The Upper Galilee, a region known for its historical significance and cultural heritage, has long been a focal point for pioneering efforts. The spirit of resilience and innovation, deeply rooted in the region since events like the Battle of Tel Hai in 1920, continues to shape regional development. This paper explores the role of higher education and scientific research as catalysts for regional development in the Upper Galilee, Israel. Through local initiatives like Tel Hai Academic College and MIGAL Galilee Research Institute, the region has transitioned into a nationally recognized hub for academic excellence and economic growth. This case study demonstrates how regional bottom-up innovation, combined with gradual national support, has driven sustainable regional transformation. The guiding principle of leveraging scientific advancement and higher education as catalysts for sustainable growth of the region has proven to be correct.

Olive Mill Solid Waste (OMSW) presents an environmental challenge due to its toxicity and difficulties in its recycling. Prior studies suggest its potential as a substrate ingredient for cultivating edible mushrooms. Here, we investigate how varying OMSW concentrations in the substrate affect the synthesis pathways of α-glucan and β-glucan polysaccharides, alongside transcriptional and metabolic changes in Pleurotus eryngii. We also assessed the mushroom’s protein and nitrogen content. Our results highlight the critical role of substrate composition, demonstrating that the OMSW concentration significantly influences mushroom growth, yield, protein content, gene expression, and metabolite profiles. These findings establish OMSW not only as a viable recycling resource but also as a modulator of health-promoting compound synthesis in P. eryngii.

The creation of the Faculty of Sciences at Tel-Hai Academic College marks a significant milestone in the development of a university in the northeastern region of Israel. This article discusses the collaborative efforts of the Galilee Research Institute (MIGAL) and the Faculty of Sciences and Technology at Tel-Hai Academic College. MIGAL is composed of researchers in the fields of agriculture, biotechnology, nutrition, and other related areas. Its aim is to promote higher education in a remote region of Israel and a better quality of life. MIGAL has recently set up a branch Science and Technology Faculty at Tel-Hai Academic College, thus enabling the college to meet State requirements to become an academic college, an important step forward towards the establishment of a full-fledged university in this region.

MIGAL – Galilee Research Institute is a regional R&D center in the northeast peripheral region of Israel. An internationally recognized applied research institute, MIGAL specializes in biotechnology and computational sciences, plant sciences, precision agriculture and environmental sciences, as well as food, nutrition and health. Most of MIGAL’s researchers serve as the core faculty at Tel Hai Academic College (TH). Despite the country’s small surface area, socioeconomic inequality in Israel is high by OECD standards, with wage differences between rich and poor regions reaching up to 400%. The aims of this study are to identify possible socioeconomic impacts of MIGAL– TH on the peripheral northeast’s development. We discuss the effects of academic research and institutions of higher education on mitigating differences between the center and periphery of the country. Data for MIGAL, TH and the northeastern peripheral region were collected from the yearly reports of the two institutions and the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. MIGAL was found to serve as a link between research, academic teaching and socioeconomic development in the northeast periphery. Several variables related to this link and describing MIGAL–TH and northeastern periphery development were analyzed over time: MIGAL’s budget, total number of employees and number of employees with PhDs; number of TH graduate students; socioeconomic index (SEI) of the northeastern periphery and its position on the Israeli list of regional SEIs. The signs and significance levels of their trends indicate a potential socioeconomic impact of academic research and higher education on peripheral development in the northeast of the country. Research budgets and the creation of jobs for academics living in the region are just a few examples of this impact.

The aims of this study are to identify possible socioeconomic impacts of MIGAL (Galilee Research Institute) and TH (Tel Hai Academic College) on the peripheral northeast’s development. We discuss the effects of academic research and institutions of higher education on mitigating differences between the center and the periphery of the country. MIGAL is a regional R&D center in the northeast peripheral region of Israel. An internationally recognized applied research institute, MIGAL specializes in biotechnology, computational sciences, plant sciences, precision agriculture, and environmental sciences, as well as food, nutrition, and health. Most of MIGAL’s researchers serve as the core faculty at TH. Despite the country’s small surface area, socioeconomic inequality in Israel is high by OECD standards, with wage differences between rich and poor regions reaching up to 400%. In this article, a new type of dataset for the study of the socioeconomic impact of academic research and higher education on peripheral development is proposed—the regional socioeconomic indices (SEIs). Data for MIGAL, TH, and the northeastern peripheral region were collected from the yearly reports of the two institutions and the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics. MIGAL was found to serve as a link between research, academic teaching, and socioeconomic development in the northeast periphery. Several variables related to this link and describing MIGAL–TH and northeastern periphery development were analyzed over time: MIGAL’s budget, total number of employees and number of employees with PhDs; number of TH graduate students; and the socioeconomic index (SEI) of the northeastern periphery and its position on the Israeli list of regional SEIs. The signs and significance levels of most of the trends indicate a potential socioeconomic impact of academic research and higher education on peripheral development in the northeast of the country. Research budgets and the creation of jobs for academics living in the region are just a few examples of this impact. The results of the study are useful for academics and policymakers in improvement of the contribution of academic research and higher education to the country’s economic and innovation development.

Spent mushroom substrates (SMS), are usually treated as wastes. One of the main beneficial uses of SMS is as soil amendment, after further composting for horticulture. Avocado orchards in northern Israel, are grown mainly on heavy clay soils, suffering from poor drainage and limited aeration. This situation can cause yield decrease and lead to tree's degeneration. Two soil cover (mulch) treatments were compared, in an avocado orchard: fresh spent mushroom substrate (SMS) and cattle manure compost (CMC). The yield of the two avocado varieties of this orchard was higher on SMS than CMC mulch. The yield of one of the varieties was highest on control (uncovered) soils. Thick growth of avocado roots was found in and under both mulch types. Enhancement of avocado root growth into and under the mulch, will lead to improvement of avocado trees growth, especially on heavy un-drained soils. . Soil's EC values were higher under both mulch types, although they decreased due to annual rainfall. There are treatments (leaching etc.) that can be used, for minimizing the increase of soil's salinity after SMS application. There are advantages of the use of SMS, especially since it's price is only 20% of cattle manure compost due to less transportation costs and no need for composting. Therefore its use is advantageous for both avocado and mushroom growers. The commercial utilization of SMS in avocado orchards should be done carefully, with monitoring its impact on soil's EC (salinity) and taking the needed measures to avoid unnecessary damages.

The main mushroom species grown in Israel is Agaricus bisporus, grown on pasteurized compost as a substrate in the bed system, in small atmosphere-controlled mushrooms growing rooms. In recent years there has been an increasing demand for in Israel and in the world. The growth systems for A. bisporus cultivation have been improved, and have been transferred to larger rooms, with advanced climatic control systems. Due to the increased demand for different kinds of mushrooms and the need to use the facilities of the "old" cultivation system, the cultivation of different highly valued exotic mushrooms was evaluated. Exotic mushrooms that require pasteurized rather than sterilized substrates were studied for their suitability to grow in the "old" A. bisporus cultivation systems in Israel. The potential for cultivation of different Pleurotus and Lepista nuda strains was examined. Several strains of Pleurotus could be cultivated in the "old" growth system of A. bisporus; among them P. ostreatus HK 35 recorded the highest yields. In this case this strain could be used for commercial production. The introduction of L. nuda seems difficult due to the low yields obtained under experimental cultivation, and therefore further studies are needed before its commercial cultivation could be recommended.

AIM To determine the immunomodulatory effect of Shiitake (a mushroom extract), we tested its effect on liver-mediated immune regulation in a model of immune-mediated colitis. METHODS Four groups of mice were studied. Colitis was induced by intracolonic instillation of TNBS in groups A and B. Groups A and C were treated daily with Shiitake extract, while groups B and D received bovine serum albumin. Mice were evaluated for development of macroscopic and microscopic. The immune effects of Shiitake were determined by FACS analysis of intra-hepatic and intrasplenic lymphocytes and IFN-gamma ELISPOT assay. RESULTS Administration of Shiitake resulted in marked alleviation of colitis, manifested by significant improvement in the macroscopic and microscopic scores, and by reduction in IFN-gamma-producing colonies in group A, compared to group B mice (1.5 pfu/mL vs 3.7 pfu/mL, respectively). This beneficial effect was associated with a significant increase in the intra-hepatic CD8(+) lymphocyte trapping, demonstrated by an increased intrasplenic/intrahepatic CD4/CD8 lymphocyte ratio. These effects were accompanied by a 17% increase in the number of intrahepatic natural killer T (NKT) cells. A similar effect was observed when Shiitake was administered to animals without disease induction. CONCLUSION Shiitake extract affected liver-mediated immune regulation by altering the NKT lymphocyte distribution and increasing intrahepatic CD8(+) T lymphocyte trapping, thereby leading to alleviation of immune-mediated colitis.

Properties of organic farming composts were examined during the composting process: pH, electrical conductivity, C/N ratio, total N content, NH4+ content, NO3- content, ash content, and organic matter content. In addition to these properties the respiration rate, microbial population counts, hydrolysis of Fluorescein Diacetate (FDA) and the activity of the enzyme amidase were studied. Composts at several stages of maturity were incubated in soil, and their N mineralization rates were measured. The end of the thermophilic stage was characterized by irreversible decrease in pile temperature to under 55degreesC, followed by stabilization of the chemical properties. This stage in the composting process is also characterized by decrease in CO2 evolution rate, changes in microbial populations and specific patterns in FDA hydrolysis and amidase activity. Based on this evidence, we suggest that biological parameters can be considered as indicators for compost maturity.

In the course of the present work, the effect of light, and how it operates at all stages of Pleurotus growth were studied. The findings point to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), as a result of illuminating the growth substrate. These ROS, which are toxic, penetrate the mycelium of the mushroom, inhibit its growth, and cause changes in the enzymatic system that neutralizes the ROS, ultimately stimulating the formation of fruiting bodies. The pattern of catalase activity in response to white light was characterized by a drop in activity during the first hours of illumination, followed by a return to its former level and then another drop in activity. This phenomenon was more salient in young vs. old mycelia. Addition of rose bengal to the fungal growth medium and illumination with orange light gave the same pattern of catalase activity. It can be concluded, that the effect of light on the enzyme was caused by an active oxygen product, evidently singlet oxygen, and was not the result of direct photoinactivation.

Morels are known to produce ascocarps during a few weeks in the spring. Here we present findings about a Morchella conica population which produces ascocarps during a period of 8–10 months, from early spring until mid-winter. To the best of our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been described previously. Field investigations correlated the ascocarp appearance with gradual drying of the soil. DNA-PCR fingerprinting indicated that these Morchella shared a similar genetic background.

Linoleic acid (LA)-supported benzo(a)pyrene (BAP) hydroxylation was observed in the cytosolic fraction of the white rot fungus Pleurotus pulmonarius after incubation of the mycelium with manganese (Mn+2). Linear relationships were obtained between the indelible activity and manganese concentration added to the fungal medium, and the LA and BAP concentration added to the enzymatic reaction mixture. Cytochrome P450 inhibitors nordihydroguaiarefc acid, ketoconazole, piperonyl butoxide and carbon monoxide inhibited the induced activity. The results suggest that the presence of Mn and LA in the fungal environment could enhance P450-mediated degradation of xenobiotic compound such as BAP.

The biotransformation of atrazine added to a mixture of cotton and wheat straw (CWS) and inoculated with the white-rot fungus, Pleurotus pulmonarius, was studied, as a proposed system for bioremediation. The concentration of methanol-extractable atrazine was reduced, due to both biological transformation and physical-chemical adsorption to the straw. Only 32% of the total radioactivity added as C-14-ring-labeled atrazine to pasteurized CWS inoculated with Pleurotus was extracted two weeks after fungal colonization, and less than 70% from non-inoculated CWS. The reduction in extractable radioactivity increased with time of incubation. No mineralization of the triazine ring was found during six weeks of incubation, but transformation to two groups of atrazine metabolites, chlorinated and dechlorinated, occurred as a result of the activity of the fungus inoculated and natural bacterial population. Unextractable radioactivity was recovered after digesting the colonized substrate with H2SO4, indicating adsorption of the herbicide and its metabolites to the straw. The results suggest that this process can be used to detoxify atrazine by both adsorption and biodegradation. Copyright (C) 1996 Elsevier Science Ltd.

Amir, R., Levanon, D., Hadar, Y., and Chet, I. 1995. Factors affecting translocation and sclerotial formation in Morchella esculenta. Experimental Mycology 19, 61-70. Morchella esculenta was grown on square split plates, forming sclerotia on one side and mycelium on the other. After the fungus ceased to colonize and before sclerotial initials appeared, [14C]3-O-methyl glucose was added to the edge of the plate on the mycelial side. The effect of various activities in the mycelium (source) and sclerotia (sink) on sclerotial formation and translocation were examined using inhibitors and water potential changes of the media. Sodium azide or cycloheximide applied separately to both sides inhibited both sclerotial formation and translocation, showing that processes in the source and sink depend on metabolic activities as well as protein synthesis. The use of nikkomycin inhibited sclerotial formation, without affecting translocation to the sclerotia. Since the hyphal tips swelled and burst, the translocated compounds were lost to the media. In a strain defective in sclerotial formation, used as a control, no translocation took place, showing that there is a connection between sclerotial formation and translocation. Reversal of the water potential gradient between the two media (lower on the mycelial side), reduced the formation of sclerotia and translocation to them. Translocation to Morchella sclerotia takes place via turgor driven mass flow, but is nevertheless affected by activities in both the source and the sink.