Plant-associated microorganisms play a critical role in agricultural productivity. Symbiotic microorganisms interact with each other and allow their host leguminous plants to maintain optimal nutrient levels and enhance their growth. Therefore, the goal of the current study was to investigate the synergistic interaction of different symbiotic microbes and its beneficial effect on the nodulation, nodule efficiency, and growth of salt-affected chickpea plants (Cicer arietinum L.). Rhizobium sp. (MK358859) was isolated from the root nodules of chickpea plants. In vitro, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe3O4-NPs) at a concentration of 150 μg/ml significantly enhanced the growth ofRhizobium compared with bulk FeCl3. The impact of seven soil salinity levels (0, 25, 50, 75, 100, 150, and 200 mM NaCl) on germination and subsequent growth was measured. The salinity levels ranging from 25 to 150 mM significantly inhibited the growth of chickpea plants, while the 200 mM level hindered their germination. The influence of triple microbial inoculation of chickpea plants grown in soil with 0, 75 and 150 mM NaCl was studied. Inoculation with mycorrhizal fungi, Fe3O4 NP-inducedRhizobium, and endophytic Stenotrophomonas maltophilia significantly improved the nodulation, leghaemoglobin content, nitrogenase activity, and growth of chickpea grown at salinity level of 75 and 150 mM compared with the controls. The mitigation of the destructive effect of salinity stress was due to improvement in the nutritional status of plants as determined by their K, P, carbohydrate and protein contents. Such triple microbial inoculation could be a successful bio-fertilizer that can contribute to protecting chickpea plants from salinity by attenuating salt-induced oxidative damage.

and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) were deposited on Ni foam from low cost and abundant micro-sized particles of Ni(OH)2 and graphite powders using modified vaccum spray technique. The deposited thin films exhibited a mixed morphology of nanosheets and nanoflakes. We investigated the effect of increasing Ni(OH)2 content on the electrocatalytic activity toward the OER and the HER in 1 M KOH. We found that the hybrid catalyst with low Ni(OH)2 content (20 wt.%) revealed a high OER electrocatalytic activity that delivers 50 mA·cm-2 at an overpotential of 330 mV with a low Tafel slope of 78 mV·dec-1. Meanwhile, catalysts with higher Ni(OH)2 content (80 wt.%) exhibited superior HER activity that delivered 20 mA·cm-2 at an overpotential of 154 mV and a low Tafel slope of 92 mV·dec-1. The long term stability for both working electrodes was verified up to 25 hours

and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) were deposited on Ni foam from low cost and abundant micro-sized particles of Ni(OH)2 and graphite powders using modified vaccum spray technique. The deposited thin films exhibited a mixed morphology of nanosheets and nanoflakes. We investigated the effect of increasing Ni(OH)2 content on the electrocatalytic activity toward the OER and the HER in 1 M KOH. We found that the hybrid catalyst with low Ni(OH)2 content (20 wt.%) revealed a high OER electrocatalytic activity that delivers 50 mA·cm-2 at an overpotential of 330 mV with a low Tafel slope of 78 mV·dec-1. Meanwhile, catalysts with higher Ni(OH)2 content (80 wt.%) exhibited superior HER activity that delivered 20 mA·cm-2 at an overpotential of 154 mV and a low Tafel slope of 92 mV·dec-1. The long term stability for both working electrodes was verified up to 25 hours

Nano-sized Co3O4–MoS2/Ni foam heterostructure electrodes were fabricated using a vacuum kinetic spray technique with microparticles of Co3O4 and MoS2. The deposited films were utilized to study the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at various MoS2 contents (25, 50, 75 wt%). The surface state of the obtained heterostructure electrodes was characterized using various surfaces sensitive techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). SEM images exhibited the fragmentation of the microparticles to smaller sizes in the nanoscale range. An analysis of the XPS spectra revealed the improvement in the cumulative synergy between the nanostructured Co3O4 and MoS2 in the heterostructured Co3O4–MoS2 electrocatalyst. We found that the gradual addition of MoS2 caused an enhancement in the OER activity due to improved charge transfer kinetics. Moreover, the heterostructure electrode with 75 wt% MoS2 showed the highest activity with the lowest OER overpotential value of 298 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and the smallest Tafel slope value of 46 mV·dec−1, as well as, 50 h OER stability at a current density of 50 mA cm−2.

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In the present study angular distributions of the differential cross section for elastic and inelastic scattering of alpha (α)-particles of 11В nuclei at different bombarding energies have been analyzed in the framework of the optical model (OM) potential. Two OM folding approaches were adopted in order to construct the real part of the α-nucleus potential. First, we generated the semi-microscopic single folding (SF) potential by folding an effective α-nucleon (α-N) interaction over the nuclear matter density of the target (11B) nucleus. In addition, the double folding (DF) approach was employed in order to deduce a microscopic representation of the optical potential by folding an effective density-dependent (DDM3Y) nucleon–nucleon interaction over the matter densities of the colliding nuclei. Successful theoretical predictions of six sets of experimental elastic scattering data have been obtained over the whole measured angular range. However, it was found that introducing real renormalization coefficients (~0.9–1.6) is essential in order to obtain best fits with data. On the other side, sixteen sets of the inelastic scattering data at several excited states of 11B nucleus were analyzed using the constructed SF and DF deformed potentials. In general, reasonable description of the data is obtained. However underestimated predictions of data were obtained at backward measured angles. The deduced reaction (absorption) cross sections and nuclear deformation lengths were also investigated.

In the present study angular distributions of the differential cross section for elastic and inelastic scattering of alpha (α)-particles of 11В nuclei at different bombarding energies have been analyzed in the framework of the optical model (OM) potential. Two OM folding approaches were adopted in order to construct the real part of the α-nucleus potential. First, we generated the semi-microscopic single folding (SF) potential by folding an effective α-nucleon (α-N) interaction over the nuclear matter density of the target (11B) nucleus. In addition, the double folding (DF) approach was employed in order to deduce a microscopic representation of the optical potential by folding an effective density-dependent (DDM3Y) nucleon–nucleon interaction over the matter densities of the colliding nuclei. Successful theoretical predictions of six sets of experimental elastic scattering data have been obtained over the whole measured angular range. However, it was found that introducing real renormalization coefficients (~0.9–1.6) is essential in order to obtain best fits with data. On the other side, sixteen sets of the inelastic scattering data at several excited states of 11B nucleus were analyzed using the constructed SF and DF deformed potentials. In general, reasonable description of the data is obtained. However underestimated predictions of data were obtained at backward measured angles. The deduced reaction (absorption) cross sections and nuclear deformation lengths were also investigated.

In the present study angular distributions of the differential cross section for elastic and inelastic scattering of alpha (α)-particles of 11В nuclei at different bombarding energies have been analyzed in the framework of the optical model (OM) potential. Two OM folding approaches were adopted in order to construct the real part of the α-nucleus potential. First, we generated the semi-microscopic single folding (SF) potential by folding an effective α-nucleon (α-N) interaction over the nuclear matter density of the target (11B) nucleus. In addition, the double folding (DF) approach was employed in order to deduce a microscopic representation of the optical potential by folding an effective density-dependent (DDM3Y) nucleon–nucleon interaction over the matter densities of the colliding nuclei. Successful theoretical predictions of six sets of experimental elastic scattering data have been obtained over the whole measured angular range. However, it was found that introducing real renormalization coefficients (~0.9–1.6) is essential in order to obtain best fits with data. On the other side, sixteen sets of the inelastic scattering data at several excited states of 11B nucleus were analyzed using the constructed SF and DF deformed potentials. In general, reasonable description of the data is obtained. However underestimated predictions of data were obtained at backward measured angles. The deduced reaction (absorption) cross sections and nuclear deformation lengths were also investigated.

An integrated technique of Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) data along with other
data-sets to estimate the variations of groundwater storage over Libya and its zones. Temporal (January
2003–December 2015) terrestrial water solutions (ΔTWS) of GRACE with outputs of Global Land Data
Assimilation System (GLDAS) model were used. Findings are: (1) the Western Libya (zone 1), Eastern Libya (zone
2), and Northeastern Libya (zone 3) areas are receiving an average annual precipitation of 48, 30, and 154 mm/
yr, respectively, (2) the average GRACE-estimated groundwater storage variations (ΔGWS) were
−4.13 ± 0.47 mm/yr, −3.36 ± 0.44, and +0.25 ± 0.14 mm/yr; however, the average annual extraction
rates of −4.96 ± 0.50 mm/yr (−3.08 ± 0.31 km3/yr), −2.22 ± 0.22 mm/yr (−1.9 ± 0.19 km3/yr), and
−0.31 ± 0.03 mm/yr (−0.042 ± 0.004 km3/yr) were from zones 1, 2, and 3, respectively, (3) the observed
depletion in groundwater of zones 1, and 2 is largely related to the prevailed dry conditions over these zones and
the heavy anthropogenic effects, (4) the minor recharge of 0.83 ± 0.69 mm/yr (0.52 ± 0.43 km3/yr) is happening
over zone 1 from the surrounding highlands and from the rainfall over the northern coastal areas, and is
compensating for part of the groundwater withdrawal, (5) the groundwater in zone 2 is partially flowing
northeastward to the Dakhla basin along the preferred groundwater flow conduit of the Pelusium megashear
system, and partially flowing northward to the Mediterranean Sea, (6) zone 3 is receiving a minor recharge of
0.56 ± 0.14 mm/yr (0.077 ± 0.02 km3/yr), and (7) a progressive increase in Cl-36 groundwater ages supports
the groundwater flow directions along structures that are sub-parallel to the flow direction. The integrated
technique provides a practical and informative study.

The North Africa region is seeking water resources to develop agricultural expansions and land reclamation
projects based on the groundwater resources. Monthly (April 2002–July 2016) terrestrial water storage (TWS)
solutions of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) along with other datasets were used to
monitor and estimate the variations in groundwater storage over the Sudanese area and its sections. Results
indicate: (1) the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections are receiving an average recharge
of +4.15 ± 1.07, +2.46 ± 1.69, and +4.74 ± 0.76 mm/yr, respectively during the analysed period, taking
into an account the annual extraction rate of 0.67 ± 0.067, 1.04 ± 0.104 and 0.54 ± 0.054 mm/yr from the
Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections, respectively, (2) and the average groundwater
storage variations of +3.35 ± 1.07, +1.21 ± 1.69 and +4.09 ± 0.76 mm/yr from the Sudanese area,
Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections, respectively, and (3) the assumed natural discharge of
−0.13 ± 0.013, −0.21 ± 0.021, and −0.11 ± 0.011 mm/yr from the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and
Northern Sudan sections, respectively. (4) The average precipitation of Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission data
over the Sudanese area, Southern Sudan and Northern Sudan sections was estimated at 520.2, 1165.6 and
300.3 km3/yr, respectively. (5) The ground surface relief is forming northeastward streams taking the surface
water away to the river. (6) The groundwater flows to the southernmost part of Egypt is impeded by the
Uweinat-Aswan basement uplift and the thinned sedimentary cover in northern Sudan and southern Egypt,
which in turn flows northeastward to the river. (7) The integrated study is informative and cost-effective model
for best estimating the recharge rate of large areas.