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The consumption of mushrooms has considerably increased in recent years because of their beneficial nutritional properties due to their essential amino acids, proteins, and dietary fiber content. Recent research has shown that they are also rich in polysaccharides and phenolic compounds. These compounds exhibit decisive free radical and ROS scavenging power with potential application to the treatment of neurodegenerative disorders. In addition, they present important properties like antioxidant, antiaging, and immune modulation. In the present research, the optimization for the extraction of total phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS), based on ultrasound–assisted techniques has been carried out. Five variables (% MeOH in solvent, extraction temperature, amplitude, cycle, and sample:solvent ratio have been selected; both the total phenolic compounds content as well as the antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS)) have been considered as the response variables. The optimal conditions, determined by means of a multiresponse optimization method, were established at 0.2 g of sample extracted with 15.3 mL of solvent (93.6% MeOH) at 60 °C for 5 min and using 16.86% amplitude and 0.71 s−1 cycles. A precision study of the optimized method has been performed with deviations lower than 5%, which proves the repeatability and precision of the extraction method. Finally, the extraction method has been applied to wild and commercial mushrooms from Andalusia and Northern Morocco, which has confirmed its suitability for the extraction of the phenolic compounds from mushroom samples, while ensuring maximum antioxidant activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is assumed that the professional profile of those who work with socially excluded people is not compatible with the maintenance of prejudices against the group they help. The current study tested this hypothesis regarding the Dual Process Cognitive-Motivational Model of Duckitt (2001) and Duckitt and Sibley (2010). Data from 565 Andalusian professionals were collected in a cross-sectional survey, using measures of socio-demographics, personality, values, ideological attitudes, political position, and prejudice. The model fitted to data reproduced the basic relations in the hypothesized model, although its explanatory power was limited. Prejudice was significantly explained by both paths (authoritarianism and dominance), leading to the conclusion that the reduced level of prejudice held by professionals corresponds to the perception of socially excluded people as a dissident group. This suggests that professional identity as a broad construct may moderate the variance in prejudice. Finally, these findings also suggest that the professional development of social workers should be promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]