Background A decade of Boko Haram insurgency brought conflict, mass displacement, and the destruction of basic infrastructure to Northeast Nigeria. Over 2 million internally displaced persons (IDPs) suffering from lack of basic hygienic conditions, malnutrition, and disease live in camps or are hosted by communities in the region, where the conflict has contributed to a massive destruction of health facilities. Infectious diseases like tuberculosis (TB) and HIV are especially difficult to address under such conditions, and IDPs are vulnerable to both. Although international investment supports some health interventions among IDPs, locally sourced solutions are lacking.

The initial step involved in any animal genetic improvement program is to describe the morphometric traits considered. Therefore, a study was conducted in Maigatari Local Government Area of Jigawa State to determine some morphometric characteristics of Red Sokoto and Sahel goats. A total of 250 goats (187 Red Sokoto and 63 Sahel) of mixed sex and age were used for the study. The animals were sampled from Maigatari main livestock market. Data generated were subjected to simple descriptive, analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis and stepwise linear regression. The coefficients of variation obtained for the parameters ranged from 8.96 % for wither height to 56.89 % for udder circumference. Red Sokoto had mean BW, BCS, BL, HG, WH, UL, UC, TL and TC of 20.58 kg, 3.20, 22.45 cm, 25.28 cm, 22.93 cm, 3.48 cm, 5.99 cm, 4.97 cm and 7.88 cm, respectively. The corresponding values for Sahel were 22.91 kg, 3.00, 23.58 cm, 25.07 cm, 24.55 cm, 4.14 cm, 7.06 cm, 4.75 cm and 7.52 cm. Sahel goats had significantly higher BL (P<0.01) and WH (P<0.001). Female goats were heavier than male and had longer body, wider chest and higher height at wither. Except TC, goats of 36 - 48 months had the highest for all the significantly affected traits (BW, BCS, BL, HG and WH; P<0.001). The correlation coefficients observed among the morphometric traits were in general high, positive and significant, while the accuracy of the predictive equation when HG and in combination with BL were used to predict live weight was also high. This study indicated that breed had no effect on most body characters and that live weight can best be predicted using HG.

Background: Many programmes were put in place internationally and locally to curtail the menace of maternal mortality, but little achievement has been made in certain parts of the world, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. A number of literatures exist, which investigate into the predisposing factors of maternal mortality in Ghana, however, no published evidence as the time of conducting this study explore the perception of men with respect to maternal mortality. This study aims to explore the perceptions of men who have lost their wives about the factors that contributed to their wife’s death in Accra, Ghana.Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted, using an in-depth semi-structured interview conducted via a phone call, which was recorded and transcribed. Ten men participated in the study. The data was analysed using narrative synthesis through identification of themes/sub-themes. Results: It was identified that physical, cultural and socio-economic factors were responsible for the death of men’s wives on the course of pregnancy. The major physical factors include direct causes of maternal mortality notably haemorrhage, delay in reaching health facility and delay from the health facility. The cultural factors mainly include seeking care from unskilled attendants and use of traditional preparations to aid delivery. Lastly, poor socio-economic status was blamed by majority of the participants, which impedes them from accessing quality care within shortest period of time. Conclusions: Men perceived factors predisposing to maternal mortality in Accra, Ghana were avoidable with quality health care services and improved access to the health facilities.

Background: Most communities have a minimum age set for marriage, and in many of these communities the age is too

It is no doubt that soils are among the Earth's largest terrestrial reservoirs of carbon pool and hold potential for its sequestration and thus, soils can serve as potential way of mitigating the ever-increasing atmospheric CO 2 concentration. However, the stability and flux of soil organic carbon are affected in response to changes that are being driven by forms of environmental and anthropogenic factors. Therefore, to establish carbon sequestration potential of soils, an in-depth scientific evaluation that would provide mapping of and speciation of carbon chemical forms, as well as factors influencing the persistence of carbon in soils are key to the process which are beyond quantitative measurements that are conventionally implemented under different land use and/or soil management. This involves soil chemistry, physics, biology, and microbiology. Hence, this short review communication highlights portions of soil chemistry and physics as well as soil biology and microbiology that have not been given attention in determining and/or underpinning decisions on carbon sequestration potential of soils.