling the students to have the ability to apply linguistic theories to explain language phenomena and solve specific language problems.This course is highly theoretical and has a certain degree of difficulty.The evaluation of student grades has always been based on examination reform,but several problems have been encountered during the implementation process.This article analyzes the current situation of the reform and implementation of the“Introduction to Language”course examination in applied universities and puts forth suggestions and specific measures to improve the assessment of the course,aiming to enhance the teaching effectiveness of the course and scientifically and comprehensively evaluate students’abilities.

A Study of English Grammar Teaching and Cultural Introduction from the Perspective of Applied Linguistics

Grammar teaching is the main content of university English teaching,and the quality of teaching will affect the effect of university talent cultivation.Based on the perspective of applied linguistics,it is crucial to use cultural introduction teaching for English grammar teaching.This paper will combine the basic concepts of applied linguistics and cultural introduction teaching,analyze the role of using the cultural introduction teaching method to innovate grammar teaching mode under the perspective of applied linguistics,and put forward a scientific English grammar teaching strategy with the goal of improving teaching quality.

Reform and Practice of the Course“Introduction to Computer Science”in Universities Based on the Cultivation of Computational Thinking and Systematic Abilities

Introduction to Computer Science,as one of the fundamental courses in computer-related majors,plays an important role in the cultivation of computer professionals.However,traditional teaching models and content can no longer fully meet the needs of modern information technology development.In response to these issues,this article introduces the concept of computational creative thinking,optimizes course content,adopts exploratory teaching methods,and innovates course assessment methods,aiming to comprehensively enhance students’computational thinking and innovative abilities.By continuously improving and promoting this teaching model,it will undoubtedly promote computer education in universities to a new level.

Efficiency and effectiveness of systems for the treatment of domestic wastewater based on subsurface flow constructed wetlands in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic

Constructed wetlands(CwW)are well known nature-based systems for water treatment.This study evaluated the efficiency and effectiveness of seven domestic wastewater treatment systems based on horizontal flow CWs in Jarabacoa,the Dominican Republic.The results showed that the CWs were efficient in reducing the degree of contamination of wastewater to levels below the Dominican wastewater discharge standards for parameters such as the 5-day biochemical oxygen demand(BOD5)and chemical oxygen demand,but not for the removal of phosphorus and fecal coliforms.In addition,a horizontal flow subsurface wetland in the peri-urban area El Dorado was evaluated in terms of the performance of wastewater treatment in tropical climatic conditions.The concentrations of heavy metals,such as zinc,copper,chromium,and iron,were found to decrease in the effluent of the wetland,and the concentrations for nickel and manganese tended to increase.The levels of heavy metals in the effluent were lower than the limit values of the Dominican wastewater discharge standards.The construction cost of these facilities was around 200 USD per population equivalent,similar to the cost in other countries in the same region.This study suggested some solutions to the improved performance of CWs:selection of a microbial flora that guarantees the reduction of nitrates and nitrites to molecular nitrogen,use of endemic plants that bioaccumulate heavy metals,combination of constructed wetlands with filtration on activated carbon,and inclusion of water purification processes that allow to evaluate the reuse of treated water.

Introduction of monkeypox virus in Benin,2022

Dear Editor,Monkeypox is an infectious disease that is endemic in a dozen of African countries.Some imported cases have been also reported outside of Africa in the past[1].Since early May 2022,monkeypox infections including human-to-human transmission,were reported in a multi-country outbreak in non-endemic countries and declared Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC)by the World Health Organization(WHO)in July 2022[2].As of 20 September 2022,a total of at least 62,798 human cases of monkeypox with 20 deaths have been confirmed in 115 countries in five WHO regions[3].

The prevalence of deleterious mutations during the domestication and improvement of soybean

Soybean(Glycine max L.)is a protein and oil crop grown worldwide.Its fitness may be reduced by deleterious mutations,whose identification and purging is desirable for crop breeding.In the published whole-genome re-sequenced data of 2214 soybean accessions,including 221 wild soybean,1132 landrace cultivars and 861 improved soybean lines,we identified 115,275 deleterious single-nucleotide polymorphisms(SNPs).Numbers of deleterious alleles increased from wild soybeans to landraces and decreased from landraces to modern improved lines.Genes in selective-sweep regions showed fewer deleterious mutations than the remaining genes.Deleterious mutations explained 4.3%-48%more phenotypic variation than randomly selected SNPs for resistance to soybean cyst nematode race 2(SCN2),soybean cyst nematode race 3(SCN3)and soybean mosaic virus race 3(SMV3).These findings illustrate how mutation load has shifted during soybean domestication,expansion and improvement and provide candidate sites for breeding out deleterious mutations in soybean by genome editing and/or conventional breeding focused on the selection of progeny with fewer deleterious alleles.

Analysis of Domestication and Foreignization in Chinese-English Subtitle Translation——A Case Study of Hi,Mom

In recent years,with the booming development of the film industry,film subtitles play an increasingly important role in modern society.As one of the key links in cross-cultural communication,the quality of film subtitle translation affects the box office and viewing experience.Hi,Mom,a Chinese comedy based on the theme of mother’s love,which topped China’s box office during the Chinese New Year in 2021 and ascended to the third place in the global box office,high-quality subtitle translation is indispensable to its success.This paper discusses the subtitle translation of the film Hi,Mom based on the domestication and foreignization perspectives,so as to provide a reference for the Chinese-English translation of Chinese film.

Effects of Scarification and Substrates on Seed Germination Quality for Domestication of Stereospermum kunthianum(Bignoniaceae)

The demand for medicinal plants at the origin of phyto-drugs,like all ethnobotanical plants,threatens their existence today.The aim of this work was to determine suitable methods for optimizing the possibilities of regenerating Stereospermum kunthianum.To achieve this objective,3 levels of mechanical scarification(light scarification,medium scarification and deep scarification)were applied to the seeds of this species using a rough instrument,and 5 days after germination,the seedlings were transplanted into 5 types of substrate to study their effects on seedling growth.The length of the seedlings was measured using a graduated ruler.The results obtained showed that the best latency time was 2 days for average seed scarifications.The highest germination half-time was 4.00±0.06 days observed for average seed scarification,the highest germination speed was 22.50±1.00 and the highest germination rate was 100.00%±0.00%for average scarification.The homogeneous substrate mixes black earth/woodsilk and Fine sand/woodsilk were more effective for seedling growth(1.9 cm/day in the juvenile state)and development.Medium seed scarification is the most effective method for regenerating Stereospermum kunthianum,and the black earth/wood shavings substrate mix is the best for its cultivation.

Lead, Zinc and Iron Pollutants Load Assessment in Selected Rivers in Southern Nigeria: Implications for Domestic Uses

The aim of the study is to comparatively assess the concentrations of lead, zinc and iron in Rivers Ase, Warri and Ethiope, in Nigeria. Monthly water samples were collected from six randomly selected sites along the rivers course. 72 water samples were collected from each river at 0 - 15 cm depths. Samples were analysed based on the standard methods recommended by the WHO for testing lead, zinc and iron. The assessment of the water quality was done using the Water Quality Index (WQI) of the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment (CCME-WQI). While hypotheses were tested using ANOVA. Findings indicated that CCME-WQI values were 47.3, 66.52 and 78.7. This meant that the water quality of River Ase is impaired and departed from desirable levels, while that of Warri and Ethiope were considered to occasionally be impaired and depart from desirable levels. The ANOVA model showed that there is a significant variation in heavy metal load in the selected rivers at P < 0.05. River water was put to domestic uses such as drinking (20.5%) preparing food (17.8%), bathing (19.8%), washing clothes and dishes (21.3%), brushing teeth (13.3%), and catering for domestic animals (7.5%). Poverty (49.5%) was the major reason for the use of river water for domestic purposes. The locals highlighted that they usually suffer from cholera (26.8%), diarrhoea (25.8%), dysentery (24%) and typhoid (23.5%) as a result of using the river water. The study recommended routine monitoring of anthropogenic and geologic activities, testing of the water regularly amongst others.

On the “Online and Offline Blended Teaching” Mode for Ideological and Political Theory Courses in Universities—A Case of “Introduction to Basic Principles of Marxism”

With the deepening development of educational informatization, online and offline blended teaching, as a new teaching mode, is increasingly receiving widespread attention from educators [1]. At present, the reform of the “online and offline blended teaching” of ideological and political education courses directly affects the quality of talent cultivation in universities. The article takes the course “Introduction to Basic Principles of Marxism” as an example to explore the reform mode of “online and offline blended teaching” in ideological and political theory courses in universities from the aspects of reasonable allocation of class hours, design of online teaching activities, how to deepen classroom teaching offline, and diversified assessment modes. Furthermore, the article summarizes the experience of mode reform and promotes the deep development of the people-oriented education concept in ideological and political courses in universities, so as to achieve the ultimate goal of moral education in ideological and political education in universities.

Significant genomic introgression from grey junglefowl(Gallus sonneratii)to domestic chickens(Gallus gallus domesticus)

Background Chicken is one of the most numerous and widely distributed species around the world,and many studies support the multiple ancestral origins of domestic chickens.The research regarding the yellow skin phenotype in domestic chickens(regulated by BCO2)likely originating from the grey junglefowl serves as crucial evidence for demonstrating the multiple origins of chickens.However,beyond the BCO2 gene region,much remains unknown about the introgression from the grey junglefowl into domestic chickens.Therefore,in this study,based on wholegenome data of 149 samples including 4 species of wild junglefowls and 13 local domestic chicken breeds,we explored the introgression events from the grey junglefowl to domestic chickens.Results We successfully detected introgression regions besides BCO2,including two associated with growth trait(IGFBP2 and TKT),one associated with angiogenesis(TIMP3)and two members of the heat shock protein family(HSPB2 and CRYAB).Our findings suggest that the introgression from the grey junglefowl may impact the growth performance of chickens.Furthermore,we revealed introgression events from grey junglefowl at the BCO2 region in multiple domestic chicken breeds,indicating a phenomenon where the yellow skin phenotype likely underwent strong selection and was retained.Additionally,our haplotype analysis shed light on BCO2 introgression event from different sources of grey junglefowl into domestic chickens,possibly suggesting multiple genetic flows between the grey junglefowl and domestic chickens.Conclusions In summary,our findings provide evidences of the grey junglefowl contributing to the genetic diversity of domestic chickens,laying the foundation for a deeper understanding of the genetic composition within domestic chickens,and offering new perspectives on the impact of introgression on domestic chickens.

Problems and Strategies:A Case Study of Translation of the Introduction of Xianda College of Economics and Humanities,SISU

The present paper takes the English translation of the introduction of Xianda College of Economics and Humanities,SISU as an example to explore the translation problems of proper nouns and differences in English and Chinese language expressions in the construction of English introductions in Chinese institutions of higher education with the intention to propose corresponding solutions.It is hoped that this paper will provide some tips for the English translation of international publicity materials for other institutions of higher education.

Effect of Micro-electrolysis and Micro-nano Bubbles Coupled with Peroxymonosulfate Treatment of Rural Domestic Sewage

With the continuous deepening of rural revitalization strategy and the increasingly strict sewage discharge standards,rural domestic sewage treatment technology is facing higher challenges and requirements.The combined process of micro-electrolysis+micro-nano bubbles coupled with peroxymonosulfate was constructed in this study,and the treatment effect and application value of this technology were explored with the actual rural domestic sewage as the treatment object.The experimental results showed that under the conditions of HRT of 120 min,PMS dosage of 0.15 mmol/L,pH=7,MBs air intake of 15 ml/min,current intensity of 15 A,and Fe/C mass ratio of 1:1,the removal rates of COD,ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus can reach 88.55%,77.18%and 74.67%,respectively.Under the condition that the pH value of sewage was not adjusted,the non-biochemical simultaneous decarbonization,denitrification and phosphorus removal of rural domestic sewage can be achieved by micro-electrolysis and micro-nano bubbles coupled with peroxymonosulfate.The concentrations of effluent COD,ammonia nitrogen and total phosphorus met the requirements of the first level standard of the Discharge Standard of Water Pollutants for Rural Domestic Sewage Treatment Facilities(DB45T2413-2021).And the comprehensive operating cost was about 1.15 yuan/m 3.

Analysis of the Effect and Influencing Factors of Rural Domestic Sewage Treatment Based on A^(2)O-MBBR Integrated Process

[Objectives] This study was conducted to solve the prominent problems in the treatment of domestic sewage in southern rural areas of China. [Methods] An integrated process treatment mode of anaerobic/anoxic/aerobic moving bed biofilm reactor (A 2O-MBBR) was proposed to analyze and study its operating effect and influencing factors. [Results] The A^(2)O-MBBR mode had good COD removal efficiency and nitrogen and phosphorus removal performance, and the water quality index of the effluent met the Class A standard of GB181918-2002. This mode is suitable for treating rural domestic sewage, and has high treatment effects in different operating periods. In spring, the average removal rates of COD, NH_(4)^(+)-N, TN, TP and SS reached (83.53 ± 2.15)%, (89.44 ± 4.97)%, (67.36±18.53)%, (88.22±11.21)% and (91.73±2.25)%, respectively;In the autumn period, the average removal rates of COD, NH_(4)^(+)-N, TN, TP and SS were (83.49±2.64)%, (89.26±9.19)%, (66.05±17.00)%, (87.48±9.68)%, and (91.13±2.35)%. [Conclusions] This study provides theoretical reference and technical support for the popularization and application of A^(2)O-MBBR integrated process.

Go-Ahead Element of Domestic Architecture:Socio-Economic and Cultural Characteristics of the Residents in Benin

The domestic architecture of a traditional settlement is greatly influenced by the socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics of its residents.Benin City which is the focus of the paper is a case of a traditional settlement undergoing domestic architectural evolution with the changing times influenced by factors of growth and development.The paper has examined the effect of socio-economic and socio-cultural characteristics as factors that partly determine the design,style,pattern,space use,organization,location and meaning as well as land use of the domestic architecture of Benin.The study employed the use of questionnaire administered to residents across the cross-section of the city.In the end,descriptive frequency tables were used to analyse the data collected from the residential zones in Benin.The research has been able to corroborate the theory that socio-economic and socio-cultural factors are some of the determinants/elements of domestic architecture of a people.

Developing Operational Model for Heat Pumps as Space Heating and Domestic Hot Water Provider

In the United Kingdom, means of meeting domestic heating is being electrified to decarbonise in effort to reduce the greenhouse gases emissions from the burning of natural gas. Therefore, the uptake of heat pumps is on the increase. The operation and working principle of heat pumps must be well understood in the investigations of their impacts on the grid and the grid assets, especially distribution transformers which could be overloaded due to higher peak load demand. This work develops an operational model of heat pumps as combined space heating and domestic hot water provider implemented in MATLAB. The developed operational model of heat pumps is adaptable and repeatable for different input parameters. The developed model is used to generate daily average demand profiles of heat pumps for a typical winter weekday and a typical summer weekday. The generated demand profiles of heat pumps by the developed model compared well with the demand profiles of heat pumps generated from actual field projects which are usually expensive and time-tasking.

The Criminal Governance Model of Domestic Violence and Its Legislative Improvement

Domestic violence is a serious threat to the basic human rights of family members,especially victimized women.In order to effectively prevent domestic violence,the criminal law needs to respond in an appropriate and timely manner.However,the traditional criminal governance model suffers from the problem of the lagging involvement of public power.At the same time,the public-private partnership governance model,based on the personal safety protection order system stipulated in the Anti-domestic Violence Law of the People's Republic of China,is also flawed in its institutional design and specific implementation.The criminal governance model for domestic violence should be guided by the view of positive criminal law,and the governance path should be furtheroptimized from two aspects:strengthening the foundation of the public-private cooperation governance model and deepeningthe criminal-civil interface.This will help to fully protect the legitimate rights and interests of victims of domestic violence.