Although the events of September 2001 marked the United States' employment of solid forces in its direct comprehensive strategy to counter terrorist organizations and any other challenges to US national security, the United States did not lose sight of the importance of the cultural variable. The cultural variable is the United States' most important instrument of soft power in ensuring its dominance of the international system and promoting its global project. France viewed US soft power as a threat to its own civilizational pattern. Therefore, France considers culture to be an inherent component of its national personality and a cornerstone of its international standing as a major force. Additionally, the US-French political and economic rivalry in Africa, regarded by France as its most important region of national security, has escalated. The developments have contributed to years-long historical rivalry and tension between France and the United States since the 1960s over many contentious issues, including the US position on the political rights of the French-controlled Indochinese and African peoples.As Charles de Gaulle assumed power in France in the early 1950s, France moved to take steps against NATO. De Gaulle demanded in 1958 that France be given more autonomy and freedom than the other members, especially in nuclear armament, and powers similar to those of the UK and the US with regard to NATO-managing strategies. These claims and invitations prompted the US reservation in the late 1950s. Therefore, this study aims to define comprehensive strategy and soft power, identify the manifestations of US soft power towards France, investigate the US practices on the French perception of soft power and cultural variables, and examine the effects of the said US strategies and powers on France's international interests and its strategic action in the world order and NATO.
This study conducted an analytical investigation on the behavior of concrete beams with openings reinforced by glass-fiber-reinforced polymer (GFRP) bars. In this study, five proposed beams reinforced by GFRP bars as flexural and shear reinforcement with openings were numerically examined. The variables were the opening orientation (vertical and horizontal) and the number of openings. These openings were located within the flexural zone of the proposed beams. The result shows that the vertical openings had a significant effect over the horizontal openings on reducing the ultimate load and increasing the mid-span deflection compared with the control beam. Moreover, the results showed t
Background: A great dental and biomedical interest had been paid to silver nanoparticles because of their antimicrobial activity. Objective: To evaluate the antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of a newly developed Nano-silver fluoride that was synthesized from moringa oleifera leaf extract against S. mutants. Material and method: The green synthesis method was used to prepare Nano-silver fluoride from moringa oleifera leaf extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration and the minimum bactericidal concentration were evaluated using brain heart infusion plates, while the cytotoxicity was evaluated by the hemolytic activity. Results: Nano-silver fluoride had a bactericidal and bacteriostatic effect (MIC was 60 ppm a
... Show MoreAbstract
A series of new 4(3H)-quinazolinone derivatives (S1-S4) were synthesized and characterized by FTIR,1HNMR and 13CNMR .Their cytotoxic activity against a set of human cancer cell lines MCF-7 (breast) and A549 (lung) was evaluated using MTT assay. To detect their selectivity toward cancer cells, the compounds were also tested against epithelial cells derived from normal human fibroblast (NHF). Methotrexate (MTX) was used as a reference for comparison . All the tested compounds exhibited toxicity against the normal cells lower than cancer cells. All the tested compounds displayed higher cytotoxicity against lung cancer cell line (A549) than MTX with the most
... Show MoreBackground: This in vitro study compares a novel calcium-phosphate etchant paste to conventional 37% phosphoric acid gel for bonding metal and ceramic brackets by evaluating the shear bond strength, remnant adhesive and enamel damage following water storage, acid challenge and fatigue loading. Material and Methods: Metal and ceramic brackets were bonded to 240 extracted human premolars using two enamel conditioning protocols: conventional 37% phosphoric acid (PA) gel (control), and an acidic calcium-phosphate (CaP) paste. The CaP paste was prepared from β-tricalcium phosphate and monocalcium phosphate monohydrate powders mixed with 37% phosphoric acid solution, and the resulting phase was confirmed using FTIR. The bonded premolars were exp
... Show MoreThis new azo dye 7-(3-hydroxy-phenylazo)-quinoline-8-ol was subsequently used to prepare a series of complexes with the chlorides of Fe, Co, Zn, Ru, Rh and Cd. The compounds identified by 1H and 13C-NMR, FT-IR, UV-Vis, mass spectroscopy, as well as TGA, DSC, and C.H.N., conductivity, magnetic susceptibility, metal and chlorine content. The results showed that the ligand behaves in a trigonal behavior, and that the complexes gave tetrahedral, except for Fe, Ru and Rh octahedral was given, that all of them are non-electrolytes. The effectiveness of both the compounds in inhibiting free radicals was evaluated by the ability to act as an antioxidant was measured using DPPH as a free radical and gallic acid as a standard substance, the
... Show More