St newsletter january march 2015 by Scientific Research Council

VOL.3, ISSUE # 1

JANUARY—MARCH 2015

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

A Q ua r te rl y N e ws l e tte r of t h e Scie n t if ic R e s e a rch Co un cil , Ja m a ica

This Newsletter highlights news, events and activities in Science & Technology (S&T) and related subjects which have taken place primarily in Jamaica over the last three months.

IN THIS ISSUE: 1 | AGRO– INDUSTRY 2 | BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

Invocab Handover Ceremony-Members of the head table, from left to right: Executive Director SRC, Dr. Cliff Riley, Chairman SRC, Ms. Melisa McHargh, Ambassador Paola Amadei, Permanent Secretary MSTEM, Mrs. Hilary Alexander, Deputy Chief Education Officer Ministry of Education, Mrs. Lena Buckle-Scott

3 | CLIMATE CHANGE 4 | ENERGY 8 | ENVIRONMENT 9 | FOOD PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

10 | HEALTH ISSUES

Agriculture Coffee problem brewing Sharon Nelson is no coffee industry neophyte. After all, Nelson has been working with coffee co-operative groups in Jamaica from the 1990s, giving them technological and consultancy support.

One million kilogrammes of onions to be reaped At least 1.1 million kilogrammes of onions are expected to be harvested within the next three weeks, as Government seeks to ramp up production of the crop in order to satisfy local demand.

14 | TECHNOLOGY

...more on page 2/

15 |WORSHOP/SEMINARS 876-927-1771-4 (o) 876-977-1840 (f) CALL: (876) 927-1771– 4 VISIT www.src.gov.jm

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Making Science & Technolog y work for you

SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Business Development Local Bamboo Ketchup Now On The Market

The Bamboo Tomato Ketchup, was developed by university graduate and head of Jamdun’ Food Processing, Chevaughn Bowen. Several other value added products are being considered by the Bamboo and Indigenous Materials Advisory Council, spearheaded by the Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ).[…]

Next innovation on Red Stripe’s list… cassava beer

Local brewing company Red Stripe has achieved a record nine innovative beverages since the start of the year and should begin distribution of another — cassava beer — next March. […]

NCB Opens Innovation Lab As it continues to be a leader on Jamaica’s banking landscape, the National Commercial Bank (NCB) opened the island’s first innovation lab at its 29 Trafalgar Road premises on Wednesday.[…]

Ja, Japan to explore developing pharmaceuticals from fish trimmings The Government is looking to partner with Japan to explore the development of pharmaceutical items from fish trimmings. Minister of State for Agriculture, Labour, and Social Security, Luther Buchanan, made the disclosure at a seminar held on Wednesday at the Medallion Hall Hotel in St Andrew, which looked at 20 years of co-operation between Japan […]

Salada to launch new coffee products The makers of Mountain Peak Instant Coffee aim to launch new coffee products this year, according to Salada Foods Jamaica Ltd statements. The move comes within the context of increased local coffee competition in both the instant and brewed markets.[…]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Cassava closer to beer-ing fruit Local beer company Red Stripe is one step closer to introducing cassava into its brew, now that it has broken ground for the construction of its 20-root-tonne cassava-starch processing plant. […]

DBJ Lends $3.3 Billion to MSMEs The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) approved a total of 8,844 loans valued at $3.3 billion to Micro, Small and Medium-size Enterprises (MSMEs), during the first 11 months of the 2014/15 fiscal year. Minister of Finance and Planning, Dr. the Hon. Peter Phillips, who made the announcement while opening the 2015/16 Budget Debate in the House […]

Climate Change 2015 begins with urgency to save the Caribbean from climate change If ever there was a time and an issue for the countries of the Caribbean to speak with one voice and at a high level, both the time and the issue have arrived. The issue is the global average temperature arising from climate change which is now scientifically indisputable. […]

Jamaica Takes Stock Of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Jamaica is looking to bolster its planning for climate change while meeting its international obligations, with the start of work on an inventory of its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions this month.

IDB loan to help Jamaica strengthen climate resilience Jamaica will increase its resilience to climate change by enhancing the adaptive capacity of the agriculture and tourism sectors and watershed management, using a US$10 million highly-concessionary loan and a US$7,895,000 grant approved by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB).

Farmers affected by climate change get support The government has, since March 2013, spent $60 million on activities in the agricultural sector to strengthen farmers’ response to climate change, as well as part of efforts to shore up food security.

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Japan gives Caribbean US$15m for climate change projects Japan is providing US$15 million to help several Caribbean Community (Caricom) countries cope with the impact of climate change. The “Project for Japan-Caribbean Climate Change Partnership” will help Guyana, Grenada, Jamaica, Suriname, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Lucia, Dominica and Belize build the capacity to cope with climate […]

Greater Response Needed To Avert Climate Change The achievement of Jamaica’s National Development Plan, Vision 2030, might be jeopardised if there isn’t a different approach to the current response to changing climatic conditions. According to Professor Michael A. Taylor, director of the Climate Studies Group at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona campus, climate change has brought about the unpredictability […]

Forest conservation key to combating climate change, say UN officials The sustainable management and conservation of forests must be considered in the design and implementation of the new sustainable development goals and the new climate change agreement to be adopted this December in Paris, according to UN officials and forest experts in messages for the International Day of Forests, which will be observed tomorrow.[…]

Energy Marriott Hotel will be Jamaica’s first LEED building Jamaica will get its first Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified building with the completion of the 129-room Marriott Hotel in New Kingston early next year. The hotel is expected to set a high standard for energy conservation, water efficiency and overall environmental sustainability and also attract more international brands to Kingston.[…]

Ja actively pursuing PetroCaribe options Finance Minister Dr Peter Phillips has said that the Government is “actively pursuing” its options regarding to the PetroCaribe agreement with Venezuela, which recently sold the Dominican Republic’s oil debt to investment bank, Goldman Sachs for less than half its value.

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Paulwell says region should focus on energy transformation Jamaica’s Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell says the region needs to remain focused on priority areas to fully transform the energy sector. In his opening remarks at the 54th special meeting of the Council of Trade and Economic Development(COTED) on Wednesday, Paulwell noted that although the region has made progress in sustainable […]

US Energy Boost – Jamaica To Benefit From US$90m Clean-Power Project The White House yesterday announced that the US Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) would intensify its focus on developing green-energy projects in the Caribbean and that Jamaica is to be the largest beneficiary. The US Department of the Interior and the Department of State are working with Jamaica to facilitate commercial renewable energy on public […]

Don’t Waste Time With Solar – Lecturer Despite Jamaica being a land of sunshine, a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Mona, has suggested that it would be uneconomic for the country to harness solar power to fire the power grid.

Jamaica to host Caribbean Green Economy Conference next week Jamaica will host the second Caribbean Green Economy Conference (CGEC) on February 23 to 25 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in Kingston. The Conference is a collaborative initiative of The United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP) and the University of the West Indies with support from the European Union.

Wigton Windfarm earns $500 million Mandeville, Manchester – It’s not just that the Wigton Windfarm in Manchester is helping to gradually reduce Jamaica’s oil bill while producing “clean” energy. Also, from Energy minister Phillip Paulwell’s perspective, it flies in the face of those who say State-owned entities don’t make money.

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Carbon Pricing Pays the Way for Cleaner Energy Following more than two centuries of fossil-fueled industrialization, during which the atmosphere has been used as a free dump for climate-changing pollution, an incipient era of carbon-pollution pricing is paying dividends to the climate. […]

Guatemala undertakes photovoltaic solar panels project A worker walks alongside rows of solar panels at the Horus photovoltaic power station in Chiquimulilla on Tuesday, February 3, 2015. Thousands of photovoltaic solar panels were installed at the new plant and will have a useful life of 25 years, according to the Onyx Group, owners and builders of the […]

Jamaica To Benefit From PetroCaribe Indefinitely Jamaica will continue to enjoy preferential payment terms for crude oil under the PetroCaribe pact with Venezuela “indefinitely”, Phillip Paulwell, minister of science, technology, energy and mining, disclosed yesterday. “There was a recommitment from the Venezuelan government to the PetroCaribe agreement and, regardless of where the price of oil is, they have committed to the […]

Cost of utilities a major challenge for businesses Wayne Cummings, the senior director for administration and business processes at Sandals Resorts International, has cited the high cost of utilities as a major challenge for businesses operating in Jamaica

UWI Lecturer Wary Of Solar Power Cost The push to use solar power to energise remote rural communities is taking place despite a warning from a senior lecturer at the University of the West Indies, Mona, who has suggested that it would be uneconomic for Jamaica.

Paulwell Warns Against Energy Complacency Even with the recent significant fall in the price of crude oil on the world market, the Jamaican Government remains committed to increasing its involvement, as well as promoting foreign direct investment in renewable energy-generation options, in keeping with its long-term objective to improve the country’s energy security. Energy Minister Phillip Paulwell said last Friday […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Light For All By 2017 – Paulwell Says Solar Power Will Be Employed To Energise Remote Rural Communities Jamaica is to be darkness-free by 2017. Well, almost free of darkness, according to Phillip Paulwell, the energy minister who says the Government is prepared to use solar energy to power houses in remote rural areas that are not

Jamaica Biztown; an Excellent Initiative. The JPS Foundation has partnered with Junior Achievement Jamaica (JAJ) on an exciting experiential business learning programme called JamaicaBiztown. #JABiztown is a simulated working economy designed to develop the business IQ of students at the grade five level. […]

Wind and more wind Ground was broken for two major wind energy projects in south Manchester and south east St Elizabeth late last month. First was Wigton III, a 24MW plant, part of the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ) Wigton wind farm which currently produces just under 38.7MW of wind energy at Rose Hill in South […]

Wind, biomass and hydro sources cheaper than solar energy — technocrat More and more Jamaicans have been making the switch from oil-powered sources to solar energy in recent times, but a technocrat in the Climate Change Division of the environment ministry revealed yesterday that energy generated from wind, biomass and hydro sources outrank that which comes from the sun. The preference for solar among the general […]

PetroCaribe not dead The Venezuelan Government, amidst its own cash flow turmoil, has committed to strengthen the PetroCaribe agreement with Jamaica, regardless of the price of crude oil. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) last year warned Caribbean and Latin American countries that have co-operation agreements, such as PetroCaribe, with Venezuela, that it could mean trouble for their economies […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Companies To Reduce Energy Local companies now have the opportunity to significantly reduce the energy costs associated with operating their central air-conditioning systems with an exciting new technology. The new technology converts constant-volume air conditioners into variable-output, inverter-type systems. […]

A solar-powered home for Manley Fritz “You want mi turn on the light?” 71-year-old Manley Fritz said as he entered his spanking new home in Main Ridge Clarendon last Thursday. Gone is the one-room zinc-and-cloth hut once held together by sticks, where his only companions were two ‘common’ fowls and a goat. […

Sweden to assist four Caribbean nations with renewable energy Sweden is providing assistance to four Caribbean countries as they deal with the impact of climate change. A Barbados Government statement Wednesday said that Sweden’s Ambassador to Barbados Claes Hamma, who paid a courtesy call on Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister Maxine McClean, said apart from Barbados, the other islands […]

Environment 18 communities to benefit from JSIF environment project The Jamaica Social Investment Fund on Wednesday launched the environmental component of the new Integrated Community Development Project (ICDP), which is being implemented islandwide in 18 communities. JSIF is partnering with the National Solid Waste Management Authority in the project.

The Wastewater and Sludge Regulations In 2013 the Government of Jamaica revolutionised, to a certain extent at least, the environmental management of this country by passing the long-awaited Natural Resources Conservation (Wastewater and Sludge) Regulations (“the 2013 Regulations”). These regulations put into place a more refined permit and licensing system for the regulation of the discharge and use of wastewater […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Antarctica’s spectacular glaciers melting faster From the ground of this extreme northern part of Antarctica, a spectacular white and blinding ice seemingly extends forever. What can’t be seen is the battle raging below to reshape Earth. Water is eating away at the Antarctic ice, melting it where it hits the oceans[…]

Land of wood… and greenery For one thing, the satellite equipment used to gather much of the data in 1998 was not as advanced as that used in the most recent study, conducted in 2013-2014. Secondly, the forest type which is showing the bulk of the increase — secondary forests — did not exist as a stand-alone category back in […]

Ministry Tackles Disposal Of Gadgets, Chemicals Jamaica is to introduce legislation that will make it mandatory for manufacturers/distributors of specific categories of electronic products to the domestic market, to put in places systems to facilitate safe and proper recovery and disposal of related wastes such as old cellular phones and other gadgets.[…]

NCU signs MOU to assist in environmental protection Northern Caribbean University (NCU) recently became the third tertiary institution to partner with the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA) to protect the environment. The agreement was formalised through the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the two entities at the end of Research Week at NCU […]

Food Product Development Gore, ATL Serve Up New Food Lab At JC Students at Jamaica College (JC) now have a fully furnished and functioning Food and Nutrition Lab, thanks to a partnership between Gore Developments and Appliance Traders Ltd.

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Food safety, security a national priority — RADA head Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Lenworth Fulton, has emphasised that food security and safety has become a national priority. Addressing participants at the seventh Caribbean Food Safety and Security Conference Wednesday at the Hyatt Ziva Rose Hall Resort in Montego Bay, St James, Fulton said that priority[…]

Health Issues Ministry of Health starts CHIKV research Acting Chief Medical Officer Dr Marion Bullock DuCasse says the Ministry of Health, in collaboration with health researchers nationally and regionally, has commenced research to characterise the chikungunya fever outbreak in Jamaica. One of the key deliverables, she said, is to develop guidelines for the management of chikungunya fever specific to Jamaica. […]

Natural skin care Pt 2 This week I am sharing more natural foods and herbs with you, some of which may be found right at home. Our gardens and kitchen cupboards can be a storehouse of amazing natural ingredients that, when crushed, chopped, steeped, or used as is, can make the most effective treatments for the hair, skin and body. […]

Information Technology Digicel Business introduces affordable range of cyber security solutions ICT solutions provider Digicel Business says it has introduced an affordable suite of cyber security options for businesses under its cloud-managed security portfolio. “This includes firewalls, VPN, URL filtering, antivirus and a wide range of sophisticated solutions that can be used to combat the wide range of security threats faced by businesses today,” the company […]

Innovation The CDB’s role in financing the drivers of economic development, innovation and technology At the recent Jamaica Stock Exchange conference, Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) president Dr Warren Smith reminded his audience that they recently celebrated St Lucian Nobel prize-winning economist Sir Arthur Lewis’s 100th birthday. He noted that more than 45 years ago, at the first annual meeting of the board of governors, as the first CDB president, […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

A young man on a renewables and robotics mission “Why can’t we have robots doing the farming for us?” This rhetorical question, posed by his father on a yam field when he was barely 10 years old, has pushed Kimroy André Bailey beyond the farm and into making robots to protect the home and to help Jamaica become a 100 per cent renewable energy […]

Make distinction between innovative firms and hustlers It has been acknowledged by many political administrations globally that small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) can contribute to economic growth and job creation. For example, it is estimated that in the European Union 99 per cent of all businesses are in fact SMEs. Even in Jamaica, it is often repeated that these enterprises provide up […]

A break for university students A lecturer and his students at the University of Technology (UTech), Jamaica in St Andrew believe they have found the perfect solution to address crammed living spaces in the university community through the invention of a multi-purpose bed which also doubles as a table and display area. The team is currently looking at ways to […]

Medical Marijuana Lowe urges ganja industry stakeholders to capitalise on Ja’s advantages Founder and CEO of Medicanja, the region’s first medical cannabis company, Dr Henry Lowe, called on investors and stakeholders to play up Jamaica’s competitive advantages in the factors of production – land, labour, capital, and entrepreneurship – as the ganja industry emerges. He was speaking at the first Cannabis Business and International […]

Jamaica poised for medical marijuana industry, if… Any reader of this newspaper will be well aware of the proposed changes to the laws dealing with the use of marijuana. These changes are being piloted by the minister of justice by way of the Dangerous Drugs (Amendment) Bill (2015), which was recently approved by Cabinet, and is currently being debated by the Senate. […]

UTech partners with Colorado firm on ganja research The University of Technology Jamaica, (UTech) on Monday signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Ganja Labs, USA — a subsidiary of Ganja Inc — to collaborate on research in science, technology and best practices in the cultivation of medicinal marijuana under controlled and secure conditions. The collaboration will involve development of a multimillion-dollar public/ private joint […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Medical marijuana sales to quadruple by 2019 Medical and recreational marijuana annual sales in North America could increase by US$8.3 billion ($946 trillion) over the next four years, a United States study has shown. In fact, founder and CEO of Medicanja, Dr Henry Lowe, in his address at the first Cannabis Business and International Investors Conference last Wednesday, stated that marijuana sales […]

Science (Education)

Manning’s School gets new greenhouse Acting Principal of Manning’s School in Westmoreland, Megan Berry, says students at the institution are set to benefit tremendously from a new greenhouse recently handed over to the school by Food For the Poor (FFP) in partnership with the Digicel Foundation. “The fact that you have the greenhouse technology, it therefore means that they [students] […]

Towards a green economy Asad Naqvi (left), economic affairs officer, green economy team at the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), draws Climate Change Minister Robert Pickersgill’s attention to a feature on this poster titled ‘Construction and the Green Economy’ designed by Kemps Hill High School Grade 11 student Kressan Flowers. The poster was among others created by primary and […]

Technology project gets $950 million Government, in a move to further boost technology in education, has allocated more than $950 million for the Technology Infrastructure and Support Services programme. Under the initiative, being implemented by the E-Learning Project, $250 million will go to the Ministry of Education for computer support services and staff training, while $700 million is earmarked for […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

The ‘science’ of learning Not many schools in Jamaica can boast a 98 per cent pass rate for the sciences. But this rare feat is becoming a tradition at Hampton School for Girls. With more than 90 per cent of students graduating with at least one science subject, Hampton has emerged as one of the […]

Launch Of ELearning Platform Hailed From four students under a tree to more than 300 students today in classrooms, Ricardo Allen on Tuesday took the next step in education by launching a four-course eLearning platform called “MyLocker”. Speaking during the launch of One-on-One’s online platform on Tuesday at the Knutsford Court Hotel in St Andrew, Allen said since students who […]

Gore, ATL donate new culinary lab to JC Jamaica College has a new, state-of-the-art culinary lab courtesy of Gore Developments and Appliance Traders Ltd (ATL). The donation, made on Thursday, March 5 at the Old Hope Road school, was appreciated by Principal Ruel Reid who said it would help enrich the school’s curriculum. “We have been leaders over the last decade in curriculum […]

EU donates science equipment to local schools The European Union (EU) has handed over science equipment valued at $800,000 to eight schools across the island, as part of a $100-million Improving Innovation Capacities in the Caribbean (INVOCAB) project. Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining, Hilary Alexander — who addressed the handing-over ceremony on Tuesday at the Four […]

NCU And NEPA Sign MOU Marvette Brown (left), manager, Planning Evaluation and Research Branch, National Environment and Planning Agency; Anthony McKenzie (second left), director of NEPA’s Environmental Management and Conservation division; Dr Trevor Gardner (second right), president of Northern Caribbean University (NCU); and Dr Delano Lewis (right), director of research and grants at the university, sign a memorandum of understanding […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Science (Research) UWI research to benefit Mona residents Research done in two communities in the Mona Valley has revealed that a significant number of residents are participating in the global internet revolution, but suffer from lack of adequate accessibility. In addition, the University of the West Indies, Mona study shows that while the residents may have profit-making opportunities at their fingertips, for various […]

UTech researchers claim novel discovery The University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech) is hoping to make its mark on the local pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries as it advances research on two endemic plants from the Cockpit Country with the aim of producing a drug to reduce inflammation and infection. Bio-organic chemist and lecturer at UTech Dr Andrew Lamm and graduate student […]

Technology Green Pond gets computer lab Minister of Science, Technology, Energy and Mining Phillip Paulwell last week handed over a $4.7 million stateof-the-art computer and resource laboratory to the Green Pond Primary and Junior High School located in the inner-city community of Green Pond in St James. The new facility is a project of the Universal Service Fund, controlled by the […]

Cyberbox expands into electronic gaming Local Internet Café Cyberbox Lan Centre has partnered with video gaming expert Isaiah-Triforce Johnson in its quest to expand into electronic gaming. Cyberbox, which began operating in September last year, has opened what is being described as a ‘state-of-the-art’ Internet Café in Springs Plaza, Half-Way-Tree, and has already invested $20 million in getting its gaming […]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

Local software developers ready for DevCa 2015 Twenty-five local software developers are primed and ready to create products for local and regional markets following participation in a two-day bootcamp hosted by Caribbean Mobile Innovation Programme (CMIP) and Developing the Caribbean (DevCa), a regional technology development conference and Code Sprint scheduled for Tomorrow and Friday at the University of the West Indies (UWI), […]

Workshop/Seminars Career Forum 2015 helps UWI students get ‘work ready’ The Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) recently partnered with the Mona School of Business and Management (MSBM) to host ‘Career Forum 2015′ at the University of the West Indies. The event was designed to prepare final-year students for “job search” activities and to make them “work ready”. Presenters at the seminar included WLI members Dr Grace[…]

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARYâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;MARCH 2015

Man Tears Tendon After Playing Candy Crush for Weeks http://www.livescience.com/50466-smartphone-game-injury.html

A California man tore a tendon in his thumb after playing a puzzle game on his smartphone too much, according to a new report of the case. The case is interesting because such injuries are usually quite painful, but the man appeared to not notice any pain while he played, according to the doctors who treated him. The case shows that, in a sense, video games may numb people's pain and contribute to video game addiction, they said. The 29-year-old went to the doctor because his left thumb hurt and he was having trouble moving it. He told doctors that he had played the puzzle game "Candy Crush Saga" on his smartphone all day for six to eight weeks. The man had played the game with his left hand while he used his right hand for other things, the report said. Playing was a kind of secondary thing, but it was constantly on," the man was quoted as saying in the case report. After examining the man and performing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on his hand, doctors determined that the man had ruptured a tendon involved in moving the thumb, and they said he needed surgery to repair the tendon .

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SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY & INNOVATION NEWS JANUARY—MARCH 2015

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