Friday, March 23, 2012

Research sheds new light on extra help for smokers trying to quit

Research sheds new light on extra help for smokers trying to quit [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Mar-2012
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Contact: Emma Rayner
emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

A major research trial to test whether extra support for smokers calling an NHS quitline - on top of what is already offered by the service - has found the additional help does not improve success rates for quitting the habit.

The pilot scheme offered smokers additional help in the form of free nicotine patches and extra telephone counselling from the English National Quitline. The Department of Health and UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (UKCTCS)-funded study led by The University of Nottingham's UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies has just been published in the online version of the British Medical Journal.

The work was carried out to establish whether the tried and tested support from the quitline could be improved to help more people stop smoking. The trial also examined whether the offer of free nicotine replacement therapy made to quitline callers increases the numbers of smokers who give up for good.

Leading the study, Professor Tim Coleman of UKCTCS, said: "This important trial has shed useful light on how telephone quitlines can be used to help smokers wanting to quit. I think the results highlight just how hard it is for most people to break their addiction to tobacco and just how powerful and damaging a drug this is. On the basis of this study, giving out free nicotine patches and more intensive telephone counselling through the English national quitline just doesn't seem to work. It brings into sharp relief the need to find other ways of using quitlines help smokers give up and so to reduce the terrible effects smoking has on people's lives and the costly burden to the NHS."

Smoking remains the single most important avoidable cause of illness and death and research into smoking cessation is a top public health priority in the UK. This latest study by UKCTCS set out to compare the effectiveness of a package of extra support offered to smokers with the standard support offered through the English NHS Smoking Helpline.

The researchers carried out a parallel four group (2x2), randomised controlled trial among 2,591 non-pregnant smokers who called the English NHS smoking helpline between February 2009 and February 2010. Each smoker was randomly assigned to one of four groups:

  • Standard support- NHS Stop Smoking Services advice and access to helpline
  • Standard support with free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
  • Proactive support -consisting of extra and regular scheduled telephone and message support from helpline staff.
  • Proactive support with free (NRT)

The proactive groups were contacted by counsellors before their agreed quit date, on the day itself, and then at 3,7,14 and 21 days after quitting. Counsellors were trained to use specially designed motivational interviewing techniques which were tailored to each stage of the quitting process. The support closely monitored the two proactive groups' progress, and offered counselling, encouragement and congratulations.

Trial follow up was carried out by a market research company who were blind to treatment allocations. They collected data by telephone at one and six months after quit dates. The primary outcome was self-reported, prolonged abstinence from smoking from the quit date to six months. Lapses of no more than five cigarettes in that period were allowed. Prolonged abstinence from the quit date and one month was also monitored with the same lapses permitted.

Analysis of the substantial bank of data recorded during the trial showed that at six months after quitting 18.9 per cent of the 59 per cent of participants who were contacted said they had managed not to smoke. Those whom the researchers were not able to contact were assumed to be smoking. Nearly 80 per cent of these agreed to give a breath test for carbon monoxide to validate their claim and 80 per cent of the tests proved they had quit successfully. Crucially no significant difference in success rates was observed between quit rates in the standard and proactive counselling groups or between those offered and not offered, NRT.

At one month after quit date higher follow-up rates were achieved (65.3 per cent of participants were contacted) but even with more complete data and the higher overall quit rates at one month (40.1 per cent), no significant differences were detected between the different intervention groups.

Overall the study has concluded that offering free nicotine patches or proactive counselling to smokers calling the English national smoking quitline was no more effective than the standard reactive quitline support which is currently on offer through the NHS. Quitlines can reach large numbers of smokers who are highly motivated to stop smoking . Consequently, future research needs to test other methods of providing cessation support to quitline callers so the most effective ways using quitlines can be discovered.

###

More information is available from Professor Tim Coleman, School of Community Health Sciences/UKCTCS, University of Nottingham, on 44-115-823-0204, tim.coleman@nottingham.ac.uk; or Emma Rayner, Media Relations Manager, Communications, University of Nottingham on 44-115-951-5793, emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk



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Research sheds new light on extra help for smokers trying to quit [ Back to EurekAlert! ] Public release date: 23-Mar-2012
[ | E-mail | Share Share ]

Contact: Emma Rayner
emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk
44-011-595-15793
University of Nottingham

A major research trial to test whether extra support for smokers calling an NHS quitline - on top of what is already offered by the service - has found the additional help does not improve success rates for quitting the habit.

The pilot scheme offered smokers additional help in the form of free nicotine patches and extra telephone counselling from the English National Quitline. The Department of Health and UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies (UKCTCS)-funded study led by The University of Nottingham's UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies has just been published in the online version of the British Medical Journal.

The work was carried out to establish whether the tried and tested support from the quitline could be improved to help more people stop smoking. The trial also examined whether the offer of free nicotine replacement therapy made to quitline callers increases the numbers of smokers who give up for good.

Leading the study, Professor Tim Coleman of UKCTCS, said: "This important trial has shed useful light on how telephone quitlines can be used to help smokers wanting to quit. I think the results highlight just how hard it is for most people to break their addiction to tobacco and just how powerful and damaging a drug this is. On the basis of this study, giving out free nicotine patches and more intensive telephone counselling through the English national quitline just doesn't seem to work. It brings into sharp relief the need to find other ways of using quitlines help smokers give up and so to reduce the terrible effects smoking has on people's lives and the costly burden to the NHS."

Smoking remains the single most important avoidable cause of illness and death and research into smoking cessation is a top public health priority in the UK. This latest study by UKCTCS set out to compare the effectiveness of a package of extra support offered to smokers with the standard support offered through the English NHS Smoking Helpline.

The researchers carried out a parallel four group (2x2), randomised controlled trial among 2,591 non-pregnant smokers who called the English NHS smoking helpline between February 2009 and February 2010. Each smoker was randomly assigned to one of four groups:

  • Standard support- NHS Stop Smoking Services advice and access to helpline
  • Standard support with free nicotine replacement therapy (NRT)
  • Proactive support -consisting of extra and regular scheduled telephone and message support from helpline staff.
  • Proactive support with free (NRT)

The proactive groups were contacted by counsellors before their agreed quit date, on the day itself, and then at 3,7,14 and 21 days after quitting. Counsellors were trained to use specially designed motivational interviewing techniques which were tailored to each stage of the quitting process. The support closely monitored the two proactive groups' progress, and offered counselling, encouragement and congratulations.

Trial follow up was carried out by a market research company who were blind to treatment allocations. They collected data by telephone at one and six months after quit dates. The primary outcome was self-reported, prolonged abstinence from smoking from the quit date to six months. Lapses of no more than five cigarettes in that period were allowed. Prolonged abstinence from the quit date and one month was also monitored with the same lapses permitted.

Analysis of the substantial bank of data recorded during the trial showed that at six months after quitting 18.9 per cent of the 59 per cent of participants who were contacted said they had managed not to smoke. Those whom the researchers were not able to contact were assumed to be smoking. Nearly 80 per cent of these agreed to give a breath test for carbon monoxide to validate their claim and 80 per cent of the tests proved they had quit successfully. Crucially no significant difference in success rates was observed between quit rates in the standard and proactive counselling groups or between those offered and not offered, NRT.

At one month after quit date higher follow-up rates were achieved (65.3 per cent of participants were contacted) but even with more complete data and the higher overall quit rates at one month (40.1 per cent), no significant differences were detected between the different intervention groups.

Overall the study has concluded that offering free nicotine patches or proactive counselling to smokers calling the English national smoking quitline was no more effective than the standard reactive quitline support which is currently on offer through the NHS. Quitlines can reach large numbers of smokers who are highly motivated to stop smoking . Consequently, future research needs to test other methods of providing cessation support to quitline callers so the most effective ways using quitlines can be discovered.

###

More information is available from Professor Tim Coleman, School of Community Health Sciences/UKCTCS, University of Nottingham, on 44-115-823-0204, tim.coleman@nottingham.ac.uk; or Emma Rayner, Media Relations Manager, Communications, University of Nottingham on 44-115-951-5793, emma.rayner@nottingham.ac.uk



[ Back to EurekAlert! ] [ | E-mail | Share Share ]

?


AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.


Source: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-03/uon-rsn032312.php

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How To Cook Delicious Red Velvet Cake

This article has been viewed 27 times.

Red Velvet Cake is known amongst one of the most exotic homemade cake recipes. It is very easy to cook at home. Here in the article, we would describe you how you can cook it efficiently at your home and can get appreciation from your family members.

?Ingredients:

?4 cups sugar

4 1/2 cups self-rising or cake flour

3 tsp. vanilla extract

4 eggs

1? cups softened butter

1 1/4 cups sour cream

5 cups mixed nuts, chopped

1/2 cup oil

7 Tbsp. red food color

3 Tbsp. mayo

2 cups water

?Directions:

?To make this cake fondant recipe at home, first preheat oven to 350. Take a medium sized bowl. Put mayo, softened butter, sugar, vanilla extract, and sour cream into the bowl. Keep the bowl aside. Take another bowl. Add flour, egg, water, and oil into it and mix them well. Now, add the mixture which you have into small bowl to this bowl. Thereafter add the food color. Now put the bowl into the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Thereafter cool the material for 20 to 25 minutes at room temp. Pour the vanilla over the stuff and nuts. Finally, your red velvet cake is ready to be served.

?Cook this mouthwatering recipe at your home to make everyone fond of your cooking abilities.

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Thursday, March 22, 2012

Looking for Legitimate Web based Paid Online surveys ...

Due for the increasing variety of paid survey businesses emerging throughout the internet, just how do you distinguish what companies are legitimate and how to define scams? It?s actually a horrible predicament because that can be purchased you can purchase literally a ton of websites since are supplying you with a profit to try and do analysis ? online surveys for money are zero cost while different sites can make it necessary to pay. Alas, there usually are some word wide web survey sites these days that you should never surpass the massive promises these people make like creating to $ 100 per survey form.

Once you discover a little adult during this demographic cluster (or usually are one yourself), you know a cellphone is the person piece regarding technology which is carried constantly.

Every work surveys for money, some effort from the part is utterly vital. Many study are dedicated to everyday content. Precisely why? Because the ones same businesses also carry out product screening (free stuff), totally focus groups (the massive money), and occasionally distribute great repaying cash study. Some are usually taken on the phone or even discussed inside focus groupings or on the web meetings. Which means, what can someone really make? You may realistically try to make several thousand dollars on a monthly basis or extra. This may be a very an interesting idea offer which will laces numerous banner ads that you?re going to see as you may surf about the internet interested in ensure money on the web.

The minimum amount payout regarding cash lagoon is $23. Some may be that these can be word-of-mouth, meaning a family member or friend might have read anything about the opportunities possesses passed the knowledge on. It runs a superb forum just where member present their strategies and conditions. So, don?t still find it another paid back surveys con site. ?Above sites will be the best paid back survey webpages that paid surveys well thus to their members, but to make good funds through survey software, you will need to join 130 that will 200 authentic paid study sites,? hilarious Coach Ashley Payne announced. Because so many companies would definitely only ship very little work stress, it?s advisable play healthy and set up a account to the greatest number of paid survey form companies as you may want.

If you adore to play game titles, then you?ll want to join this url. Fortune 300 companies about the U. Many of the extremely popular together with legitimate survey form companies relate to themselves as survey companies, whom, as an element of the services for the businesses which will hire these folks, put outside survey questionnaires thus to their panelist members for you to collect your analysis data your client is without a doubt seeking. In case you play game well together with score superior, then youre able to win money or prizes such as an ipod, searching for camera and several other stuff. However for an experienced paid back survey taker Let me tell you the entire opposite together with explain as to why paid surveys commonly are not scams together with how it?s possible to earn some bucks in your free time from these folks with little technical feel. The top rated companies need people like me and you to produce reliable thoughts and opinions about their product or service.

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Source: http://tdsassembly.com/?p=1331

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IRS forms "SWAT team" for tax dodger crackdown

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Internal Revenue Service is staffing up with high-powered talent to crack down on companies shifting profits from country to country to lower their tax bills, a strategy the agency has targeted before with only limited success.

The IRS showed its elevated concern on the issue, known as "transfer pricing," last May by hiring Samuel Maruca to fill the newly created post of transfer pricing director.

He has since brought aboard specialists from Big Four audit firms KPMG and Ernst & Young LLP , as well as law firm Mayer Brown and boutique consultancy Horst Frisch.

Maruca, who came from law firm Covington & Burling, is still recruiting. He told Reuters the agency previously had "had a difficult time attracting and retaining economists."

Now, he said, the IRS's international group "has significant external hiring authority."

Transfer pricing is a booming field of global tax law. It involves multinational corporations that are constantly moving goods, services and assets from one subsidiary to another in different countries and how they account for these "transfers."

By carefully manipulating the pricing of such moves, companies can effectively shift profits to low-tax countries from high-tax ones, lowering their overall tax costs.

Governments in the developing and developed world, many of them faced with crushing deficits, are working to curb transfer pricing because it reduces corporate tax revenues.

IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman made changes at the agency in mid-2010 that set the stage for bringing in Maruca, who has filled 40 positions so far and plans to bring on up to 60 more staffers.

The IRS, which employs 90,000 people, saw its budget cut by 2.5 percent by Congress for fiscal 2012 to $11.8 billion.

UNDERPAID AND OUT-GUNNED

Federal agencies often struggle to keep up with higher-paid private-sector professionals. The IRS is no exception and there is some skepticism about Maruca's chances.

"The economic crisis allowed the IRS to attract talented, experienced industry professionals who might not have been available previously," said ex-deputy IRS Commissioner Michael Dolan, now director of KPMG's Washington national tax practice.

"The $64,000 question is, what will be able to do ... and will he really have enough resources to change the game?"

To curtail tax avoidance through transfer pricing, governments seek to limit the ability of corporations to manipulate transfer prices. National laws, though variable from country to country, generally call for "arms-length" pricing.

In theory, that means corporations must set transfer prices that are at or near market level, not artificially raised or lowered. But enforcement is complex, especially for intangible assets, such as search-engine algorithms or trademarks.

"The valuation problems are insurmountable," said Edward Kleinbard, a professor at the University of Southern California and former chief of staff at the Joint Committee on Taxation, which analyzes tax policy for the Congress.

"There are billion-dollar disputes on just the arms-length transfer pricing of intangibles."

In December, payment transfer firm Western Union Co announced it was part of a $1.2 billion transfer pricing settlement with the IRS for taxes owed from 2003 through 2011. The dispute included intangible property and trademark royalties.

IRS LAGS

By one measure of transfer pricing enforcement, the IRS lags behind tax treaty partners. In fiscal 2011, 85 percent of transfer pricing audit adjustments were initiated by a foreign country, rather than by the IRS, according to IRS statistics. That was up from 77 percent in fiscal 2010.

Two major transfer pricing court decisions went against the IRS in 2009 and 2010.

"Clearly, the IRS is trying to figure out what to do next on its litigation strategy in these important transfer pricing cases," said Eric Solomon, a director at Ernst & Young, who called Maruca's group a "SWAT team."

As the IRS raises its game, the pharmaceutical and high-tech sectors can expect close scrutiny, tax professionals said.

Businesses are sure to fight back. The IRS has ruffled feathers on transfer pricing before with limited results.

"Anybody who thinks the IRS can ultimately enforce transfer pricing is either an eternal optimist or delusional," said Richard Harvey, a tax professor at Villanova University and former senior adviser to the IRS's Shulman.

The staff changes and hiring at IRS "will help them on the margins," Harvey said. "But they're still fighting a very difficult battle where the deck is stacked against them."

(Editing by Kevin Drawbaugh, Gerald E. McCormick and Andre Grenon)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/irs-forms-swat-team-tax-dodger-crackdown-220058119.html

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Wednesday, March 21, 2012

ScaleXtreme Debuts iPhone App To Let IT Admins Manage Data Centers On The Go

scalleEnterprise company ScaleXtreme, which provides cloud-based server automation products for data centers, an iPhone app today. Basically, ScaleXtreme for the iPhone gives IT admins an on-the-go view of their physical servers, virtual machines and public cloud instances. As we've written in the past, ScaleXtreme offers a simple, data center automation SaaS. The automation platform allows companies to build and control physical, virtual and public cloud servers. The company has raised $13.5 million from Accel and others. As co-founder Nand Mulchandani explains, ?Mobility is becoming a central component of any modern IT operation, and the mobile experience is going to be an important part of our product?s future.?

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/rCm5dat2Fa0/

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Tuesday, March 20, 2012

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Television Mounting On Walls - Tips On Mounting Televisions On ...











Detailed below are currently the aid together with standard duties and genuinely on the finest methods to carry out T.V. Wall Mounting. Initially of all method to do within installation your existing television is nearly often to hold around thought around that if you are working to carry out the concept throughout individually or possibly you will be definitely concerning to hire the eligible to carry out the concept just for you.

Primarily it is practically often to check at the assets you may possess well prior to getting a task, these might be the materials, the equipment, are the things to be considered concerning wall installation. Secondly is mostly that even whereas performing the proper wall mounting will the circumstance be safe for your own to conduct and following that selecting the safety equipment together with you certainly it is quite often to seek advice from those who have a appropriate understanding about fundamental handy-man responsibilities.

Well at this point whilst you will be capable, the utilization is crucial precisely the place where to bring in the T.V. Be certain you identify accurately in the situation this might certainly be the ideal position for you to assemble the T.V. set.

On this situation these are the factors we ought to contemplate:

- The item could in fact actually be for the sitting vision height to guarantee that it would avoid neck tension. - The area lighting - The wall structure you are required to know what precisely is hiding behind the wall if you may come across electrical cables or electric power cable pipes. And furthermore we need to consider regarding the outline of wall if the following is cement or wooden if the installation may handle the load with the Television.

Approximately getting the T.V. set all of them are developed for wall mounting this may be precisely in that you locate the four pockets specifically in that you might set the mounting brackets.

Following are the options of brackets that is definitely available in the markets:

Flat mount - This particular is the most basic, lowest-cost kind of mount. Tilt mount - By featuring vertical viewpoint adaptation, this wall mount type produces to make up for a Television placed over the ideal watching point.

Tilt/swivel mount - By attaching side-to-side swivel modification, this wall mount is truly a brilliant decision anytime a Television specifications to turn out to be angled to provide the really finest watching experience. The utilization is also amazing for spaces with a bunch more than one regular watching area.

Articulating mount - Undoubtedly the most advanced, flexible selection of mount. The merchandise provides the finest tilt/swivel mobility. The arm retracts back so the Television may be shut to the wall structure whenever not being used. Due to the fact this selection can shift the Tv several inches away from the wall surface, the concept can make the utility attainable for a larger span of side-to-side swivel.

Around choosing on the mount the utilization truly is typically important to understand whats the function and the added benefits as nicely as the mounting brackets.

Surrounding routing the wires for your personal Television you have gotten two choices possibly to direct it within or outside wall structure. The application truly is generally pleasant to figure out if the wires is routed within the wall, nevertheless you will need to consider on contacting a electrician for the fact it is likely to need an throughout construction of an electric power socket for the television.

Must you figure out to route the cables outside the wall there's also a way to make the situation neat. You are capable to make use of paintable wire managing cable raceways to deal with those wires.Anytime you figure out to wrap up a TV wall mounting be sure to inquire for an associate or possibly a companion. You will be in need of this once your about to hang your Television.

Listed here are the six steps on just how you may perform a TV wall mounting:

1. Determining wherever to direct the line: Route wires within the wall surface . Route wires outside the wall surface . Seek the services of an electrical contractor to set up the electrical power outlet.

2. Connecting the bracket at the rear with the Television. Locate the studs by doing the job with a stud locator the item is essential to see the middle from the stud.

3. Take measurements of the TV. Check your TV to know you have acquired the proper position setting up the mount and around on the way to the surface.

4. Fixing the bracket with the wall Look at powerline tubes. Usually recognize what is beneath the wall. Make certain that you have the proper dimension on the preferred space on the wall.

5. Redirecting the cable from the equipments for your existing TV Setting up the different cables from your components towards the TV and covering them by cable raceways.

6. Attaching the TV on the wall Commonly a two people task.

TV Wall Mounting regularly requires effort and attention. Just as you assume you may accomplish the item for on your own you might consider a glimpse on these recommendations and if you figure out to employ a professional to execute a TV wall mounting in your case the request is frequently considerable to be knowledgeable of the essential things throughout mounting the Television.

Keywords: cable raceways, television mounting, cable organizing, cable managing, home improvement

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