To enhance its international presence, Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU), through its Faculty of Forestry, conducted an International Partnership Community Service program in the buffer zone of Gunung Leuser National Park (TNGL), located in Pamah Semelir, Langkat Regency. This initiative involved several universities from Malaysia, including Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM), Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM), and Universiti

USU Faculty of Forestry Collaborates with Domestic and International Universities for International Community Service

Universitas

Renny Julia Harahap

The orangutan, which is one of the objects of his research, is indicated to inspire stories of short people that have been circulated for generations in the community. Although the story may only be a legend that is difficult to prove, but it is in line with the current reality: these creatures have long disappeared from the forest.Onrizal, who was born and raised in the area, still remembers vividly the childhood story of a human-like creature that lived in the forest. The legend tells of a creature called the 'short man' by the locals, who disappeared from the forest in the 1970s.In a recent study popularly published by the environmental news site Mongabay that draws on publications in the prestigious international journal PLOS ONE, Onrizal and other researchers scoured historical records for references to the Tapanuli orangutan (Pongo tapanuliensis). This species is the newest orangutan and is also listed as the most endangered great ape in the world. The Tapanuli orangutan faces a much greater risk of extinction than previously thought.Today, the Tapanuli orangutan is estimated to occupy only 2.5% of their historical habitat, and the threat of extinction is linked to habitat loss and hunting. This threat persists today and is exacerbated by infrastructure development and forest conversion in the last habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan in North Sumatra. According to the researchers, with habitat shrinking and hunting, the extinction of the Tapanuli orangutan is inevitable.Currently, as stated in the study, less than 800 individual Tapanuli orangutans live in the Batang Toru forest, North Sumatra. The remaining habitat is estimated to cover only 2.5% of the range in which they lived about 130 years ago when researchers discovered them. That number shrank from nearly 41,000 km2 in the 1890s, to just 1,000 km2 in 2016.<figure class="image"><img src="https://konten.usu.ac.id/storage/posts/24372/download (19).webp"></figure>To arrive at these figures, the researchers referred to colonial-era literature, such as newspapers, journals, books and museum records, from the early 1800s to 2019. They found this data in databases, including the Biodiversity Heritage Library and online historical newspapers, books and journals using location-specific keywords such as “Sumatra”, “Batang Toeroe,” and “Tapanoeli,” with Dutch spelling.The researchers then cross-referenced by searching for terms that specifically refer to orangutans: “orang oetan,” “orang-oetan,” “orangutan,” as well as “mawas,” “mias” and “maias,” which are local names for orangutans that are used commonly in historical literature.Erik Meijaard, lead author of the study and assistant professor of conservation at the University of Kent, UK, said they had lost a large part of the picture of conservation by ignoring historical information. Historically, the researchers found, the Tapanuli orangutan inhabited a much wider area, and at a lower altitude than the Batang Toru mountain forest they inhabit today.Much of this historical habitat was lost in the 1950s to smallholder agriculture, before industrial-scale plantation development in Sumatra emerged in the 1970s. The orangutans currently scattered in North Tapanuli, South Tapanuli and Central Tapanuli, are now 52% deforested in the 1930s. The combination of historical fragmentation of forest habitat and unsustainable hunting is likely to push them from the lowland forest areas, where they used to live, to the upland forests of the Batang Toru ecosystem.Refering to the available information, the researchers think, it is likely that Pongo tapanuliensis was hunted to extinction in an increasingly fragmented part of its former home range. They survive in the remote and rocky Batang Toru Mountains which may have provided protection for orangutans from hunting. These findings show that the Tapanuli orangutan is not a species specifically adapted to live in the highlands as some scientists claim.Map of Sumatra Island showing the current distribution of Pongo tapanuliensis and Pongo abelii, as well as the main areas mentioned in the study. This finding raises concerns over the survival of the Tapanuli orangutan. Currently, it is estimated that fewer than 800 of these orangutans live in the Batang Toru forest, divided among three connected subpopulations.The Tapanuli orangutan species face conflicting threats of hunting and killing, as well as habitat loss due to agriculture and plantations. New threats have also emerged, namely infrastructure development, and the construction of hydropower roads which have caused fragmentation of the remaining habitat of the Tapanuli orangutan.Conservation experts say the most serious threat currently comes from the Batang Toru hydroelectric power plant. The construction of this hydropower plant is considered to endanger the connectivity between orangutan subpopulations in the west, east and south. This fragmentation would cut the diversity of the orangutan gene pool dramatically, leading to inbreeding, disease, and eventually each subpopulation to extinction.<figure class="image"><img src="https://konten.usu.ac.id/storage/posts/24372/download (20).webp"></figure>The researchers calculated that more than one percent of adult orangutans disappear from the wild per year, either being killed, translocated, or captured. With that data, extinction is inevitable, regardless of the initial population size.This analysis shows that the remaining Tapanuli orangutans are in sub-optimal upland habitats and more than 1% of the population is caught every year. This, based on reported kills, translocations and rescues, predicts continued population decline.According to the researchers' estimation, without further rescue efforts, this species could become extinct in the next few generations. The ongoing fragmentation of the Batang Toru forest only exacerbates this risk. Onrizal called on all stakeholders, including governments, civil society organizations, scientists, donors, local community representatives, and industry, to develop concrete action plans as soon as possible for the survival of this species. (RJ/bs – ©ULC)

USU Lecturer Concern on the Extinction of Orangutan Tapanuli

Fildzah Zata Amani Nst

Skin health innovation has been a popular business trend in the past few years. However,  the products produced generally contain chemicals that sometimes have a negative impact on users. Along with the  development of technology and the increasing trend of public confidence to \"back to nature\", the significant  biodiversity in Indonesia is one of the supporting factors for the development of skincare products from natural  ingredients. The increasing effects of skin damage caused by factors that trigger aging require  chemoprevention strategies by utilising natural material extract as natural sources, such as medicinal plants, that  are safer and more effective in the treatment process, in contrast to the innovation produced by the USU team of  Community Service that utilises natural ingredients, namely acem-acem leaves  (Oxalis dehradunensis Raizada), which have been studied to increase skin moisture and effectively remove  facial spots. This innovative product is a solution developed with natural raw materials and has good properties to  reduce exposure to free radicals, able to reduce wrinkles and shrink pores on the face, and significantly able to  reduce blemishes and spots on women's skin. Through this anti-aging cream, farmers can better care for and maintain  healthy skin and reduce the risk of premature aging in farmers. Through community service activities focused on two villages, Sumber Mufakat Village,  Kabanjahe District, as a partner location producing acem-acem leaves, and Karang Gading Village, Secanggang  District as a partner who has been using and testing the Comunity Service team's innovative products, USU lecturer  team conducted education and training for the use of these materials. This service was led by Dr Eka Lestari  Mahyuni, SKM, M.Kes, from the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara together with Prof Dr Urip  Harahap, Apt, and involved 5 (five) students from the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara. This activity aims to empower women farmers in Karang Gading Village, Secanggang  District, Langkat Regency and Sumber Mufakat Village, Kabanjahe District, Karo Regency. These two areas were brought  together in a virtual socialisation and FGD, which was attended by both village chiefs, Karang Gading Village Chief,  Bahrul and Sumber Mufakat Village Chief, Drs Dinis Karo-Karo as well as the Wanita Tani Tangguh Farmers Group from  Karang Gading Secanggang Village and Karo women farmers as well as officials from Sumber Mufakat Kabanjahe Village.  Participants who attended the socialisation were selected to act as business agents who will be entrepreneurs of  acem-acem leaf extract anti-aging cream. The activity to utilise acem-acem leaf extract anti-aging cream is so that farmers can  also get the benefits of cream that can moisturise the skin, shrink pores and reduce spots and wrinkles on the face  due to sun exposure and free radicals.  Dr Eka hopes that although women farmers are always on the move in the fields under the  sun, they can also maintain their skin health so that they remain beautiful and youthful. Farmers generally rarely  pay attention to the health of their skin and even feel distressed because they are always exposed to the sun and  free radicals during their activities in the fields. With the anti-aging cream that has been produced through  laboratory research, it is proven that it can improve the skin condition of farmers who generally experience black  spots or dull and dry faces. The acem-acem leaf extract in this anti-aging cream formula has a lot of water content  and has been proven to have significant moisturising properties of almost 300%. Regularly using and wearing the  cream product can reduce the negative impact on facial skin from premature aging due to sun exposure during outdoor  activities, especially farming activities.  \"Not only that, from the test results with this cream sample, it can also significantly  fade dark spots on the face, even though the spots are already included in the contact dermatitis category as  experienced by farmers. The anti-aging ability that fades wrinkles and large pores on the face can also be overcome  by using anti-aging cream regularly, with 5% and 7% extract levels,\" said Dr Eka. Efforts to downstream the innovative products are part of the community service carried  out by USU Community Service team through educating and training female farmers who are often exposed to pesticides,  sunlight and free radicals during their agricultural activities. The Community Service team together with USU  students assisted and educated the farming community so that the sales of anti-aging cream could be an additional  income for the farming community. The team also provided samples of antiaging cream products to business agents from  both regions to help introduce the products and help with early marketing steps that farmers can do.

Oxalis Dehradunensis Raizada Anti Aging Cream

The HI Cloud Viral start-up, started by Dr Eka Lestari Mahyuni, SKM, M.Kes, from the Faculty of Public Health,  Universitas Sumatera Utara, will be producing hand washing soap containing acem-acem leaf extract that is able to wash  off chemical exposure.",  "description": "PT HI Cloud Inovasi Natural or also known as start-up HI Cloud Viral has  organised a Focus Group Discussion (FGD) which discusses the business opportunities of the innovative product  produced, the hand soap gel of acem-acem leaf extract (Oxalis dehradunensis Raizada) with the name Clodesis. The discussion was attended by stakeholders from five city districts, including Medan  City, Binjai City, Langkat Regency, Karo Regency and Deli Serdang Regency, as well as BPPOM, lecturers and students.  The agencies present were from the Department of Health, Department of Agriculture and Department of Industry and  Trade, alongside with Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) of Medan City. The products offered have been researched  since 2018 and are ongoing until now. Currently, the HI Cloud Viral start-up pioneered by Dr Eka Lestari Mahyuni, SKM., M.Kes,  from the Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Sumatera Utara, will produce hand washing soap containing  acem-acem leaf extract, which is able to clean off chemical exposure. The potential of acem-acem leaves  that were explored, researched and studied by Dr Eka Lestari Mahyuni, SKM, M.Kes interests PT Stara Bintang Surya to  cooperate and collaborate in the production of acem acem leaf extract gel hand soap with brand name  Clodesis, which was established from the Matching Fund program. The programme brings together Higher Education  personnel from Higher Education with DUDI (Dunia Usaha Dunia Industri) partners through the Kedaireka  platform in 2022. The research began in 2016 with Dr Eka Lestari Mahyuni, SKM, M.Kes's interest in Karo  farmers' handwashing habits. This was also done while empowering farmers to reduce pesticide exposure. Dr Eka  explained that the natural ingredients used in the product are found in Tanah Karo.  \"Acem-acem leaves, which Karo farmers usually use to clean their hands after spraying  pesticides or other field activities, inspired me to further study the properties of these leaves. Phytochemical  tests in the laboratory showed that the leaves have a very high saponin content, which is evident from the natural  froth that we can see from the natural use by farmers. This saponin content is utilised and used as a soap for hand washing since, generally,  in agricultural fields, water and soap are not available. However, chemical exposure requires farmers to improve  personal hygiene to avoid the risk of poisoning from chemical exposure, such as pesticides, chemical fertilisers,  etc. Therefore, these leaves are then extracted and made into a gel-based hand washing product so that it can be  packaged in a simple, easy-to-carry package, and helps improve the personal hygiene of the community through the  'Washing Hands with Acem-acem' (CTPAc) programme,\" said Dr Eka. The FGD was held at the Senate Room, 3rd Floor, USU Central Bureau of Administration,  where the Head of the Trade Office, H Dammikrot Harahap, SSos, M.Si, served as a guest speaker. He appealed to HI  Cloud start-ups as newly pioneered Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) to pay attention to product  availability, quality, legality and packaging, as well as introducing products to online and offline markets that  are widely spread in Medan. He said that the Trade Office has also opened an MSME workshop programme, so it is ready  to assist and support start-ups or existing MSMEs.  The Head of the Trade Department also reminded that no matter how good the products are,  marketing is an important point that needs to be considered. Most of the time, this is the weakness of each MSME. In  addition, the availability of goods must always be available, which of course, is related to the raw materials used  as extracts in hand soap gel. In addition, the product's legality also needs to be taken care of because the more  legality there is, the higher the public trust in the products offered by HI Cloud Viral start-ups. The Head of the Industry and Trade Office of Deli Serdang Regency, Tengku Zaki, was also  present and showed his interest in acem-acem leaves which is the product of Clodesis. Tengku Zaki hopes that product  development can be carried out in Deli Serdang Regency because from the Pancur Batu to Kutalimbaru areas, the same  type of leaf can also be found, although not as much as in Tanah Karo Regency. According to him, it is necessary to  establish cooperation with the HI Cloud Viral start-up in socialising with farmers in Deli Serdang, as well as  marketing the Clodesis product as a whole. The discussion at the FGD also focused on the product distribution permit, which was  commented on and clarified by the representative of BPOM, Tengku Awaluddin. He expressed his enthusiasm and  appreciation for the HI Cloud Viral start-up, which has leapt further than other MSMEs because it has collaborated  with PT Stara Bintang Surya as the manufacturer of Clodesis. The innovation offered in Clodesis is also relatively  new. It has yet to be included in the BPPOM standardisation list so that the registration process can be directly  transferred to the Central BPOM. Of course, there is a fulfilment of conditions from the results of testing the  efficacy of acem-acem leaves so that the distribution permit from Clodesis can be issued. This giant leap is expected to proceed better. BPOM supports processing the registration  and certification that the HI Cloud Viral start-up has processed because it still requires a study from the  Standardisation Directorate, which is currently in process. He added that further development of the efficacy of  acem-acem leaf extract will be made in other products, such as pesticide-cleaning soap on fruits and vegetables. \"The material used is very good and relatively new, so the registration process  requires standardisation directly carried out by the Central BPPOM because this leaf is not yet on the list of  standardised cosmetic ingredients. But I am interested in the pesticide-removing ability of these leaves and can  develop the product into fruit and vegetable washing soap. That might be more interesting because so far, there has  never been a soap that can reduce chemical exposure to fruits and vegetables. Of course, more studies need to be  done in the future, especially on the safety of the extracts used,\" said Tengku Awaluddin. The FGD created opportunities and challenges for HI Cloud Viral start-ups and the  programmes that were developed were very good so that the four city districts in North Sumatra invited on this  occasion could recognise the local potential that could be developed into valuable products. Not only does it  improve the economy and welfare of the community, but it can also support public health programmes following the  tagline of the new HI Cloud Viral start-up that utilises natural ingredients.

Innovation  of Hand Soap Gel extracted from Acem-Acem Leaves

Two lecturers of Universitas Sumatera Utara, Reni Asmara Ariga, SKp, MARS, from the Faculty of Nursing and Dr Edy Ikhsan, SH, MA, from the Faculty of Law, collaborated as inventors of Patent IDS000005334 WEB-BASED SELF-CARE METHOD. The Ministry of Law and Human Rights granted the patent on 12 December 2022 for the invention of the website ariganursingselfcare.com.The holder of this patent is Universitas Sumatera Utara, as a manifestation of the inventor's dedication to the advancement of USU in the arena of education and service for the community. This patent on the website ariganursingselfcare.com answers various problems that occur in society, such as the increasing population, the long distance between patients and health service centres, the cost and time that patients have to spend to get services, the lack of professional nurses and the increasing number of degenerative diseases. This invention is expected to be accessible to the public to provide real benefits for the downstream of the product of care innovation. The invention relates to a self-care method that provides nursing care information and consultation services based on a website implemented through a smartphone or a computer.In the era of revolution 5.0, humans will live side by side with technology in all aspects of life through digital devices, including nursing. Technology helps the public in gaining access to health services as well as helping hospitals and nurses in providing nursing care services, which are helpful for improving health status by minimising costs, distance, and time.The ariganursingselfcare.com website invention is intended to improve the ability to perform self-care, especially in health promotion methods to increase knowledge. Self-care is done by consulting through the website to improve health, quality of life and recovery. This invention contains the latest nursing care information, such as wound care, maternity care, diabetes care, respiratory care, general examination (hypertension, hypotension, hyperuricemia, hypouricemia, hypercholesterolemia, hypocholesterolemia, nutritional care for toddlers, dental care, COVID-19 care and the five most frequently complained about diseases at PUSKESMAS. This web provides comprehensive nursing care consultation services starting from the assessment stage to the evaluation stage.

USU Faculty of Forestry Collaborates with Domestic and International Universities for International Community Service

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