January 7, 2022, 57-year-old David Bennett from Maryland (USA) was transplanted with the heart of a genetically modified pig. It was the first such operation. On the evening of January 10, the patient was alive, his new heart was working.
People who need a donor organ do not always live to see a transplant. The quality of life of the rest is often low due to severe illness.
Some other organs can also be taken from living donors, but for various reasons, this is not always possible. Therefore, experts are looking for alternative options.
One of the possible ways is xenotransplantation, that is, organ transplantation from a representative of one animal species to a representative of another. At the moment, xenotransplantation from genetically modified animals, in theory, makes it possible to cope with several causes of organ rejection – a big problem in transplantation. The patient’s immune system attacks the donor organ, causing it to stop working. Therefore, donors and recipients are checked for histocompatibility, and then the patient takes drugs that suppress the immune system for life.
Thanks to the genetic modification of the pig, David Bennett managed to avoid a hyperacute heart rejection reaction. The donor was an animal with a modification in ten genes: four genes were “turned off”, including one that was responsible for the growth of the heart (to prevent the organ from growing inside the patient), and six human genes were added so that the recipient’s immune system would better accept the new heart.
But it is possible to develop other types of rejection, including those that are not affected by the gene modification applied here. So Bennett is receiving conventional drugs that suppress the immune system, as well as a new drug developed with the participation of researchers involved in xenotransplantation.
I know that the heart of a pig and a man has similar things, this is one of the reasons why Muslims (people who practice Islam) do not eat pork. But when I heard about this event, and even it was successful, I was shocked. What technologies and developments of scientists have come to that people can safely transplant animal organs. For me, this is one of the greatest discoveries. I think that this experiment was a success and in the future, we can expect more stories like this.
The Pocketalk device is an extremely interesting gadget designed for instant two-way translation from language to language. Pocketalk, which costs $ 299, contains a global SIM card and supports the translation of conversations into 74 languages.
Pocketalk is a pocket-sized device that can instantly translate from one language to another
The gadget has a simple interface, and its dual speakers and dual microphones with noise-canceling functions ensure high-quality performance even in noisy environments. Pocketalk was created by the specialists of SourceNext, a Japanese startup that is based, however, in the American Palo Alto. The company began selling its electronic translator in the US last October.
Dealing with the Pocketalk Classic setup is easy. On the main screen, you must select two languages from the proposed list. Further, each participant in the dialogue uses his own button to talk. For the translation to be as accurate and coherent as possible, sentences must be complete and complete. The device is capable of translating up to 30 seconds of continuous speech per translation. The phrase that we pronounce first appears on the screen in our native language, then in a foreign language, and then the translator voices it.
To use Pocketalk Classic you need an internet connection via Wi-Fi or a built-in SIM card.
I think this is the most needed device for travelers. People can talk with the local people without a language barrier because it is more interesting to hear the story firsthand. In addition, it is very small and spacious, you can carry it with you
Home appliances are getting smarter over the years. And this trend has even affected the product so familiar to us as the aquarium. At first glance, it may seem that it is simply unrealistic to equip a tank filled with water with some unique elements. But, as it turned out, this is not the case. And the proof of this is the Bluenero program, which was launched not so long ago.
In terms of its appearance, Bluenero is not much different from a standard aquarium, but it contains a large number of innovative techniques. First of all, which is extremely important for every owner of the aquarium, there is a device that is responsible for water purification in automatic mode.
This suggests that you will need to manually clean the aquarium much less often, in fact, this procedure is reduced only to installing new filters. In addition, the aquarium provides for the care of its residents: there are a large number of indicators and sensors that check the level of acidity of the liquid, as well as the content of minerals and salts in it. If the situation becomes critical, then a notification is sent to the aquarium owner’s smartphone about this.
Through a special program, you can also control the dirt and make changes to the color scheme of the backlight. A video camera is also built into the tank, which allows you to monitor the behavior of the fish, regardless of how far away you are from them. As for the price, for the most compact tank, with a volume of sixty liters, you will have to pay four hundred American dollars.
I think this is a great option for people who are constantly on business trips or tours, who are very worried about their pets
A 3D rendered invisible clothing show hosted by Congolese brand Hanifa on Instagram Live to showcase its latest fashion collection.
Virtually invisible models paraded on a black background without a podium. This format attracted a huge audience. Subscribers note that the absence of spectators and the models themselves made it possible to examine in more detail the clothes from the fashion collection.
I was very interested in this format of fashion shows and I can tell you several reasons why:
It is convientent. A virtual presentation does not require lengthy preparations and gathering many guests from all over the world. It can be designed as a simple lookbook or mini-movie that requires minimal time and money.
It is economically benefecial. In the past, brands have spent fortunes on spectacular physical shows. For the sake of a 20-minute show, entire cities were sometimes erected from scenery.
It is environmentally friendly. This item will especially delight the followers of Greta Thunberg. Yes, on top of everything else, physical displays have often been the target of criticism because of the harm they cause to nature. Judge for yourself: disposable decorations, paper invitations and thousands of people who fly long distances on airplanes to watch shows that will never be repeated. The virtual format also solves this problem: now all “guests” are watching what is happening on the screens of their devices, which means that the air will be freed from excess carbon dioxide emissions, and tons of paper will not go to landfills.
It is democratic. Since the trend towards inclusiveness is the most visible trend in recent times in fashion, there have been more and more voices lately that shows and closed presentations at Fashion Weeks are stalling progress and pulling back fashion, in a time when it was the prerogative of the rich and famous. Social justice activists can rejoice: their voices have been heard. The coronavirus has leveled everyone. Now the top editors of the key gloss, bloggers and celebrities of the first magnitude see fresh collections at the same moment and in the same ways as ordinary fashion enthusiasts.
Essentially, a freelance job is one where a person works for themselves, rather than for a company. While freelancers do take on contract work for companies and organizations, they are ultimately self-employed.
Freelancers are responsible for all sorts of things that traditional employees are not, such as setting their work hours, keeping track of time spent on different projects, billing clients, and paying their own employment and business taxes. Freelancers are not considered “employees” by the companies they work for, but rather “contractors.”
With the rise of the gig-economy, people are talking about freelancing more than ever before. And that’s because there are more freelancers today than there have ever been in history – a 2019 study by Upwork and Freelancers Union shows that 57 million Americans freelanced in 2019.
And according to the same study, 53% of workers aged 18-22 are freelancing.
Not everyone uses the term “freelance” or “freelancer” when it comes to work that a freelancer may do. In fact, even most freelancers refer to themselves as “self-employed.”
Other terms that relate to freelancing:
Contract work: Jobs where you are working to fulfill a short-term or part time contract
Independent contractor: This is the IRS classification of a freelancer
1099: Freelancers are paid using a tax form called a “1099-MISC” as opposed to your typical, full-time W2. Sometimes “1099” is used to refer to a freelancer.
Contract consultant: This term refers to a consultant coming in under a 1099 contract for a short period of time.
Contract-to-hire: Sometimes freelancers are interested in full-time employment. Contract-to-hire roles provide a sort of “test period” for a freelancer before they are hired full time.
Why is it called freelancing?
The term “freelance” dates back to the 1800s when a “free lance” referred to a medieval mercenary who would fight for whichever nation or person paid them the most. The term “lance” referred to the long weapon that knights on horseback used to knock opponents off of their horses.
How does freelancing work?
Freelancers accept payment in return for providing some sort of service. That agreement is generally part-time or short term.
For example, if I hired a photographer to take new headshots for me, I could pay a freelancer for that session and that would be the end of it.
Sometimes people pay freelancers to work a set number of hours per week or per month. That arrangement is often referred to as a “retainer.”
A retainer refers to when you retain the services or right to someone’s time. A lot of legal professionals work on retainer. Every month, they bill a set amount of time to the client, regardless of whether that full time is used or not.
It’s really one of the simplest and most pure forms of entrepreneurship: the freelancer provides a specific service or outcome, and the buyer pays them a fee directly.
Why are people freelancing?
Freelancing provides a lot of flexibility and control to the individual. Most freelancers choose their own hours, the work that they do, the clients they work with, and may even be able to work remotely.
Freelancing is also a form of entrepreneurship, which means the freelancer has total control of their earning potential. Freelancers aren’t locked into a salary, and so they can earn as much as they are able to bill to their clients.
And as a freelancer, you are your own boss.
Freelancing provides a lot of variety in the type of work you can do, too. If you are someone with a lot of interests and are drawn to trying new things, freelancing can help you explore all kinds of projects and industries.
Historically, freelancing isn’t something people typically do forever. They either hire other freelancers or employees to build a full agency, they build their own products to replace their freelance income, or they go back to working full time.
Freelancing provides the flexibility many people want in order to figure out their next career move.
Freelancing comes with both financial and some health risks.
In the United States, one of the biggest benefits to full time employment is access to healthcare and other financial benefits outside of your typical salary. That may include a 401K retirement plan or company-provided health insurance.
For freelancers, being hired as an independent contractor generally means companies will not provide those same financial or healthcare benefits to you.
So freelancers are on their own when it comes to planning for their financial futures and enrolling in health insurance coverage.
Not only are freelancers on their own to set these benefits up for themselves, but they are also at a bit of a disadvantage.
When a company negotiates a health insurance policy with a broker, they are often able to get more favorable rates since they are buying in bulk. But as a self-employed individual, you are buying a policy for yourself and your family only.
And, unfortunately, that means your health insurance may cost more.
It is easy to set up your own retirement savings account, but there will not be any matching contributions from your employer.
And finally, freelancers are responsible for all income coming into the business. If you are unable or unwilling to sell more projects and land more clients, your income will dry up.
These risks are all manageable, but they are worth considering before you jump into freelancing full time.
Conclusion.
Freelancing means to be your own boss. It’s on you to find a way to fill your time with paid work, whether it’s client direct, subcontracting, or through a jobs marketplace.
There are dozens and dozens of different types of freelance jobs, and more companies are hiring freelancers than ever before.
Freelancing can be an incredible way to earn a living on your own terms, but there are tradeoffs when it comes to financial and health benefits.
It’s up to you to decide if freelancing is right for you.
