Lunasin concentration in different soybean genotypes, commercial soy protein, and isoflavone products

Lunasin is a unique and novel cancer preventive peptide originally isolated from soy. Information on lunasin concentration of soybean cultivars and commercial soy proteins would be useful in developing lunasin-enriched cultivars and soy products. We report the development of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method to identify lunasin and quantify the variations in concentration in 144 selected, diverse soybean accessions from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Soybean Germplasm Collection, several commercially available soy protein fractions and isoflavone-enriched products. With synthetic lunasin and monoclonal antibody, ELISA shows a linear concentration range of 24-72 ng/mL, good reproducibility, a detection limit of 8 ng/mL, and a recovery of 90% on spiked soy samples. Lunasin concentrations in the tested materials range from 0.10 to 1.33 g/100 g flour. Differences that exceeded 100% have been observed among accessions of similar maturity that were grown in the same environment, indicating that genetic differences in soybeans exist for lunasin. The mean of 23 major ancestral lines of U.S. cultivars is similar to the mean of 16 modern cultivars selected to represent the current diversity of the crop, but the highest values were found within the ancestral and exotic accessions. Soy protein concentrate, isolate, and hydrolyzate contain 2.81 +/- 0.30, 3.75 +/- 0.43, and 4.43 +/- 0.59 g lunasin/100 g flour, respectively, while soy flour and soy flakes contain 1.24 +/- 0.22 g lunasin/100 g flour. Isoflavone-enriched products contain very little or no lunasin. The relative mass (M(r)) of lunasin in the samples is 5.45 +/- 0.25 kDa. The wide range of lunasin concentrations within the Glycine max species indicates that the levels of this important bioactive peptide can be genetically manipulated. Furthermore, soy isolates and hydrolyzed soy proteins contain the highest concentrations of lunasin.     

小麦籽粒抗剪切力与其品质性状的关系（简报）

该文通过研究小麦籽粒的力学性质与其品质之间的关系,以期为小麦品质检测提供一个快速简洁的方法。全文以辽宁省17个小麦品种为材料,研究了小麦抗剪切力与其品质性状的关系。试验确定剪切速度为1 mm/min,品种间抗剪切力存在差异显著,剪切力值分布在69.14～124.1N区间。试验表明：抗剪切力与其蛋白含量呈显著正相关,与湿面筋含量和干面筋含量均呈正相关,而与其他品质性状相关性不明显。     

Physicochemical modifications of high-pressure-treated soybean protein isolates

Changes induced by high pressure (HP) treatment (200-600 MPa) on soybean protein isolates (SPI) at pH 3 (SPI3) and pH 8 (SPI8) were analyzed. Changes in protein solubility, surface hydrophobicity (Ho), and free sulfhydryl content (SH(F)) were determined. Protein aggregation and denaturation and changes in secondary structure were also studied. An increase in protein Ho and aggregation, a reduction of free SH, and a partial unfolding of 7S and 11S fractions were observed in HP-treated SPI8. Changes in secondary structure were also detected, which led to a more disordered structure. HP-treated SPI3 was partially denatured and presented insoluble aggregates. A major molecular unfolding, a decrease of thermal stability, and an increase of protein solubility and Ho were also detected. At 400 and 600 MPa, a decrease of the SH(F) and a total denaturation were observed.     

Relationships between carbon dioxide emission and soil properties in salt-affected landscapes

Net carbon dioxide (CO₂) emission from soils is controlled by the input rate of organic material and the rate of decomposition which in turn are affected by temperature, moisture and soil factors. While the relationships between CO₂ emission and soil factors are well-studied in non-salt-affected soils, little is known about soil properties controlling CO₂ emission from salt-affected soils. To close this knowledge gap, non-salt-affected and salt-affected soils (0-0.30 m) were collected from two agricultural regions: in India (irrigation induced salinity) and in Australia (salinity associated with ground water or non-ground water associated salinity). A subset (50 Indian and 70 Australian soils) covering the range of electrical conductivity (EC) and sodium adsorption ratio (SAR) in each region was used in a laboratory incubation experiment. The soils were left unamended or amended with mature wheat residues (2% w/w) and CO₂ release was measured over 120 days at constant temperature and soil water content. Residues were added to overcome carbon limitation for soil respiration. For the unamended soils, separation in multidimensional scaling plots was a function of differences in soil texture (clay, sand), SOC pools (particulate organic carbon (POC) and humus-C) and also EC. Cumulative CO₂-C emission from unamended and amended soils was related to soil properties by stepwise regression models. Cumulative CO₂-C emission was negatively correlated with EC in saline soils (R² = 0.50, p < 0.05) from both regions. In the unamended non-salt-affected soils, cumulative CO₂-C emission was significantly positively related to the content of POC for the Indian soils and negatively related to clay content for the Australian soils. In the wheat residue amended soils, cumulative CO₂-C emission had positive relationship with POC and humus-C but a negative correlation with EC for both Indian and Australian soils. SAR was negatively related (β = −0.66, p < 0.05) with cumulative CO₂-C emission only for the unamended saline-sodic soils of Australia. Cumulative CO₂-C emission was significantly negatively correlated with bulk density in amended soils from both regions. The study showed that in salt-affected soils, EC was the main factor influencing for soil respiration but the content of POC, humus-C and clay were also influential with the magnitude of influence depending on whether the soils were salt affected or not.     

Relationships between earthworm communities and burrow numbers under different land use systems

This study addresses the influence of three different land use systems (continuous maize, pasture/maize rotation, permanent pasture) on the relationships between earthworm populations and the number of earthworm burrows quantified in a soil profile. Quantified burrows were limited to those observable by the naked eye (i.e. >2 mm in diameter) and enumerated earthworms were limited to those which could have created the observable burrows (i.e. >0.3 g).The results were combined with data from the literature coming from different geographical regions. This study showed that earthworm abundance decreased with the increasing land management intensity (maize crop vs. pasture), while the number of burrows could be higher or similar under maize compared to pasture. Under maize, despite lower earthworm abundance and the annual destruction of the burrows by tillage, the number of burrows was almost as high as under pasture. This absence of a relationship between burrow numbers and earthworm abundance was observed in the soil profile and for each layer of the profile for each land use system. Furthermore, the burrow number/m^?2 per earthworm strongly varied depending on land use and was far higher under maize when compared to pasture (74 vs. 7). Therefore, a power-law type relationship was clearly established between burrow number/m^?2 per earthworm and earthworm abundance. This power type relationship was also observed when including data from the literature although it followed a different mathematical model. These results were explained by (i) increased earthworm burrowing activity (i.e. an increase in the number of burrows produced by each earthworm) under maize, and (ii) the dynamics of burrow number under pasture (i.e. decreased burrowing activity and burrow destruction process); both results of food accessibility combined with inter-individual competition. The results of the study suggest that farmers should not use the number of pores as an indicator of earthworm abundance, but as an indicator of earthworm activity, which could be integrated in an indicator of soil quality.     

Relationships between earthworm communities and burrow numbers under different land use systems

This study addresses the influence of three different land use systems (continuous maize, pasture/maize rotation, permanent pasture) on the relationships between earthworm populations and the number of earthworm burrows quantified in a soil profile. Quantified burrows were limited to those observable by the naked eye (i.e. >2 mm in diameter) and enumerated earthworms were limited to those which could have created the observable burrows (i.e. >0.3 g).The results were combined with data from the literature coming from different geographical regions. This study showed that earthworm abundance decreased with the increasing land management intensity (maize crop vs. pasture), while the number of burrows could be higher or similar under maize compared to pasture. Under maize, despite lower earthworm abundance and the annual destruction of the burrows by tillage, the number of burrows was almost as high as under pasture. This absence of a relationship between burrow numbers and earthworm abundance was observed in the soil profile and for each layer of the profile for each land use system. Furthermore, the burrow number/m⁻² per earthworm strongly varied depending on land use and was far higher under maize when compared to pasture (74 vs. 7). Therefore, a power-law type relationship was clearly established between burrow number/m⁻² per earthworm and earthworm abundance. This power type relationship was also observed when including data from the literature although it followed a different mathematical model. These results were explained by (i) increased earthworm burrowing activity (i.e. an increase in the number of burrows produced by each earthworm) under maize, and (ii) the dynamics of burrow number under pasture (i.e. decreased burrowing activity and burrow destruction process); both results of food accessibility combined with inter-individual competition. The results of the study suggest that farmers should not use the number of pores as an indicator of earthworm abundance, but as an indicator of earthworm activity, which could be integrated in an indicator of soil quality.     

Relationships between soil pH and microbial properties in a UK arable soil

Effects of changing pH along a natural continuous gradient of a UK silty-loam soil were investigated. The site was a 200 m soil transect of the Hoosfield acid strip (Rothamsted Research, UK) which has grown continuous barley for more than 100 years. This experiment provides a remarkably uniform soil pH gradient, ranging from about pH 8.3 to 3.7. Soil total and organic C and the ratio: (soil organic C)/(soil total N) decreased due to decreasing plant C inputs as the soil pH declined. As expected, the CaCO₃ concentration was greatest at very high pH values (pH > 7.5). In contrast, extractable Al concentrations increased linearly (R² = 0.94, p < 0.001) from below about pH 5.4, while extractable Mn concentrations were largest at pH 4.4 and decreased at lower pHs. Biomass C and biomass ninhydrin-N were greatest above pH 7. There were statistically significant relationships between soil pH and biomass C (R² = 0.80, p < 0.001), biomass ninhydrin-N (R² = 0.90, p < 0.001), organic C (R² = 0.83, p < 0.001) and total N (R² = 0.83, p < 0.001), confirming the importance of soil organic matter and pH in stimulating microbial biomass growth. Soil CO₂ evolution increased as pH increased (R² = 0.97, p < 0.001). In contrast, the respiratory quotient (qCO₂) had the greatest values at either end of the pH range. This is almost certainly a response to stress caused by the low p. At the highest pH, both abiotic (from CaCO₃) and biotic Co₂ will be involved so the effects of high pH on biomass activity are confounded. Microbial biomass and microbial activity tended to stabilise at pH values between about 5 and 7 because the differences in organic C, total N and Al concentrations within this pH range were small. This work has established clear relationships between microbial biomass and microbial activity over an extremely wide soil pH range and within a single soil type. In contrast, most other studies have used soils of both different pH and soil type to make similar comparisons. In the latter case, the effects of soil pH on microbial properties are confounded with effects of different soil types, vegetation cover and local climatic conditions.     

滨海盐渍化土壤理化性质与小麦生产间的关系

为促进滨海区域粮食生产,以盐渍化麦田为研究对象,在测定土壤(0~20 cm)基本性质及小麦产量、生物量基础上,分析土壤肥力特征与小麦生产能力间的关系。结果表明,土壤含盐量与小麦产量、地上部生物量(生物量)呈极显著负相关(p0.01),其关系符合三次函数方程。若以4 500 kg hm-2作为最低目标产量,土壤含盐量应在3.1 g kg-1以下。土壤有机质含量与土壤含盐量呈显著负相关(p0.05),与小麦产量、生物量呈极显著正相关(p0.01)。土壤有机质含量增加能够降低盐渍化程度,促进小麦生产。将直接相连的下层(10~20 cm)与上(表)层(0~10 cm)土壤含盐量比值作为抑盐效率(E),来评价有机质的抑盐作用,表层土壤有机质含量与E符合二次函数方程,有机质含量超过19.1 g kg-1时,抑盐效果显著,可以作为土壤肥力培育目标值。此外,提高土壤速效钾含量对小麦生产也具有显著促进作用。研究结果对研究区域及相似地区进行土壤肥力培育和粮食生产具有重要意义。     

不同热处理大豆分离蛋白凝胶冻藏特性

为探究冻藏过程中不同加热温度处理大豆分离蛋白(soybean isolate protein,SPI)凝胶特性变化及评估不同热处理对SPI凝胶冻藏特性的影响。该文以65、90和135℃3个不同温度处理所得SPI为研究对象(分别记为65SPI、90SPI和USPI),采用离心法、质构分析法、可溶蛋白含量测定和电泳等方法对其冻藏过程中的凝胶持水性、凝胶硬度、凝胶弹性、可溶蛋白含量及亚基组成和凝胶作用力进行了分析研究。结果表明:随冻藏时间延长,不同温度处理SPI凝胶持水性、凝胶弹性和凝胶可溶蛋白含量呈下降趋势,而凝胶硬度呈增大趋势。凝胶持水性、弹性的下降和凝胶硬度的升高标志着凝胶品质的劣变。不同温度处理对SPI凝胶的冻前凝胶特性和冻藏特性有较大影响,65和90℃的温度处理降低了冻前SPI凝胶的持水性,增强了冻前SPI凝胶硬度,有更多的β和B亚基参与了凝胶形成,冻藏前后的亚基组成没有变化;超高温瞬时加热(ultra high temperature,UHT)处理则降低了冻前SPI凝胶硬度,冻藏过程中可溶蛋白含量大幅下降且可溶蛋白中β和B亚基含量下降。3种温度处理SPI的凝胶劣变程度均高于未处理SPI。加热处理会造成SPI发生部分或完全变性,变性后疏水基团的暴露会加快蛋白凝胶形成过程中聚集速率,进而增大粗糙凝胶结构形成的几率,而粗糙凝胶网络在冻藏过程中其劣变程度更甚于未加热SPI。由此可知,加热处理尽管在一定程度上增大了凝胶硬度,但会加速其凝胶品质冻藏劣变。     

Relationships between soil properties and feeding activity of soil fauna in acid forest soils

We investigated the relationships between soil chemical properties, humus form, and feeding activity in eight forest sites in Northrhine‐Westphalia, Germany. The study sites varied in forest type (oak, oak‐hornbeam, spruce, and pine). Three study sites were located under the same climatic conditions, and five study sites were distributed all over Northrhine‐Westphalia. We determined humus form, soil chemical properties, and feeding activity in three replication plots per site. We used the bait‐lamina test to determine feeding activity of soil fauna. Independent of forest type, all study sites were very acid with pH(CaCl₂) values in the Ah horizon between 2.8 and 4.0. The three study sites located under the same climatic conditions showed very homogenous soil chemical properties (pH in Ah: 2.9–3.0), whereas the five other sites varied significantly due to their soil chemical parameters (pH in Ah: 2.8–4.0). All single sites presented feeding activities with a very low spatial heterogeneity. Forest types and climatic conditions were not related to activity of soil fauna. Feeding activity and thickness of the O layer were strongly negatively correlated, whereas the activity was strongly positively correlated to soil pH in the five study sites with a wide range of soil chemical parameters. The three extremely acid forest sites presented significant differences in feeding activities that were not related to soil chemical properties.     

土壤性质与不同土壤Hg形态的关系

Correlation and path analysis methods were used to study the relationship between soil properties and the distribution of different soil Hg fractions with nine representative soils from Chongqing, China. Results showed that clay (< 2 m) could increase water-soluble Hg (r = 0.700*). Soil organic matter (OM) could enhance the increase of elemental Hg (r = 0.674*). The higher the base saturation percentage (BSP), the more the residual Hg (r = 0.684*). Organic Hg, the sum of acid-soluble organic Hg and alkali-soluble Hg, was positively affected by silt (2～20 μm) but negatively affected by pH, with the direct path coefficients amounting to 1.0487 and 0.5121, respectively. The positive effect of OM and negative effect of BSP on organic Hg were the most significant, with the direct path coefficients being 0.7614 and -0.8527, respectively. The indirect effect of clay (< 2 μm) via BSP (path coefficient = 0.4186) was the highest, showing that the real influencing factor in the effect of clay (< 2 μm) on acid-soluble organic Hg was BSP. Since the available Hg fraction, water-soluble Hg, was positively affected by soil clay content, and the quite immobile and not bioavailable residual Hg by soil BSP, suitable reduction of clay content and increase of BSP would be of much help to reduce the Hg availability and Hg activity in Hg-contaminated soils.     

Relation between solubility and surface hydrophobicity as an indicator of modifications during preparation processes of commercial and laboratory-prepared soy protein isolates

Because water solubility is the main hydration property of proteins, solubility values of commercial and laboratory soy protein isolates, prepared under different conditions, were comparatively analyzed. In contrast, the surface hydrophobicity manifested by proteins is a physicochemical property that determines, to a great extent, the tendency of protein molecules to aggregate and so to lose solubility. On these grounds, the solubility of isolates was analyzed as a function of the surface hydrophobicity of their proteins, and, as a result, three well-defined groups of laboratory isolates were identified: (A) native, (B) partially or totally denatured with high solubility and surface hydrophobicity, and (C) totally denatured with low solubility and surface hydrophobicity. Commercial isolates could not be included in any of these groups; they were grouped as (A') partially native and (C') totally denatured. Solubility values in these two groups were similar to those of group C, but the surface hydrophobicity levels were much lower. The different processes leading to the groups mentioned above are discussed, along with the way the soy proteins are influenced by the specific preparation conditions, namely, protein concentration, chemical or thermal treatments, presence of salts, drying, and phospholipid addition, among others.     

Characterization of different commercial soybean peroxidase preparations and use of the enzyme for N-demethylation of methyl N-methylanthranilate To produce the food flavor methylanthranilate

The potential of different peroxidase preparations for the N-demethylation of methyl N-methylanthranilate to produce the food flavor methylanthranilate (MA) was investigated. All tested peroxidase preparations were able to catalyze the N-dealkylation. The tested soybean preparations vary widely with respect to their heme content. Furthermore, the operational stability of purified soybean peroxidase (SP) is at least 25-fold lower than that of horseradish peroxidase and only 5-fold higher than that of microperoxidase 8. Thus, the presence of a large protein chain around a porphyrin cofactor in a peroxidase is, by itself, insufficient to explain the observed differences in operational stability. Despite its relatively low operational stability, SP proved to be the most efficient biocatalyst for the production of MA with high yield and purity, especially observed at the high temperature and low pH values at which SP appeared to be optimally active.     

不同水分管理下覆膜旱植稻营养特性及其与光合生理的相关性研究

本研究以超级杂交稻P88s/1128为材料,研究了覆膜栽培下不同水分管理方式对超级杂交稻产量及钙（Ca）、 硅（SiO2）吸收特性的影响,并探讨了硅、 钙吸收总量与蒸腾速率之间的相关性。结果表明,覆膜栽培条件下旱作水稻产量比无膜栽培提高了3.64%;覆膜栽培下湿润处理后穗部钙吸收量为1.58kg/hm2,显著高于灌水处理;栽培模式和水分管理2种处理因子均对水稻后期钙、 硅的积累量具有一定的影响且存在显著的交互作用;覆膜旱植栽培下超级稻后期蒸腾速率与穗部硅的吸收呈显著正相关（r=0.8561*,P=0.0066）。覆膜和后期灌水提高了群体蒸腾速率,有利于营养物质的吸收,同时促进了茎叶中储存的碳水化合物向穗部转运,另一方面,蜡熟期过高的蒸腾速率会导致茎秆中碳水化合物过量输出,可能带来倒伏风险。     

挤压-酶解大豆蛋白结构与特性关系及其乳液乳化活性评价

以低温冷榨豆粕粉为原料,研究挤压-酶解处理对大豆蛋白酶解物蛋白结构及其乳液界面特性的影响,并探究酶解物乳液对蛋液稳定性的改善作用。结果表明,经挤压预处理的大豆蛋白酶解物柔性和表面疏水性随着酶解时间的延长呈现先增加后减少的变化趋势,在酶解30 min时分别达到最大值0.40和44.96;挤压大豆蛋白酶解物的二级结构由有序向无序状态转变,表现为β-转角和无规则卷曲的含量增加,β-折叠和α-螺旋的含量减少。挤压大豆蛋白酶解物乳液的储能模量G''和损耗模量G''及界面肽含量均随着酶解程度的增强呈现先增大后减小的趋势,乳化活性和乳化稳定性也在酶解30 min时分别达到最佳值28.45 m²/g和61.05 min。挤压大豆蛋白酶解物乳液与蛋液以3:3质量比混合时,采用多重光散射分析乳液的稳定性,其不稳定性系数（thermal instability index,TSI）较小,乳液体系呈现较好稳定性,表明挤压大豆蛋白酶解物乳液可以有效改善蛋液的稳定性。该研究为大豆蛋白酶解物在乳化食品领域中应用提供理论基础。     

Relationships between soil properties and morphometric parameters of depressions in clayey semidesert of the trans-volga region

The relationships between the morphometric parameters (area and depth) of microdepressions calculated using several methods and the properties of soils (the thickness of humus horizons and the depth of effervescence) forming on plots with different types of microrelief were assessed. The boundaries of the depressions determined by different methods (using microrelief and vegetation maps) do not coincide, and the mapping units and depressions have different areas. The tightest correlation was found between the soil properties and the parameters of the depressions calculated using the vegetation map for the territories with the flat type of microrelief, where the depressions are the largest (> 70 m²) and the deepest. In smaller depressions within the elevated radial-dome-shaped type of microrelief, the properties of the soils in the depressions are determined not only by the size of the depressions but also by other factors, such as the catchment area, the age of the depression, its position relative to other depressions, and the general stability of the territory.     

不同淀粉糊化及凝胶特性与粉条品质的关系

为了研究粉条加工过程中原料淀粉的糊化及凝胶特性对粉条品质的影响,该文对绿豆、红薯、马铃薯、大米和玉米等5种原料淀粉的糊化凝胶特性及其粉条品质进行了测定,并对淀粉糊化凝胶特性与淀粉粉条品质之间的关系进行探讨。结果表明:5种淀粉原料所制的粉条中,绿豆粉条的品质是较好,其次就是马铃薯粉条和红薯粉条,大米粉条和玉米粉条的品质较差;淀粉的糊化特性与粉条品质之间具有显著相关性,按显著程度的大小(P值大小)依次是:峰值黏度谷值黏度衰减值回生值、最终黏度;淀粉凝胶的硬度、弹性、黏性和咀嚼性对粉条品质的影响较大,按显著程度的大小(P值大小)依次是:硬度黏性咀嚼性弹性。在粉条加工原料选择及粉条品质改善中可以考虑用谷值黏度、回生值以及淀粉凝胶特性特征值回复性、咀嚼性和黏性作为考核衡量指标。研究结果为粉条生产中原料选择及品质改善提供参考依据。     

Relationships between dairy powder surface composition and wetting properties during storage: importance of residual lipids

The relationships between powder surface composition and powder rehydration properties under variable conditions of storage are investigated in this paper. A rheological approach was used to evaluate the modifications induced by storage on the rehydration properties of native phosphocaseinate powder. Concurrently, the powder surface composition (i.e., lactose, proteins, and lipids) was evaluated by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). A strong correlation was found between the powder wetting time lengthening and the migration of lipids on the powder surface during storage. XPS studies indicated also an over-representation of lipids on the powder surface (6%) in comparison with total lipids (0.4%) even on fresh powder before storage. Detailed investigation of powder lipids revealed the presence of high levels of polar lipids (66% compared with <1% in milk lipids). Their amphiphilic nature and their melting points could explain the extensive enrichment of lipids observed at the powder surface during processing and storage.     

Relationships between abiotic and biotic soil properties during fallow periods in the sudanian zone of Senegal

Relationships between soil characteristics, various forms of soil organic matter, microbial biomass and the structure of phytoparasitic nematode populations were investigated in six fallow fields aged from 1 to 26 years in the West African Savanna (WAS) belt in southern Senegal. Soil sampling was performed along two transects in each field. Herbaceous biomass and soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics were studied with principal component analysis (PCA) and the relationships between the parameters were extracted with co-inertia analysis.Soil properties (mainly calcium, magnesium and total carbon contents, and cation exchange capacity) slightly improved in the upper soil layer (0–5 cm) during the succession of vegetation. In constrast, in the 0–10 cm soil layer, microbial biomass and total soil organic carbon content showed no clear pattern of change over time, while highest charcoal stocks were found in older fallows where bush fires are frequent. In the 0–40 cm layer, living root biomass increased and herbaceous biomass decreased through the chronosequence. Evidence is presented here for particular relationships between some of the carbon components and the structure of the nematode community. Pratylenchus and Ditylenchus species were associated with the grass vegetation of the youngest fallows. In contrast Helicotylenchus and Scutellonema were present in old fallows. The multiplication of the latter appeared closely related to the presence of woody fine roots, whereas, that of the former seemed to be favoured by the presence of the coarsest roots of trees.Xiphinema had a higher density in soils with higher bulk density. Microbial biomass was not affected by fallow duration and was not correlated with the abundance of non-phytoparasitic nematodes. These results suggested that the management of crop pests such as nematodes in the soils of the WAS could be exerted through stump protection and tree plantation (improved fallow, agroforestry) during the crop-fallow cycle.     

The hydration energy of elementary soil particles of different sizes

The mathematical analysis of the data on the sorption of vapor moisture by the granulometric fractions of a loamy soil has for the first time indicated that an inverse linear relationship occurs: (1) Between the soil-moisture content and the logarithm of the moisture total potential (pressure) (probably as a result of the hydration of exchangeable cations that form a diffuse layer near the surface of the solid phase); (2) Between the soil-moisture content and the logarithm of the mean diameter of elementary soil particles (probably, as a result of differences in their specific surface determined by various mineralogical compositions); and (3) Between the hydration energy of elementary soil particles and the logarithm of their diameter.