Unlocking the Benefits of Outbound Incentive Travel: A Comprehensive Review Study

Purpose The objective of this research was to contribute to the literature on incentive travel programs and provide a foundation for future research in this area. To highlight the social implications of outbound incentive travel programs, including their potential impact on employee well-being, customer relationships, tourism, economic development, and the environment. Theoretical Framework A framework for knowledge generation and theory development in incentive travel is attempted through the literature review.   Design/ Method / approach A chronological analysis of the literature on incentive travel and event tourism is the focal point of this study. With reference to seminal contributions, key terms and concepts are underlined. Journals, publications, and research pertaining to this topic have been reviewed using content analysis. Each article was subjected to a series of content analyses, where the type of content, nature of the research, theme and sub-theme, publication year, type of journals, area or city focus, type of data and analysis tool used, respondent and author profile were all taken into consideration. A total of 45 papers were categorized according to the year they were published and then analyzed using the descriptive analysis approach. Findings The findings of the study are likely to provide a comprehensive understanding of outbound incentive travel programs and their potential benefits and challenges, and offer practical guidance for organizations looking to implement these programs in a responsible and effective manner.   Research, Practical & Social implications The study may identify gaps in the existing literature on outbound incentive travel programs, highlighting areas for future research and exploration.   Originality/ value the study has the potential to contribute to both academic research and practical applications related to outbound incentive travel programs, and may have broader implications for organizational culture, values, and social responsibility

Production of β-lactoglobulin (BLG) gene knock- out blastocyst stage embryos of Indian water buffalo using CRISPR and SCNT technology

In several tropical countries, buffalo milk has a higher-value demand than cow milk due to its nutritional and economic value. In India, the buffalo is the main dairy animal and contributes 45% of the total milk produced in the country. Besides the nutritional value of milk, several allergen proteins such as casein, α-lactalbumin, β- lactoglobulin (BLG), and immunoglobulins have been reported. Breeding strategies, nutritional management, and quantitative genetics have improved milk yield, but these approaches could not lead to significant changes in milk composition. With the development of biotechnology, especially genome editing tools (CRISPRs), it is possible to generate new value-added products such as designer hypoallergenic milk for human health benefits. Keeping this in mind, we planned to utilize the CRISPR tools to disrupt the buffalo β-lactoglobulin (BLG) gene to produce hypoallergenic milk in the long run. In pursuit of our objectives, we designed three single guide RNAs (sgRNAs) targeting the BLG locus in buffalo. Subsequently, we assessed their editing efficiency through a combination of Sanger sequencing, followed by TIDE and ICE analysis. Among three sgRNAs, the most efficient sgRNA was used to generate the clonal population of edited cells. Several single-cell clones were established and screened using the TA cloning (also known as rapid cloning or T cloning) and Sanger sequencing methods. Of 14 single-cell clones screened, eight were found to have BLG gene disruption events (57% editing rates). Using SCNT, we successfully produced cloned blastocyst stage embryos from 4 BLG-gene disrupted clonal cells. The cloned blastocyst production rates (25 to 30%) were similar to non-edited control cells. Efforts are ongoing to establish pregnancies from BLG-KO cloned embryos. This work can lead to the generation of designer buffaloes to produce hypoallergenic milk for human benefit

Successful establishment of CRISPR-based genome-edited clonal cell populations from primary cells of buffalo, goats, and sheep

Genome editing technology has great potential for precise DNA modification in mammalian cells. The ability to precisely generate the clonal population of CRISPR-edited geno-type is of great importance in gene function/ pathway analysis, drug discovery, and production of genome-edited animals. In the present study, we demonstrated an efficient method to generate CRISPR-edited single-cell clonal populations of farm animals, including buffalo, goats, and sheep. To generate clonal cell populations, the primary fibroblasts were established through explant culture and then electroporated with CRISPR/Cas RNPs targeted for the disrupted MSTN gene. We used a single-cell pickup method in which one cell was picked up using an ultra-fined glass capillary and transferred into each well of a 96-well plate. For promoting the growth of single cells, we used growth factor-supplemented media. After seeding a single cell to each well, the plate was kept undisturbed for 5-7 days, and then cell attachment rates were noted. We reported that the cell attachment rates for buffalo, goat, and sheep cells were 40%, 77.08%, and 83.67%, respectively. The proliferation rates were 70.83%, 75.67%, and 78.05% for buffalo, goat, and sheep cells, respectively. We noticed that cell attachment and proliferation rates were better in the case of goat and sheep cells; also, these cells exhibited less vacuolation compared to buffalo cells. In the present study, we generated 11, 20, and 20 single-cell clones of MSTN-gene-edited buffalo, goat, and sheep cells. In conclusion, our method can be efficiently used to generate genome-edited single-cell clones to harness the potential of CRISPR technologies in farm animals

Effect of custom-designed transfection buffer on delivery of genome modification components into primary cells of buffalo, cattle, goats, and sheep

The transfer of genome-modification components into farm animal cells is indispensable for the production of genome-modified and transgenic farm animals. Electroporation is a physical transfection method when appropriately used; this technique is safe, simple to use, affordable, and efficient in transfecting cells from several lineages. Electroporation efficiency depends on various physical parameters, of which cell type is considered a major factor for transfection efficiency. Primary cells are generally less susceptible to transfection than other cell types due to their finite lifespan and limited expansion capacity. Previously, we custom-designed a transfection buffer to deliver exogenous genetic components into mammalian cells. In the present study, we examined the effect of the developed buffer on transfection rates and cell viability of primary somatic cells from buffalo, cattle, goats, and sheep. To achieve the aims of this study, t primary somatic cells from skin biopsies were established and were transfected with a Venus-expression vector (pAcGFPs-Venus). We noticed that transfection rates of pAcGFPs-Venus were 22.51%, 17.56%, 22.81%, and 16.16% for buffalo, cattle, goats, and sheep cells, respectively. We also noticed that cell viability and proliferation rates were better in the case of goats, sheep, and cattle cells; also, these cells have less vacuolation than buffalo cells. In addition, we also generated MSTN (myostatin) KO (Knockout) cell clones from these cell populations, in which the efficiency of single-cell clone generation was high for goats and sheep cells. In conclusion, our lab-made transfection buffer can be efficiently used to generate genome-edited or transgenic farm animals for agriculture, biomedical, and veterinary applications

Unlocking the Benefits of Outbound Incentive Travel: A Comprehensive Review Study

Purpose The objective of this research was to contribute to the literature on incentive travel programs and provide a foundation for future research in this area. To highlight the social implications of outbound incentive travel programs, including their potential impact on employee well-being, customer relationships, tourism, economic development, and the environment. Theoretical Framework A framework for knowledge generation and theory development in incentive travel is attempted through the literature review.   Design/ Method / approach A chronological analysis of the literature on incentive travel and event tourism is the focal point of this study. With reference to seminal contributions, key terms and concepts are underlined. Journals, publications, and research pertaining to this topic have been reviewed using content analysis. Each article was subjected to a series of content analyses, where the type of content, nature of the research, theme and sub-theme, publication year, type of journals, area or city focus, type of data and analysis tool used, respondent and author profile were all taken into consideration. A total of 45 papers were categorized according to the year they were published and then analyzed using the descriptive analysis approach. Findings The findings of the study are likely to provide a comprehensive understanding of outbound incentive travel programs and their potential benefits and challenges, and offer practical guidance for organizations looking to implement these programs in a responsible and effective manner.   Research, Practical & Social implications The study may identify gaps in the existing literature on outbound incentive travel programs, highlighting areas for future research and exploration.   Originality/ value the study has the potential to contribute to both academic research and practical applications related to outbound incentive travel programs, and may have broader implications for organizational culture, values, and social responsibility

Characterization of Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) Gene in Buffaloes and Goats

The Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) is a member of the transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β) superfamily, playing a significant role in cell proliferation, differentiation and apoptosis. In females, AMH is secreted throughout their reproductive life span from ovaries, whereas in males it is secreted by gonadal cells at a very early stage of testicular development. AMH is a promising marker of ovarian reserve in women and can be used to measure the female reproductive lifespan. In the present study, we cloned and sequenced the GC richAMHgene from Indian riverine buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)and goat (Capra hircus). Obtained sequences were compared to the AMH sequences of other mammals, and corresponding amino acid sequences revealed that the caprine and bovine AMH sequences are more closely related to each other than to those of other mammals. Furthermore, we analyzed the chromosomal localization ofAMHgenes in mammalian species to understand potential syntenic relationship. TheAMHgene is localized between the sequences for theSF3AandJSRP1genes and maintains this precise location in relation to other nearby genes. The dN/dS ratio ofAMHgene did not indicate any pressure for either positive or negative selection; thus, the physiological function of theAMHgene in the reproduction of these two ruminant species remains very vital. Similar to other mammals, theAMHgene may be an important indicator for regulating female reproductive biology function in bovine, cetacean, caprine, and camelidae.</jats:p

Shaping our future: integration from the perspective of Bhutanese young adults in New Hampshire

Report of needs and immigrant integration in New Hampshire for the Bhutanese community