PurposeEating out behaviors vary from one individual to another. However, there is no conceptually underpinned typology to explain this phenomenon effectively. This paper aims to develop a conceptually underpinned typology of eating out attitudes and to distinguish differences based on demographics and actual eating out behaviors.Design/methodology/approachThis study proposes a typology using a 2×2 matrix (high and low levels of involvement and variety seeking) and uses multinomial logistic regression to examine differences between the four groups.FindingsAge, education, the breadth of culinary exposure, and the extent of eating out are significant differentiators between the four eating out attitudes.Research limitations/implicationsThe typology can be investigated in cross‐cultural contexts to expand the understanding of eating out behaviors underpinned by involvement and variety seeking. Both restaurants and destination marketing organizations can use the typology to better understand their customers and build effective communication and product mix strategies.Originality/valueThe paper is the first in the restaurant marketing literature to examine and explain the roles of two important and highly relevant consumer behavior constructs: involvement and variety seeking. Additionally, the study provides key insights pertinent to the fast growing Indian market.

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Gene therapy has historically focused on delivering protein-coding genes to target cells or tissues using a variety of vectors. In recent years, the field has expanded to include gene-silencing strategies involving delivery of noncoding inhibitory RNAs, such as short hairpin RNAs or microRNAs (miRNAs). Often called RNA interference (RNAi) triggers, these small inhibitory RNAs are difficult or impossible to visualize in living cells or tissues. To circumvent this detection problem and ensure efficient delivery in preclinical studies, vectors can be engineered to coexpress a fluorescent reporter gene to serve as a marker of transduction. In this study, we set out to optimize adeno-associated viral (AAV) vectors capable of delivering engineered miRNAs and green fluorescent protein (GFP) reporter genes to skeletal muscle. Although the more broadly utilized enhanced GFP (eGFP) gene derived from the jellyfish, Aequorea victoria was a conventional choice, we were concerned about some previous studies suggesting this protein was myotoxic. We thus opted to test vectors carrying the humanized Renilla reniformis-derived GFP (hrGFP) gene, which has not seen as extensive usage as eGFP but was purported to be a safer and less cytotoxic alternative. Employing AAV6 vector dosages typically used in preclinical gene transfer studies (3×1010 –1 × 1011 particles), we found that hrGFP caused dose-dependent myopathy when delivered to wild-type (wt) mouse muscle, whereas identical titers of AAV6 carrying eGFP were relatively benign. Dose de-escalation at or below 8 × 109 AAV particles effectively reduced or eliminated hrGFP-associated myotoxicity, but also had dampening effects on green fluorescence and miRNA-mediated gene silencing in whole muscles. We conclude that hrGFP is impractical for use as a transduction marker in preclinical, AAV-based RNA interference therapy studies where adult mouse muscle is the target organ. Moreover, our data support that eGFP is superior to hrGFP as a reporter gene in mouse muscle. These results may impact the design of future preclinical gene therapy studies targeting muscles and non-muscle tissues alike.

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This exploratory study combines the literature on competencies and career related topics for hospitality management students, in relation to the characteristics of the Millennial generation and the evolving workplace. It investigates student perceptions of career planning strategies and skills and identifies significant differences arising from work experience, extra-curricular activities, class level, and other factors. The researchers surveyed students at three public universities in the western United States. Students who are closer to graduation, have work experience, participate in hospitality student clubs, and attend on-campus career events have better developed career plans and report higher level skills than those who do not.