The Role of Technical and Vocational Education in National Development

Education especially technical and vocational education is central to national development of fast developing countries such as the Asian Tigers In Africa and Nigeria in particular the adoption of technical and vocational education has not been given environmental recognition This paper argues that the acquisition of technical and vocational skills education system propelling self reliant development This paper seeks to understand the role of technical and vocational educations have in national development The paper examines the problems of technical and vocational education in Nigeri

1,3-Bis[(3-allyl­imidazol-3-ium-1-yl)meth­yl]benzene bis­(hexa­fluoridophosphate)

In the title compound, C20H24N4 2+·2PF6 −, the ethene and 3-allyl­imidazolium moieties of the cation are disordered over two positions with refined site occupancies of 0.664 (19):0.336 (19) and 0.784 (7):0.216 (7), respectively, whereas four F atoms of one hexa­fluoridophosphate anion and all atoms in the other hexa­fluoridophosphate anion are disordered over two positions with refined site occupancies of 0.764 (5):0.2365) and 0.847 (9):0.153 (9), respectively. The benzene ring is inclined at angles of 78.2 (3), 81.3 (4) and 73.9 (12)° with the 1H-imidazol-3-ium ring and the major and minor components of the disordered 1H-imidazol-3-ium ring, respectively. In the crystal, the hexa­fluoridophosphate anions link the cations into two-dimensional networks parallel to (001) via inter­molecular C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds. The crystal structure is further consolidated by π–π [centroid–centroid distance = 3.672 (3) Å] and C—H⋯π inter­actions

Silver (I)-imidazole cyclophane gem-diol complexes encapsulated by electrospun tecophilic nanofibers: formation of nanosilver particles and antimicrobial activity

Silver(I)-imidazole cyclophane gem-diol complex, 3 [Ag2C36 N10(O)4](2+)2(x)-, where x = OH- or CO3(2-), was synthesized and well characterized. The minimum inhibition concentration tests showed that the aqueous form of 3 is 2 times less effective as an antibiotic than 0.5% AgNO3, with about the same amount of silver. The antimicrobial activity of 3 was enhanced when encapsulated into Tecophilic polymer by electrospinning to obtain mats made of nano-fibers. The fiber mats released nanosilver particles, which in turn sustained the antimicrobial activity of the mats over a long period of time. The rate of bactericidal activity of 3 was greatly improved by encapsulation, and the amount of silver used was much reduced. The amount of silver contained in the fiber mat of 3, with 75% of 3 and 25% Tecophilic, was 8 times less than that in 0.5% AgNO3 and 5 times lower than that in silver sulfadiazine cream 1%. The fiber mat was found to kill S. aureus at the same rate as 0.5% AgNO3, with zero colonies on an agar plate, and about 6 times faster than silver sulfadiazine cream. The silver mats were found effective against E. coli, P. aeruginosa, S. aureus, C. albicans, A. niger, and S. cerevisiae. Transmission electron microscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the fiber mats. The acute toxicity of the ligand (imidazolium cyclophane gem-diol dichloride) was assessed by intravenous administration to rats, with an LD 50 of 100 mg/kg of rat