Adverse Events Following Immunisation (AEFI) contribute to child morbidity and mortality as they often lead to low uptake of vaccines with consequent persistence of vaccine-preventable diseases. It is essential to assess the prevalence of AEFIs in northern Nigeria, where misconceptions about immunisation exist. This study assessed the prevalence and pattern of AEFI among children less than 24 months after attending immunisation clinics in Kano, Nigeria. Using a mixed-methods design, adapted intervieweradministered questionnaires were assigned to a cross-section of 384 mother-baby pairs who presented to the immunisation clinics of selected primary healthcare centres (PHCs) within metropolitan Kano. This was followed by six sessions of focus group discussion with a sub-sample of the mothers. Logistic regression and the framework approach were used to analyse the data. The prevalence of AEFI was (43.5%, n=164), and most cases (72.4%, n=273) were mild. Fever was the most common type of AEFI reported (66.5%, n=109) and was higher among infants less than three months (44.5%, n=73). Age of the index child was the only significant predictor of AEFI (OR:0.18, 95% CI: 0.10-0.35). Our study shows that AEFI was common among children less than 24 months old in Kano. We recommend sensitisation and health education of caregivers using valuable communication strategies and sufficient training of immunisation service providers on professional ways to deliver these vaccines safely.

One of the keys to national development in developing countries like Nigeria is the diversification of economy. Nigeria’s economy depends majorly on crude oil. The oil sector continue to face challenges like price drop in international market, corruption, reduced quantity of production as forecasted (although new oils are been drilled). These among others makes it necessary for the country to diversify its economy. Agriculture is one of the areas Nigeria have started investing into. New methods are necessary for fast improvement in the sector among which is geophysics. The need for Agricultural Geophysics to be considered for national economic development is discussed. Geophysics as a branch of science that deal with physical processes and phenomena occurring in the earth and its vicinity is applicable to many fields that contribute to the development of the economy of any nation. Such fields include oil, Agriculture, natural resources among others. Geophysical methods applicable in Agriculture like resistivity, electromagnetic induction, and Ground penetrating radar are discussed with their applications in agriculture. The various geophysical methods that are useful in agriculture are reviewed and necessity of their application is also emphasized.

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Electrical resistivity technique is a popular alternative method used in geotechnical soil investigations. Most past applications have been particularly in the area of subsurface ground investigations such as to locate boulder, bedrock, water table, etc. Traditionally, this method was performed by a geophysicist expert for data acquisition, processing and interpretation. The anomalies highlighted uncertainties on the nature of soil that was often variable and depended on each particular site condition that gave a site dependent soil electrical resistivity value. In order to establish empirical equations that relate layer resistivity values with geotechnical parameters for engineering site characterization, samples collected from four different boreholes drilled to a maximum depth of 40 m meters, samples were collected at 10 m interval which were used in the correlation. Schlumberger array with 300c model of ABEM Terrameter SAS was used in the survey, and later interpreted using WINRESIST2 the interpreted models indicate four layers interpreted as topsoil, weathered sand, silty sand and sandy clay. Atterberg limit test was conducted on the disturbed soil samples. The geo-electrical data and geotechnical parameter were subsequently correlated. The study established that soil electrical resistivity increases with increase in Liquid limit but decreases with increase in plasticity index. Where the correlation coefficients are significant as for plasticity index, the established empirical equations can be used to estimate geotechnical properties from subsoil resistivity values, thereby reducing the cost and duration of engineering site investigation.