TRANSPUBLIKA INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH IN EXACT SCIENCES

The Diversity of Food Plant Species in Cirahab, Curuggoong Village, Padarincang District, Serving as a Food Source for the Local Community

Hermawan Hermawan — 2026-07-02

Plants play a vital role for humans, particularly food crops. These plants are widely utilized by the community for daily needs, including as sources of food and health-promoting beverages. This study aimed to determine the species diversity level of food crops in the Cirahab Bathing Area. Sampling was conducted by mapping the area using a 20 x 20-meter transect method. Environmental conditions including temperature, humidity, light intensity, wind speed, soil pH, and soil moisture were also measured. The plants identified included 5 jackfruit trees, 20 banana trees, 2 breadfruit (sukun) trees, 2 stink bean (jengkol) trees, 2 bitter bean (petai) trees, 5 red chili plants, 3 ginger plants, 1 bamboo clump, 10 taro plants, 5 fern plants, and 7 coffee plants. These plants were found within the Cirahab Bathing Area. Measurement results indicated environmental conditions of 32°C temperature, 90% air humidity, 89% light intensity, 0.75-5.8 m/s wind speed, a soil pH of 7, and soil moisture levels of 4-8. The plant diversity index value was 2.441, which, based on the diversity index formula, indicates a “moderate” level of diversity.

The Role of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in Stress and Anxiety Management Among Medical Students: A Literature Review

Affandi Ibrahim — 2026-09-09

High levels of stress and anxiety resulting from academic demands, time pressures, and psychological burdens during the educational process experienced by medical students were highlighted by researchers in a literature review. One widely researched non-pharmacological approach to reducing stress and anxiety involves the use of adaptogenic herbs, including Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera). This literature review aims to examine scientific literature on the effectiveness and mechanisms of action of Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) in the management of stress and anxiety among medical students. This narrative review was conducted by searching indexed international journals on PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar using the keywords Ashwagandha, Withania somnifera, stress, anxiety, and medical students, covering publications from 2011 to 2025; some sources meeting the inclusion criteria were retained for synthesis. The results indicate that Ashwagandha has a significant effect in reducing cortisol levels and balancing the autonomic nervous system. It improves sleep quality and calms the mind. Its mechanism of action involves modulation of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal (HPA) axis through its influence on the neurotransmitters GABA and serotonin. Therefore, Ashwagandha is highly effective for reducing and managing stress and anxiety in medical students; however, further clinical trials are required to confirm its long-term efficacy and safety.

Diversity of Grasshopper Species in the Cirahab Waters Area, Curuggoong Village, Padarincang District, Serang Regency, Banten

Hermawan Hermawan — 2026-10-20

Grasshoppers are ecologically important insects that can act both as agricultural pests and as bioindicators of environmental condition, yet data on their diversity in the agricultural landscape of Cirahab, Curuggoong Village, remain limited. This study aimed to examine the diversity of grasshoppers in the Cirahab area. A mixed-methods approach combining quantitative and qualitative descriptive techniques was employed to observe and measure the specimens. This method was used to identify the specific types of grasshoppers found in the Cirahab region, an area known for its abundant grasshopper populations, particularly within its agricultural environments. Grasshoppers play a vital role in maintaining ecological balance; biologically, they are herbivorous insects belonging to the suborder Caelifera within the order Orthoptera. The study identified several species, including Atractomorpha sp., Caryanda spuria, Hierodula formosana, Oedaleus infernalis, Oxya japonica, Phaneroptera brevis, Phlaeoba fumosa, Stenocatantops angustifrons, and Trilophidia annulata. The Cirahab area supports a diverse range of grasshopper species. A total of 136 individuals representing nine species were collected, and the calculated diversity index (H’) value of 2.051639756 placed the area in the “Moderate” diversity category.

Mercury Content Status in Soil at the Gold Mining Site in Paya Teuk Village, Pasie Raja District, Aceh Regency

Lensoni Lensoni — 2026-10-22

Artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASGM) can pollute the environment through the use of mercury (Hg) in the amalgamation process, since released mercury may accumulate in soil and pose risks to environmental quality and public health. This study aimed to determine the status of mercury content in soil at a gold mining site in Gampong Paya Teuk, Pasie Raja District, South Aceh Regency, compare it with the applicable environmental quality standard, and describe the potential environmental health risks. A quantitative approach with a descriptive-analytic design was employed. Soil samples were collected using a circular quadrant method at four points representing the amalgamation processing area, tailings disposal area, community land area, and control area, then analyzed at the BSPJI Banda Aceh laboratory using the SNI 8910:2021 method, with the mean mercury content compared to the soil quality standard of 0.3 mg/kg. The research results show that the mercury concentrations in the soil at all four sampling points (Quadrants I, II, III and IV) were below the laboratory detection limit of 0.0005 mg/kg; consequently, no identifiable differences in concentration were found between the sampling points. These values are well below, and therefore comply with, the environmental quality standard of 0.3 mg/kg. However, these results do not automatically prove that mercury is absent from the study site or that the risk of mercury exposure is entirely non-existent. Therefore, any interpretation must take into account the detection limitations of the analytical method as well as the possibility of exposure via other environmental media.

Distribution of Tuberculosis (TB) Cases Based on Patient Characteristics in the Working Area of the Simeulue District Health Office in 2026

Lensoni Lensoni — 2026-10-22

Tuberculosis remains one of the public health problems that requires serious attention because it can increase morbidity and mortality rates. The spread of tuberculosis cases is influenced by various patient characteristics such as gender, age, area of residence, treatment status, and occupation. This study aims to determine the distribution of tuberculosis cases based on patient characteristics in the working area of the Simeulue District Health Office in 2026. This study uses a quantitative descriptive design with a survey approach using secondary data from tuberculosis case reports. The number of samples in this study was 75 tuberculosis patients recorded in 2026. Data analysis was carried out univariately using frequency distribution. The results of the study on 75 TB patients in the working area of the Simeulue District Health Office in 2026 show that the majority of patients were male (73.3%), aged 45-80 years (53.3%), resided in Simeulue Timur District (37.3%), were currently undergoing treatment (74.7%), and worked as fishermen (54.7%). In addition, 20% of patients had not yet undergone treatment and 5.3% died before treatment. These results indicate that tuberculosis cases are more often found in adult to elderly males with occupations that involve high activity and particular environmental conditions. Therefore, an increase in prevention efforts, early case finding, and public health education is needed in order to reduce the incidence rate of tuberculosis in Simeulue Regency.