All Creatures Great and Small #44

All Creatures Great and Small # 44

Beads

This paper examines the rich marine shell beads excavated from Liang Jon in East Kalimantan, Borneo. Results demonstrate marine species belonging to conical shells and shells with an opening along the side were targeted for the manufacture of beads. Whole shells indicate some onsite manufacture occurred, while patterns of wear and residues including pigments, suggest most beads originated from different varieties of objects brought to the site and maintained in different contexts of daily life. Assessment of this 16,700-year sequence provides a unique context for discussing collection, transport, manufacture, and use of marine shell beads; spanning the biogeographical change associated with sea level rise 11,700 years ago creating the island of Borneo. ://doi.org/10.1016/j.jas.2023.105840

Dung Beetles and Monkeys

In Borneo, several dung beetle species have been observed associated with arboreal monkeys, mostly in managed forests. doi: 10.3389/fevo.2023.1212879 (See section on Borneo)

Chemistry

The incorporation of everyday chemistry among the Malays into the chemistry courses at schools is advocated. For example, the making of dyes in the Malay world has possibilities in a chemistry course. DOI:10.29303/jppipa.v9i8.4300

Bornean Banded Langur

Top 25 critically endangered species. The objective of this current review is to compile the notable existing records concerning P. chrysomelas in Sarawak with the intention of enhancing scientific documentation. DOI: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.8313172

Sabah and Palm Oil

Sabah has nine palm oil refineries, with a processing capacity of 7.48 million tonnes per year, while two biodiesel factories are operating to produce 300,000 tonnes of biofuel per year. Construction of the Pan Borneo Highway connecting Sabah, Sarawak, Brunei and Kalimantan would enhance connectivity and transportation efficiency, including for oil palm products, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor.

Bidayuh Cancer

Naso-pharyngeal cancer among the Bidayuh remains the highest in the world, according to this 2023 study. Early screening and prevention strategies should be practiced by all Bidayuh. DOI:10.31557/APJCP.2023.24.8.2817

Bee Pollen

The results of the present study indicated that processed stingless bee pollen of Sarawak origin is a natural product that could last a long time at an ambient temperature of 25°C in addition to its good source of nutritional and bioactive compounds. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aspen.2023.102145

Dating Trees

Our results revealed that the Δ¹⁴C method may be used to date tropical secondary forests after disturbance with high accuracy, even in aseasonal tropical rainforest areas.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2023.121346

Covid

Bats containing the coronavirus have been tabulated in Sarawak. 38% of bats from the Wind Cave were positive. doi: 10.1002/vms3.1251

Coffee

The article focuses on the history of Liberica coffee cultivation among the Iban communities in the inland regions of Sarawak and Borneo. doi.org/10.3390/ICC2023-14849

Rabies

A patient in Sarawak survived rabies without neurological problems after being treated with intrathecal rabies immunoglobulin. http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-256408

Barbra Harrisson

Ms. Harrisson was a prominent part of the Sarawak Museum during the 1950’s and 1960’s. In a chapter in the book “Spaces of Care” Juno Salazar Parrenas presents a intriguing look at her efforts to save orphaned orangutans.

Orangutan

Our results imply that orangutan populations could grow and recover from recent declines across Borneo if further habitat loss within human-modified landscapes is minimized.doi.org/10.22541/au.169382404.49701088/v1

New Species

A new species of the Asian spider,Utivarachna Kishda, has been discovered in Borneo. /doi.org/10.11646/zootaxa.5343.1.3

Nusantara

This article describes the strategies and concepts underlying this new capital city of Nusantara to forge an extraordinary example of city development that brings together nature and city as one ecosystem by rooting to Indonesia’s nature and cultural heritage, and by adopting advanced smart technology as enablers to create a city for the future. https://so06.tci-thaijo.org/index.php/pub_jss/article/view/267041

Bungai Jarau

In ancient times, Bungai Jarau was used as a message tool . A messenger letter of the Iban people used Bungai Jarau to ask for help or to inform urgent news that befell the Iban longhouse. Bungai Jarau is created for defensive purposes prior to if the enemy wants to attack the longhouse. eISSN: 2589-7799 2023 August; 6 (10s2): 397-408

Submerged Lupar river

The depth of water and earth quake evidence on a submerged river on the Sunda shelf off of Sarawak. The depth ranges from 40 M at the mouth of the Lupar to 100 m at the edge of the shelf. DOI : https://doi.org/10.7186/wg492202301

Snakes and Parachuting Frogs

In this dissertation, the author found that when a species diversifies into two separate species, the predominant mode of diversification in whipsnakes and parachuting frogs, the parachuting frogs diversified in place on the islands of Sumatra and Borneo. http://hdl.handle.net/10106/31668

Red Sea Weed

The collection of red sea weed (red algae) off the coast of Borneo shows promise in the treatment of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease doi.org/10.1007/s13205-023-03725-6

Nest Predation in Birds

95% of nest predators occurred in the day light hours in the tropics. All of the predators ie snakes were visually oriented. The predation occurred in closed nests as opposed to open ones. Most predation occurred when the nests held hatchlings. This has implications for the evolution of parental care. doi.org/10.1093/ornithology/ukad047

Myleofibrosis in Sarawak

Myleofibrosis is a rare disease. 63 patients with the disease were studied in Sarawak. Various treatments were tried on the patients. It was found that the average survival rate was six years. DOI: 10.1177/20503121231194433

War and Southeast Asia

Dr. Ooi Keat Gin, a Southeast Asian scholar who moved from Penang to Brunei, has written a paper on “Armed Conflicts in Southeast Asia.” Its over 40 pages. Working Paper No. 74 Institute of Asian Studies, Universiti Brunei Darussalam. I have a copy

Horse Shoe Crabs

Suitable nursery habitat to support populations of juvenile horseshoe crabs is becoming threatened globally. We investigated body size structure, population cohort and ecological distribution of juvenile horseshoe crabs associated with a mudflat on Pulau Bedukang, in Brunei Bay. 10.13057/biodiv/d240829

Masked Palm Civet

The feeding habits and the passage of seeds through the gut are reported from Sabah. //doi.org/10.3106/ms2023-0007

Litsea Shrub

This shrub has a potential of producing a substance beneficial for diabetes treatment. Tropical Journal of Natural Product Research . Aug2023, Vol. 7 Issue 8, p3666-3670. 5p.

Fish

Mesh nets were used off the beach at Bintulu and another location at the Bintulu Water front. 24 species of fish were caught at both locations. These finding will help manage and conserve the fishing industry. Mal. J. Anim. Sci. 25(2): 53-61 December 2022