Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 52 in total

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  1. Managing cancer using community participatory approach
    Khalib Abdul Latiff
    Journal of Health Management, 2008;4(1):10-14.
    MyJurnal
    Researchers all over the world have continuously contributed knowledge on common human cancers and its related risks. Despite these mountains of information, the trend of cancer problems has not significantly declined and perhaps in certain occasion, it gradually increased affecting those who are previously known to be less risky'. Cancer is still identified to be one of the top leading killer worldwide and is also the main source of psychosocial burden of the community particularly to the caregiver' Its problems are expected to be further increased as human beings are constantly modified and manipulated by unpredictable and dynamic human activities and globalization phenomena. Furthermore, the current advances in cancer therapy and others clinical interventions are not always guaranteed of a permanent cure, improve survival or prognosis, sustainable compliances, prolonging life and improving quality of life, thus the mortality and its associated biological and management complications are still prevalence. (Copied from article).
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  2. Fulltext Hydrological responses to climate and land use change at watershed scale_ Malaysia
    Mahboubeh Ebrahimian, Ahmad Ainuddin Nuruddin, Mohd Amin Mohd Soom, Alias Mohd Sood, Liew Juneng
    The Pertanika Journal of Scholarly Research Reviews, 2017;3(2):10-32.
    MyJurnal
    The hydrological effects of climate variation and land use conversion can occur at various spatial scales, but the most important sources of these changes are at the regional or watershed scale. In addition, the managerial and technical measures are primarily implemented at local and watershed scales in order to mitigate adverse impacts of human activities on the renewable resources of the watershed. Therefore, quantitative estimation of the possible hydrological consequences of potential land use and climate changes on hydrological regime at watershed scale is of tremendous importance. This paper focuses on the impacts of climate change as well as land use change on the hydrological processes of river basin based on pertinent published literature which were precisely scrutinized. The various causes, forms, and consequences of such impacts were discussed to synthesize the key findings of literature in reputable sources and to identify gaps in the knowledge where further research is required. Results indicate that the watershed-scale studies were found as a gap in tropical regions. Also, these studies are important to facilitate the application of results to real environment. Watershed scale studies are essential to measure the extent of influences made to the hydrological conditions and understanding of causes and effects of climate variation and land use conversion on hydrological cycle and water resources.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  3. Fulltext Incremental Learning of Human Activities in Smart Homes
    Chua SL, Foo LK, Guesgen HW, Marsland S
    Sensors (Basel), 2022 Nov 03;22(21).
    PMID: 36366154 DOI: 10.3390/s22218458
    Sensor-based human activity recognition has been extensively studied. Systems learn from a set of training samples to classify actions into a pre-defined set of ground truth activities. However, human behaviours vary over time, and so a recognition system should ideally be able to continuously learn and adapt, while retaining the knowledge of previously learned activities, and without failing to highlight novel, and therefore potentially risky, behaviours. In this paper, we propose a method based on compression that can incrementally learn new behaviours, while retaining prior knowledge. Evaluation was conducted on three publicly available smart home datasets.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities*
  4. Fulltext Luminescent bacterial testing for monitoring hydrocarbon bioremediation – a review
    Maryam, Z.
    Journal of Biochemistry, Microbiology and Biotechnology, 2015;3(2):13-20.
    MyJurnal
    Human activities in a large array of industrial and agricultural sectors produce chemical contaminants which are chiefly hydrocarbons of various types that are potentially toxic and carcinogenic to aquatic and terrestrial organisms. Globally, millions of tons of these pollutants are generated annually, and in some areas, they are released indiscriminately to the environment. In order to overcome this problem, microbiological decontamination or bioremediation has been suggested. Bioremediation has been argued to be an efficient, economic, and adaptable alternative to physicochemical remediation. However, to date, such claims of successful bioremediation are often not supported by evidence from toxicity studies. In this regard, luminescent bacteria have been employed in some hydrocarbon remediation experiments to denote reduction in toxicity. In this review, the utilization of luminescence bacteria as toxicity monitoring agent for hydrocarbon remediation is discussed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  5. Fulltext Native diversity buffers against severity of non-native tree invasions
    Delavaux CS, Crowther TW, Zohner CM, Robmann NM, Lauber T, van den Hoogen J, et al.
    Nature, 2023 Sep;621(7980):773-781.
    PMID: 37612513 DOI: 10.1038/s41586-023-06440-7
    Determining the drivers of non-native plant invasions is critical for managing native ecosystems and limiting the spread of invasive species1,2. Tree invasions in particular have been relatively overlooked, even though they have the potential to transform ecosystems and economies3,4. Here, leveraging global tree databases5-7, we explore how the phylogenetic and functional diversity of native tree communities, human pressure and the environment influence the establishment of non-native tree species and the subsequent invasion severity. We find that anthropogenic factors are key to predicting whether a location is invaded, but that invasion severity is underpinned by native diversity, with higher diversity predicting lower invasion severity. Temperature and precipitation emerge as strong predictors of invasion strategy, with non-native species invading successfully when they are similar to the native community in cold or dry extremes. Yet, despite the influence of these ecological forces in determining invasion strategy, we find evidence that these patterns can be obscured by human activity, with lower ecological signal in areas with higher proximity to shipping ports. Our global perspective of non-native tree invasion highlights that human drivers influence non-native tree presence, and that native phylogenetic and functional diversity have a critical role in the establishment and spread of subsequent invasions.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  6. Individuals in urban dwelling primate species face unequal benefits associated with living in an anthropogenic environment
    Marty PR, Balasubramaniam KN, Kaburu SSK, Hubbard J, Beisner B, Bliss-Moreau E, et al.
    Primates, 2020 Mar;61(2):249-255.
    PMID: 31773350 DOI: 10.1007/s10329-019-00775-4
    In primates, living in an anthropogenic environment can significantly improve an individual's fitness, which is likely attributed to access to anthropogenic food resources. However, in non-professionally provisioned groups, few studies have examined whether individual attributes, such as dominance rank and sex, affect primates' ability to access anthropogenic food. Here, we investigated whether rank and sex explain individual differences in the proportion of anthropogenic food consumed by macaques. We observed 319 individuals living in nine urban groups across three macaque species. We used proportion of anthropogenic food in the diet as a proxy of access to those food resources. Males and high-ranking individuals in both sexes had significantly higher proportions of anthropogenic food in their diets than other individuals. We speculate that unequal access to anthropogenic food resources further increases within-group competition, and may limit fitness benefits in an anthropogenic environment to certain individuals.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  7. Fulltext Orangutans venture out of the rainforest and into the Anthropocene
    Spehar SN, Sheil D, Harrison T, Louys J, Ancrenaz M, Marshall AJ, et al.
    Sci Adv, 2018 06;4(6):e1701422.
    PMID: 29963619 DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701422
    Conservation benefits from understanding how adaptability and threat interact to determine a taxon's vulnerability. Recognizing how interactions with humans have shaped taxa such as the critically endangered orangutan (Pongo spp.) offers insights into this relationship. Orangutans are viewed as icons of wild nature, and most efforts to prevent their extinction have focused on protecting minimally disturbed habitat, with limited success. We synthesize fossil, archeological, genetic, and behavioral evidence to demonstrate that at least 70,000 years of human influence have shaped orangutan distribution, abundance, and ecology and will likely continue to do so in the future. Our findings indicate that orangutans are vulnerable to hunting but appear flexible in response to some other human activities. This highlights the need for a multifaceted, landscape-level approach to orangutan conservation that leverages sound policy and cooperation among government, private sector, and community stakeholders to prevent hunting, mitigate human-orangutan conflict, and preserve and reconnect remaining natural forests. Broad cooperation can be encouraged through incentives and strategies that focus on the common interests and concerns of different stakeholders. Orangutans provide an illustrative example of how acknowledging the long and pervasive influence of humans can improve strategies to preserve biodiversity in the Anthropocene.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  8. Fulltext Fractionation of as, co, cu and zn by sequential extraction in surface sediment of Kuala Terengganu river estuary
    Muhammad Nazirul Mubin Abd Halim Shah, Lee, Siang Hing, Mohd Yusoff Nurulnadia, Meng, Chuan Ong
    Malaysian Journal of Applied Sciences, 2020;5(2):57-68.
    MyJurnal
    Development and urbanization processes around Terengganu River estuary are expected to release a significant amount of heavy metals into the existing surface sediment. However, information on how and why these metals are attached into specific fraction of sediments is still lacking. Therefore, this study aimed to explain the heavy metal concentration distribution in each available fraction in Terengganu River estuary. In this study, nine surface sediments originated from various human activities area in Terengganu River estuary were collected during four different sampling sessions in 2017. Heavy metal content from the collected sediments were extracted using 3-steps BCR sequential extraction method followed by detection using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass-Spectrometer (ICP-MS) and we discovered that the total concentration of arsenic (As), cobalt (Co), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn) ranged from 2.18 to 17.48 mg/kg dry wt., 2.53 to 20.53 mg/kg dry wt., 1.01 to 13.13 mg/kg dry wt., and 6.10 to 65.71 mg/kg dry wt., respectively. Dominance of metals in each fraction can be arranged as follows: As: residual > reducible > exchangeable > oxidizable; Co: residual > exchangeable > reducible > oxidizable; Cu: residual > oxidizable > reducible > exchangeable; Zn: residual > exchangeable > reducible > oxidizable. Availability of metals in the sediment at Terengganu River estuary is limited since that majority of metals resides in non-mobilisable fraction of the sediment. In essence, the sequential extraction provides information regarding the metals’ fractionation, availability and mobility, which could be used in assessing the environmental contamination in the area.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  9. Fulltext Phylogenetic Relatedness of Several Agarwood-Producing Taxa (Thymelaeaceae) from Indonesia
    Lee SY, Turjaman M, Mohamed R
    Trop Life Sci Res, 2018 Jul;29(2):13-28.
    PMID: 30112138 MyJurnal DOI: 10.21315/tlsr2018.29.2.2
    Indonesia is home to several tree taxa that are harvested for agarwood. This highly valuable oleoresin ironically was the cause for some species to become vulnerable due to gluttonous human activity. However, information on the genetic diversity of these endangered trees is limited. In this study, 28 specimens representing eight species from two genera, Aquilaria and Gyrinops, were collected from ex-situ and in-situ populations in Indonesia. Phylogenetic analysis conducted on DNA sequences of the nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) and the trnL-trnF intergenic spacer regions, revealed that Aquilaria and Gyrinops are paraphyletic when Aquilaria cumingiana is excluded. The phylogenetic analysis for ITS and trnL-trnF showed capability to categorise agarwood-producing species based on their regions: East Indonesia and West Indonesia, using Wallace's Line as the divider. In addition, we discuss challenges in species identification and taxonomy of agarwood-producing genera, and their conservation efforts in Indonesia.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  10. Fulltext Impact of climate change on water resources: global and Malaysian scenarios
    Mohd Armi, A.S., Afiza, A.S., Mohd Ramzi, A.
    ASM Science Journal, 2012;6(2):149-151.
    MyJurnal
    Over the last century, the earth’s climate has changed. It is a serious global, long-term problem which involves complex interactions. A lot of evidence suggests that most of the observed factors contributing to the crisis over the last 50 years can be attributed to human activities. Malaysia has always been vulnerable to extreme climatic events such as typhoons, floods and drought. We expect climate change to exacerbate these vulnerabilities. To ensure, that our water resources will always be secure and ready for use. We need to create awareness in the public and the policy makers so that they will acknowledge that the climate change issue is real. They also need to accept that actions to adapt with our vulnerabilities should be immediately put in place. We can do this by integrating the various sector policies and securing the participation of all stakeholders in Malaysia and other countries.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  11. Fulltext Heavy metals (mercury, arsenic, cadmium, plumbum) in selected marine fish and shellfish along the Straits of Malacca
    Alina, M., Azrina, A., Mohd Yunus, A.S., Mohd Zakiuddin, S., Mohd Izuan Effendi, H., Muhammad Rizal, R.
    International Food Research Journal, 2012;19(1):135-140.
    MyJurnal
    Level of heavy metals in marine ecosystem has been intensively studied during recent years as these hazardous substances could be accumulated in the biota. Generally, the presence of contaminants in fish is a result of human activities such as industrial and agricultural wastes. In this study, the marine fish and shellfish from the Straits of Malacca were analyzed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrophotometer (ICP-OES) and Flow Injection Mercury System (FIMS) for Cd, As and Pb and Hg, respectively. The Straits of Malacca is one of the busiest shipping routes in the world that make the level of heavy metals potentially high besides the various industrial activities along the west region of Peninsular Malaysia. The range of heavy metals in samples were 1.0-3-6.5-3 µg/ g wet sample for Hg, 0.5-2-47-2 µg/ g wet sample for Cd, 0.01-0.39 µg/ g wet sample for Pb and 0.14-6.57 µg/ g wet sample for As. Most part of the values was below the permitted limit set by FAO/WHO 2004 as well as Food Act 1983 and Food Regulations 1985. Therefore it can be generalized that fish and shellfish from the Straits of Malacca are safe to consume in terms of these heavy metals concentrationand do not constitute a risk for human health.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  12. Fulltext Forest contraction in north equatorial Southeast Asia during the Last Glacial Period
    Wurster CM, Bird MI, Bull ID, Creed F, Bryant C, Dungait JA, et al.
    Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A, 2010 Aug 31;107(35):15508-11.
    PMID: 20660748 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1005507107
    Today, insular Southeast Asia is important for both its remarkably rich biodiversity and globally significant roles in atmospheric and oceanic circulation. Despite the fundamental importance of environmental history for diversity and conservation, there is little primary evidence concerning the nature of vegetation in north equatorial Southeast Asia during the Last Glacial Period (LGP). As a result, even the general distribution of vegetation during the Last Glacial Maximum is debated. Here we show, using the stable carbon isotope composition of ancient cave guano profiles, that there was a substantial forest contraction during the LGP on both peninsular Malaysia and Palawan, while rainforest was maintained in northern Borneo. These results directly support rainforest "refugia" hypotheses and provide evidence that environmental barriers likely reduced genetic mixing between Borneo and Sumatra flora and fauna. Moreover, it sheds light on possible early human dispersal events.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  13. Linking mesohabitat selection and ecological traits of a fish assemblage in a small tropical stream (Tinggi River, Pahang Basin) of the Malay Peninsula
    Kano Y, Miyazaki Y, Tomiyama Y, Mitsuyuki C, Nishida S, Rashid ZA
    Zoolog Sci, 2013 Mar;30(3):178-84.
    PMID: 23480377 DOI: 10.2108/zsj.30.178
    Mesohabitat selection in fluvial fishes was studied in a small tropical stream of the Malay Peninsula. A total of 681 individuals representing 24 species were sampled at 45 stations within heterogeneous stream (ca. 1 km in length), in which water depth, water velocity, substrate size, and riparian canopy cover were measured as environmental variables. A canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) yielded a diagram that shows a specific mesohabitat selection of the fish assemblage, in which the species were plotted widely on the CCA1-CCA2 biplot. Generalized linear model also revealed a significant pattern of the mesohabitat selection of several species. Water velocity and substrate size mainly separated on CCA1, indicating variation of pool (deep, slow-flow section) and riffle (shallow, fast-flow section) structures is a primary factor of mesohabitat selection in the fluvial fish assemblage. The mean body weight of species significantly correlated with CCA1; larger species tended to inhabit pools, while small ones occupied riffles. The riparian canopy cover separated on CCA2. The trophic level of species significantly correlated with CCA2; herbivorous species (low trophic level) selected open sites without riparian cover, whereas omnivorous/carnivorous (middle-high trophic level) species preferred highly covered sites. In conclusion, our results suggest that mesohabitat selection is closely related to the species feeding habit, which is consistent with the results of previous studies.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  14. Fulltext Effects of temperature, humidity, air quality and anthropic activities on the transmission of SARS-CoV-2: a systematic review protocol
    Jeevananthan C, Muhamad NA, Jaafar MH, Hod R, Ab Ghani RM, Md Isa Z, et al.
    BMJ Open, 2020 11 04;10(11):e039623.
    PMID: 33148753 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2020-039623
    INTRODUCTION: The current global pandemic of the virus that emerged from Hubei province in China has caused coronavirus disease in 2019 (COVID-19), which has affected a total number of 900 036 people globally, involving 206 countries and resulted in a cumulative of 45 693 deaths worldwide as of 3 April 2020. The mode of transmission is identified through airdrops from patients' body fluids such as during sneezing, coughing and talking. However, the relative importance of environmental effects in the transmission of the virus has not been vastly studied. In addition, the role of temperature and humidity in air-borne transmission of infection is presently still unclear. This study aims to identify the effect of temperature, humidity and air quality in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

    METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will systematically conduct a comprehensive literature search using various databases including PubMed, EMBASE, Scopus, CENTRAL and Google Scholar to identify potential studies. The search will be performed for any eligible articles from the earliest published articles up to latest available studies in 2020. We will include all the observational studies such as cohort case-control and cross-sectional studies that explains or measures the effects of temperature and/or humidity and/or air quality and/or anthropic activities that is associated with SARS-CoV-2. Study selection and reporting will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology guideline. All data will be extracted using a standardised data extraction form and quality of the studies will be assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale guideline. Descriptive and meta-analysis will be performed using a random effect model in Review Manager File.

    ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: No primary data will be collected, and thus no formal ethical approval is required. The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed publication and conference presentation.

    PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020176756.

    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities*
  15. Contributions of climate change and human activities to grassland degradation and improvement from 2001 to 2020 in Zhaosu County, China
    Zhang M, Zhang F, Guo L, Dong P, Cheng C, Kumar P, et al.
    J Environ Manage, 2023 Dec 15;348:119465.
    PMID: 37924697 DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2023.119465
    Grassland degradation poses a serious threat to biodiversity, ecosystem services, and human well-being. In this study, we investigated grassland degradation in Zhaosu County, China, between 2001 and 2020, and analyzed the impacts of climate change and human activities using the Miami model. The actual net primary productivity (ANPP) obtained with CASA (Carnegie-Ames-Stanford Approach) modeling, showed a decreasing trend, reflecting the significant degradation that the grasslands in Zhaosu County have experienced in the past 20 years. Grassland degradation was found to be highest in 2018, while the degraded area continuously decreased in the last 3 years (2018-2020). Climatic factors for found to be the dominant factor affecting grassland degradation, particularly the decrease in precipitation. On the other hand, human activities were found to be the main factor affecting improvement of grasslands, especially in recent years. This finding profoundly elucidates the underlying causes of grassland degradation and improvement and helps implement ecological conservation and restoration measures. From a practical perspective, the research results provide an important reference for the formulation of policies and management strategies for sustainable land use.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  16. The need of industrial and organizational psychologist in Malaysia
    Shukran Abdul Rahman
    Journal of Occupational Safety and Health, 2004;1(2):64-73.
    MyJurnal
    Psychology has been well-accepted for application in virtually all aspects of human activities, including making a living. Thus, the objective of this paper is to introduce the application of psychology at workplaces. Specifically this paper addresses the importance of the profession of Industrial and Organizational Psychologist in the increasingly advanced and industrious society of Malaysia. It highlights the areas that the professional cares for, as well as its roles and positions in the view of the nation’s needs. Besides that, this paper also stresses the essential issues that Industrial and Organizational Psychologist practicing in Malaysia should consider. In short, this paper advocates the need of having professionals to look into the well-being of individuals contributing towards making Malaysia a developed nation.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  17. Sumatran rhinoceros on the brink of extinction
    Lam SS, Ma NL, Peng W, Sonne C
    Science, 2020 May 29;368(6494):958.
    PMID: 32467384 DOI: 10.1126/science.abc2202
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities*
  18. Review of chitosan composite as a heavy metal adsorbent: Material preparation and properties
    Begum S, Yuhana NY, Md Saleh N, Kamarudin NHN, Sulong AB
    Carbohydr Polym, 2021 May 01;259:117613.
    PMID: 33673980 DOI: 10.1016/j.carbpol.2021.117613
    A large amount of wastewater is typically discharged into water bodies and has extremely harmful effects to aquatic environments. The removal of heavy metals from water bodies is necessary for the safe consumption of water and human activities. The demand for seafood has considerably increased, and millions of tons of crustacean waste are discarded every year. These waste products are rich in a natural biopolymer known as chitin. The deacetylated form of chitin, chitosan, has attracted attention as an adsorbent. It is a biocompatible and biodegradable polymer that can be modified and converted to various derivatives. This review paper focuses on relevant literature on strategies for chemically modifying the biopolymer and its use in the removal of heavy metals from water and wastewater. The different aspects of chitosan-based derivatives and their preparation and application are elucidated. A list of chitosan-based composites, along with their adsorptivity and experimental conditions, are compiled.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  19. Fulltext Diversity and host associations of Myrsidea chewing lice (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) in the tropical rainforest of Malaysian Borneo
    Madrid RS, Sychra O, Benedick S, Edwards DP, Efeykin BD, Fandrem M, et al.
    Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl, 2020 Dec;13:231-247.
    PMID: 33294362 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2020.10.011
    The tropical rainforests of Sundaland are a global biodiversity hotspot increasingly threatened by human activities. While parasitic insects are an important component of the ecosystem, their diversity and parasite-host relations are poorly understood in the tropics. We investigated parasites of passerine birds, the chewing lice of the speciose genus MyrsideaWaterston, 1915 (Phthiraptera: Menoponidae) in a natural rainforest community of Malaysian Borneo. Based on morphology, we registered 10 species of lice from 14 bird species of six different host families. This indicated a high degree of host specificity and that the complexity of the system could be underestimated with the potential for cryptic lineages/species to be present. We tested the species boundaries by combining morphological, genetic and host speciation diversity. The phylogenetic relationships of lice were investigated by analyzing the partial mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I (COI) and the nuclear elongation factor alpha (EF-1α) genes sequences of the species. This revealed a monophyletic group of Myrsidea lineages from seven hosts of the avian family Pycnonotidae, one host of Timaliidae and one host of Pellorneidae. However, species delimitation methods supported the species boundaries hypothesized by morphological studies and confirmed that four species of Myrsidea are not single host specific. Cophylogenetic analysis by both distance-based test ParaFit and event-based method Jane confirmed overall congruence between the phylogenies of Myrsidea and their hosts. In total we recorded three cospeciation events for 14 host-parasite associations. However only one host-parasite link (M. carmenae and their hosts Terpsiphone affinis and Hypothymis azurea) was significant after the multiple testing correction in ParaFit. Four new species are described: Myrsidea carmenaesp.n. ex Hypothymis azurea and Terpsiphone affinis, Myrsidea franciscaesp.n. ex Rhipidura javanica, Myrsidea ramonisp.n. ex Copsychus malabaricus stricklandii, and Myrsidea victoriaesp.n. ex. Turdinus sepiarius.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
  20. The 'human revolution' in lowland tropical Southeast Asia: the antiquity and behavior of anatomically modern humans at Niah Cave (Sarawak, Borneo)
    Barker G, Barton H, Bird M, Daly P, Datan I, Dykes A, et al.
    J Hum Evol, 2007 Mar;52(3):243-61.
    PMID: 17161859
    Recent research in Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia suggests that we can no longer assume a direct and exclusive link between anatomically modern humans and behavioral modernity (the 'human revolution'), and assume that the presence of either one implies the presence of the other: discussions of the emergence of cultural complexity have to proceed with greater scrutiny of the evidence on a site-by-site basis to establish secure associations between the archaeology present there and the hominins who created it. This paper presents one such case study: Niah Cave in Sarawak on the island of Borneo, famous for the discovery in 1958 in the West Mouth of the Great Cave of a modern human skull, the 'Deep Skull,' controversially associated with radiocarbon dates of ca. 40,000 years before the present. A new chronostratigraphy has been developed through a re-investigation of the lithostratigraphy left by the earlier excavations, AMS-dating using three different comparative pre-treatments including ABOX of charcoal, and U-series using the Diffusion-Absorption model applied to fragments of bones from the Deep Skull itself. Stratigraphic reasons for earlier uncertainties about the antiquity of the skull are examined, and it is shown not to be an 'intrusive' artifact. It was probably excavated from fluvial-pond-desiccation deposits that accumulated episodically in a shallow basin immediately behind the cave entrance lip, in a climate that ranged from times of comparative aridity with complete desiccation, to episodes of greater surface wetness, changes attributed to regional climatic fluctuations. Vegetation outside the cave varied significantly over time, including wet lowland forest, montane forest, savannah, and grassland. The new dates and the lithostratigraphy relate the Deep Skull to evidence of episodes of human activity that range in date from ca. 46,000 to ca. 34,000 years ago. Initial investigations of sediment scorching, pollen, palynomorphs, phytoliths, plant macrofossils, and starch grains recovered from existing exposures, and of vertebrates from the current and the earlier excavations, suggest that human foraging during these times was marked by habitat-tailored hunting technologies, the collection and processing of toxic plants for consumption, and, perhaps, the use of fire at some forest-edges. The Niah evidence demonstrates the sophisticated nature of the subsistence behavior developed by modern humans to exploit the tropical environments that they encountered in Southeast Asia, including rainforest.
    Matched MeSH terms: Human Activities
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