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Piano grass (Themeda arguens), reputed to have been introduced to Jamaica as packing material in an imported piano1 . There are about 27 varieties of this highly invasive grass/weed worldwide[1] and in Jamaica the species previously identified as Themeda arguens is of concern as it has progressively taken over lawns, pastures and roadsides [1]. The grass is of particular concern to livestock farmers due to its highly invasive and aggressive nature and the concomitant negative effect on livestock productivity, especially during its annual seeding period (November/December – April) [2], when the palatability of the grass diminishes significantly and the seed awns can cause severe damage to the mouth when consumed, and feet of livestock [2], sometimes requiring veterinary intervention.
Vector-borne diseases have since the 17th century been the leading cause of death by disease more than any other causes combined, even preventing development in the tropics (Gubler 1998). Of all insect vectors, Aedes aegypti proves to be the deadliest as it is the primary vector of the four most notorious vector-borne diseases – chikungunya (chik-V), Zika (Zik-V), dengue fever and yellow fever viruses. Control of the spread of Aedesborne diseases is primarily reliant on the control of the vector responsible for their spread. Traditionally, vector control relied on environmental hygiene and the elimination of breeding sites (Gubler 1998), shifting only in the 1980s to the use of synthetic chemicals in the form of carbamate, organochloride, organophosphate and pyrethroid insecticides (Norris, et al. 2015). However, the evolution of Aedes aegypti resistance to synthetic chemicals have made control of the spread of the vector and its diseases increasingly difficult. This led to the exploration of innovative and alternative methods in the control of Aedes aegypti.
The FORECAST Grand Innovation Challenge 2022 (GIC) is to develop a feasible innovation (prototype/product/concept) that will revolutionize the management, protection, and use of water resources in the Caribbean.
Oral malodour called halitosis, and commonly referred to as ‘bad breath’, is a socially offensive and discriminating occurrence that requires effective management for health improvement and avoidance of debasing stratification of sufferer. Halitosis has been reported to be prevalent in up to 50% of the general population in the USA, and about 6-23% in China. Between 80% and 85% of halitosis cases are caused by intraoral conditions. Literature on halitosis in Jamaica is either scarce or non-existent. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, a common malodour that seemed to be spreading among persons through oral interaction by face-to-face contact with a sufferer was observed among the general populace in Mandeville, Manchester, Jamaica.
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