Rescuers struggle to reach China quake zone as toll climbs

By Michael Martina and Maxim Duncan

LUSHAN, China (Reuters) - Rescuers struggled to reach a remote, rural corner of southwestern China on Sunday as the toll of the dead and missing from the country's worst earthquake in three years climbed to 208 with almost 1,000 serious injuries.

The 6.6 magnitude quake struck in Lushan county, near the city of Ya'an in the southwestern province of Sichuan, close to where a devastating 7.9 quake hit in May 2008, killing 70,000.

Most of the deaths were concentrated in Lushan, a short drive up the valley from Ya'an, but rescuers' progress was hampered by the narrowness of the road and landslides, as well as government controls restricting access to avoid traffic jams.

"The Lushan county center is getting back to normal, but the need is still considerable in terms of shelter and materials," said Kevin Xia of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

"Supplies have had difficulty getting into the region because of the traffic jams. Most of our supplies are still on the way."

In Ya'an, relief workers from across China expressed frustration with gaining access to Lushan and the villages beyond, up in the mountains.

"We're in a hurry. There are people that need help and we have supplies in the back (of the car)," said one man from the Shandong Province Earthquake Emergency Response Team, who declined to give his name.

The Ministry of Civil Affairs put the number of dead at 184 and missing at 24, with more than 11,800 injured.

Hundreds of armed police were blocked from using roads that were wrecked by landslides and marched in single file with shovels en route to Baoxing, one of the hardest hit areas. Xinhua news agency said 18,000 troops were in the area.

The Foreign Ministry thanked foreign governments for offers of help, but said the country was able to cope.

In Lushan, doctors and nurses tended to people in the open or under tents in the grounds of the main hospital, surrounded by shattered glass, plaster and concrete. Water and electricity were cut off by the quake, but the spring weather is warm.

"I was scared. I've never seen an earthquake this big before," said farmer Chen Tianxiong, 37, lying on a stretcher between tents, his family looking on.

In another tent, Zhou Lin sat tending to his wife and three-day-old son who were evacuated from a Lushan hospital soon after the quake struck on Saturday.

"I was worried the child or his mother would be hurt. The buildings were all shaking. I was extremely scared. But now I don't feel afraid any more," said Zhou, looking at his child who was wrapped in a blanket on a makeshift bed.

Premier Li Keqiang flew into the disaster zone by helicopter to comfort the injured and displaced, chatting to rescuers and clambering over rubble.

"Treat and heal your wounds with peace of mind," Xinhua quoted Li as telling patients at a hospital. "The government will take care of all the costs for those severely wounded."

Chen Yong, the vice director of the Ya'an city government earthquake response office, told reporters on Saturday that the death toll was unlikely to rise dramatically.

Already poor, many of the earthquake victims said the government was their only hope.

Cao Bangying, 36, whose family had set up mattresses and makeshift cots under a dump truck, said her house had been destroyed.

"Being without a home while having a child of this age is difficult," Cao said, cradling her nine-month-old baby. "We can only rely on the government to help us."

No schools had collapsed, unlike in 2008 when many poorly constructed schools crumpled causing huge public anger, prompting a nationwide campaign of re-building.

Ya'an is a city of 1.5 million people and is considered one of the birthplaces of Chinese tea culture. It is also the home to one of China's main centers for protecting the giant panda.

(Writing by Ben Blanchard, Additional reporting by Sui-Lee Wee; Editing by Nick Macfie)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/rescuers-struggle-reach-china-quake-zone-toll-climbs-032552277.html

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Want To Increase Self Improvement? Try These Tips

Engaging in a personal development plan can be a hard process to start. Everybody?s identity is not only unique, but complex, with many layers. The question of ?who am I?? is so difficult to answer that some people get lost in their identity?s many aspects, and can?t figure out what they need to do first. You will find that starting a personal development regimen is easier when you begin with quick, easy steps, and this article is intended to help you do just that. This article is the first step of your journey towards success.

You should stay in great physical condition in order to get the best out of personal development. Basic self-care, such as sleeping at least eight hours, exercising every day, and eating lots of fruits and vegetables are important parts of achieving positive growth. While these might seem like simple things to do, sometimes they are the hardest to accomplish.

TIP! Always look for opportunities to compliment another person. When you make an effort to treat others kindly, it becomes easier to think of yourself in kinder terms.

Exercise is not only for people wanting to lose weight. There are many reason you should do physical exercise. It stimulates different areas of your body into producing hormones that make us happier and calmer.

People should not be afraid to investigate professional therapy to deal with serious problems. While self-help books help to a certain degree, seeing a therapist has more personalized substance to it. Some people can find success in achieving their psychological issues just by being able to talk to someone about them. Books can?t talk back like a trained professional, after all.

You may reap great benefits by conferring with a therapist or a minister. Spiritual and secular counselors are licensed, trained and experienced in dealing with a number of different issues. They are prepared to listen and give sound advice that you will benefit from. If you speak to a professional you will feel much happier and healthier.

TIP! Know the obstacles you face before you hit them. Many people have problems doing this.

Learn to care for others for a shift in your own personal growth. You can see things from a different perspective, and gain some understanding about people who may be less fortunate. When you can make sacrifices that lift others up without jeopardizing your own well being, you will grow into the kind of person you wish to be seen as.

Maintaining benevolent wishes for others can lead to an increase in the good things you bring into your own life. If you seek a healthy, happy environment, make sure to provide one for others. If you try to remain positive in all aspects of your life, you will not be as likely to get dragged down by sadness, anger and other negative feelings.

A good leader should be humble as well as powerful. You should lecture, but do it softly, and keep in mind that you have to know servitude to be able to lead. A real leader models integrity and upholds the appropriate virtues. These qualities are required in order to lead successfully.

TIP! Exercise is not just for people trying to lose weight. Exercise has many physiological benefits.

Know which values and characteristics are important to you before designing a program for personal development. It doesn?t make any sense to focus on things that your value set does not include. So instead, you should spend your efforts on things in your life that match up with your values. If you do this, you can make a change in your life that you will be proud of.

Establish your priorities, and then focus on them wholeheartedly. Self improvement involves focusing on the important things in life while allowing negativity and unimportant matters to drift past.

Organize your life. When you are organized you have much more of a feeling of being in control, and this will help you gain self confidence. In addition, you won?t stress out anymore from the messes. Organizing your environment can be a calming and centralizing influence.

As you can see, personal development is simpler than it looks. By breaking your personal development process into small, manageable goals, you?ll find yourself closer to your goals by the end of every day. You?ll be able to practice what you?re seeking to adopt as habit, and you?ll increase your own morale to continue. These tips are only a springboard, it?s up to you to build a better life.

Source: http://www.activeagingsolutions.com/want-to-increase-self-improvement-try-these-tips/

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Structure of cell signaling molecule suggests general on-off switch

Public release date: 21-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Avery
sarah.avery@duke.edu
919-660-1306
Duke University Medical Center

DURHAM, N.C. A three-dimensional image of one of the proteins that serves as an on-off switch as it binds to receptors on the surface of a cell suggests there may be a sort of main power switch that could be tripped. These surface receptors are responsible for helping cells discern light, set the heart racing, or detect pain.

The finding, published online April 21, 2013, in the journal Nature by a research collaboration involving this year's Nobel laureates in chemistry, could help in the development of more effective drugs to switch on or off the cell receptors that regulate nearly every bodily function. Already, up to half of all drugs engage these receptors, including antihistamines and beta blockers, but many of the intricacies of how these important proteins work remain unknown.

"It's important to understand how this extraordinary family of receptors work," said co-author Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D., James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "This is the kind of finding that answers a basic curiosity, but can also be of benefit if we can develop new drugs or improve the ones we have."

The research marks a collaborative reunion between Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka, M.D., chair of molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. The two researchers friends who first collaborated when Kobilka was a trainee in Lefkowitz's laboratory at Duke - shared the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discoveries involving the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are activated by signaling proteins to detect hormones, neurotransmitters, pain, light.

In the current work, the researchers used X-ray crystallography to develop an atom-scale image of one of the principal signaling molecules that regulate GPCRs. This protein is called beta-arrestin1, which, among other things, works to dim a cell's response to hormones such as adrenalin.

The researchers were able to isolate and capture the beta-arrestin1 protein in an active state as it binds to a segment of the GPCR a first. That snapshot, in high resolution, revealed that the structural conformation or shape of the protein in its active state is strikingly different than when it is inactive.

Such changes suggest there may be a general molecular mechanism that activates the beta-arrestin1 a sort of main switch that controls the multi-functional signaling proteins.

"It's like there are brakes on in beta-arrestin1, and then when the beta-arrestin1 binds to a GPCR, the brakes are released, thereby activating beta-arrestin1," said Arun K. Shukla, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke and co-lead author of the study.

The researchers are now pursuing additional structural imaging of the signaling complex consisting of beta-arrestin1 and the entire receptor protein.

###

In addition to Lefkowitz and Shukla, study authors at Duke include Kunhong Xiao, Rosana I. Reis, Wei-Chou Tseng, Dean P. Staus, Li-Yin Huang and Prachi Tripathi-Shukla.

Authors from Stanford include Aashish Manglik, Andrew C. Kruse, Daniel Hilger, William I. Weis and Kobilka. Authors from the University of Chicago include Serdar Uysal, Marcin Paduch, Akiko Koide, Shohei Koide and Anthony A. Kossiakoff.

The study was funded by the Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program, the American Heart Association, the National Science Foundation, the Mathers Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NS028471, HL16037, HL70631, GM072688, GM087519, HL 075443).

---

[ | E-mail | 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.

Public release date: 21-Apr-2013
[ | E-mail | Share ]

Contact: Sarah Avery
sarah.avery@duke.edu
919-660-1306
Duke University Medical Center

DURHAM, N.C. A three-dimensional image of one of the proteins that serves as an on-off switch as it binds to receptors on the surface of a cell suggests there may be a sort of main power switch that could be tripped. These surface receptors are responsible for helping cells discern light, set the heart racing, or detect pain.

The finding, published online April 21, 2013, in the journal Nature by a research collaboration involving this year's Nobel laureates in chemistry, could help in the development of more effective drugs to switch on or off the cell receptors that regulate nearly every bodily function. Already, up to half of all drugs engage these receptors, including antihistamines and beta blockers, but many of the intricacies of how these important proteins work remain unknown.

"It's important to understand how this extraordinary family of receptors work," said co-author Robert J. Lefkowitz, M.D., James B. Duke Professor of Medicine and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator. "This is the kind of finding that answers a basic curiosity, but can also be of benefit if we can develop new drugs or improve the ones we have."

The research marks a collaborative reunion between Lefkowitz and Brian K. Kobilka, M.D., chair of molecular and cellular physiology at Stanford University School of Medicine. The two researchers friends who first collaborated when Kobilka was a trainee in Lefkowitz's laboratory at Duke - shared the 2012 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for their discoveries involving the G-protein coupled receptors (GPCRs), which are activated by signaling proteins to detect hormones, neurotransmitters, pain, light.

In the current work, the researchers used X-ray crystallography to develop an atom-scale image of one of the principal signaling molecules that regulate GPCRs. This protein is called beta-arrestin1, which, among other things, works to dim a cell's response to hormones such as adrenalin.

The researchers were able to isolate and capture the beta-arrestin1 protein in an active state as it binds to a segment of the GPCR a first. That snapshot, in high resolution, revealed that the structural conformation or shape of the protein in its active state is strikingly different than when it is inactive.

Such changes suggest there may be a general molecular mechanism that activates the beta-arrestin1 a sort of main switch that controls the multi-functional signaling proteins.

"It's like there are brakes on in beta-arrestin1, and then when the beta-arrestin1 binds to a GPCR, the brakes are released, thereby activating beta-arrestin1," said Arun K. Shukla, PhD, assistant professor of medicine at Duke and co-lead author of the study.

The researchers are now pursuing additional structural imaging of the signaling complex consisting of beta-arrestin1 and the entire receptor protein.

###

In addition to Lefkowitz and Shukla, study authors at Duke include Kunhong Xiao, Rosana I. Reis, Wei-Chou Tseng, Dean P. Staus, Li-Yin Huang and Prachi Tripathi-Shukla.

Authors from Stanford include Aashish Manglik, Andrew C. Kruse, Daniel Hilger, William I. Weis and Kobilka. Authors from the University of Chicago include Serdar Uysal, Marcin Paduch, Akiko Koide, Shohei Koide and Anthony A. Kossiakoff.

The study was funded by the Stanford Medical Scientist Training Program, the American Heart Association, the National Science Foundation, the Mathers Foundation and the National Institutes of Health (NS028471, HL16037, HL70631, GM072688, GM087519, HL 075443).

---

[ | E-mail | 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/2013-04/dumc-soc041813.php

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Excellent Web Hosting Tips Anybody Can Use | Indonesia's ...

Sorry, Readability was unable to parse this page for content.

Source: http://www.bahasabudaya.org/excellent-web-hosting-tips-anybody-can-use/

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In autism, age at diagnosis depends on specific symptoms

Apr. 9, 2013 ? The age at which a child with autism is diagnosed is related to the particular suite of behavioral symptoms he or she exhibits, new research from the University of Wisconsin-Madison shows.

Certain diagnostic features, including poor nonverbal communication and repetitive behaviors, were associated with earlier identification of an autism spectrum disorder, according to a study in the April issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Displaying more behavioral features was also associated with earlier diagnosis.

"Early diagnosis is one of the major public health goals related to autism," says lead study author Matthew Maenner, a researcher at the UW-Madison Waisman Center. "The earlier you can identify that a child might be having problems, the sooner they can receive support to help them succeed and reach their potential."

But there is a large gap between current research and what is actually happening in schools and communities, Maenner adds. Although research suggests autism can be reliably diagnosed by age 2, the new analysis shows that fewer than half of children with autism are identified in their communities by age 5.

One challenge is that autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are extremely diverse. According to the criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition -- Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), the standard handbook used for classification of psychiatric disorders, there are more than 600 different symptom combinations that meet the minimum criteria for diagnosing autistic disorder, one subtype of ASD.

Previous research on age at diagnosis has focused on external factors such as gender, socioeconomic status, and intellectual disability. Maenner and his colleagues instead looked at patterns of the 12 behavioral features used to diagnose autism according to the DSM-IV-TR.

He and Maureen Durkin, a UW-Madison professor of population health and pediatrics and Waisman Center investigator, studied records of 2,757 8-year- olds from 11 surveillance sites in the nationwide Autism and Developmental Disabilities Monitoring Network, run by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). They found significant associations between the presence of certain behavioral features and age at diagnosis.

"When it comes to the timing of autism identification, the symptoms actually matter quite a bit," Maenner says.

In the study population, the median age at diagnosis (the age by which half the children were diagnosed) was 8.2 years for children with only seven of the listed behavioral features but dropped to just 3.8 years for children with all 12 of the symptoms.

The specific symptoms present also emerged as an important factor. Children with impairments in nonverbal communication, imaginary play, repetitive motor behaviors, and inflexibility in routines were more likely to be diagnosed at a younger age, while those with deficits in conversational ability, idiosyncratic speech and relating to peers were more likely to be diagnosed at a later age.

These patterns make a lot of sense, Maenner says, since they involve behaviors that may arise at different developmental times. The findings suggest that children who show fewer behavioral features or whose autism is characterized by symptoms typically identified at later ages may face more barriers to early diagnosis.

But they also indicate that more screening may not always lead to early diagnoses for everyone.

"Increasing the intensity of screening for autism might lead to identifying more children earlier, but it could also catch a lot of people at later ages who might not have otherwise been identified as having autism," Maenner says.

The new study was supported by grants from the Autism Science Foundation and the CDC. In addition to Maenner and Durkin, co-authors include Laura A. Schieve and Catherine E. Rice of the CDC, Christopher Cunniff of the University of Arizona, Ellen Giarelli of Drexel University, Russell S. Kirby of the University of South Florida, Li-Ching Lee of Johns Hopkins University, Joyce S. Nicholas of the Medical University of South Carolina, and Martha S. Wingate of the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

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Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.

---

Journal Reference:

1. Matthew J. Maenner, Laura A. Schieve, Catherine E. Rice, Christopher Cunniff, Ellen Giarelli, Russell S. Kirby, Li-Ching Lee, Joyce S. Nicholas, Martha S. Wingate, Maureen S. Durkin. Frequency and Pattern of Documented Diagnostic Features and the Age of Autism Identification. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, 2013; 52 (4): 401 DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2013.01.014

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

Disclaimer: This article is not intended to provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Views expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/vn1fMpyJPZE/130409173355.htm

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More pain for Portugal? High court ruling threatens 2013 budget, recovery

Portugal's Constitutional Court ruled Friday that a fifth of the government's planned budget cuts were unconstitutional, in part because they were discriminatory and retroactive.

By Andr?s Cala,?Correspondent / April 8, 2013

Portugal's Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho (c.) gestures during a debate in the Portuguese parliament in Lisbon on Friday. Portugal's Constitutional Court ruled on Friday that some of the unpopular pay cuts in this year's state budget are unlawful, threatening the country's economic recovery.

Francisco Seco/AP

Enlarge

In another serious challenge to Europe?s economic recovery, the Portuguese government said late Sunday that it will further cut spending in education, healthcare, social security, and state companies to offset austerity measures that the highest court ruled unconstitutional late on Friday.

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The Constitutional Court overturned salary and pension cuts targeting public employees that are equal to around 20 percent of the more than 5 billion euros ($6.5 billion) approved as part of the 2013 budget. The court ruled that the measures were discriminatory in part because they only affected part of the labor force, and were retroactive to Jan. 1, 2013.

?Nobody can deny the decision of the Constitutional Tribunal has serious consequences for the entire country,? said Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho in an address to the country. The government won?t implement more tax hikes, but it committed itself to meeting the terms imposed by the troika: the European Union, The European Central Bank, and the International Monetary Fund.

Inevitably, Mr. Passos Coelho said, social services will have to be cut ?to compensate? for the court-mandated revisions to the 2013 budget. He didn?t say what specifically would be trimmed.

While the court decision and resulting budget cuts present political risks in the middle and long term, its effects are more immediately economic. Portugal may now need a second extension of its 2013 deficit target to be able to reach it, and may even require a second bailout ? potentially upending the country's economic progress and delaying the European recovery.

Either way, the economic scrambling will undermine the country?s efforts to once again gain access to credit markets.

A new deal with the troika?

Passos Coelho harshly criticized the court ruling and said it will compound the pain Portugal is already feeling from public cuts of more than 13 billion euros ($17 billion) in the last two years.

The ruling also comes only days before Portugal asks its troika creditors for more flexible terms in talks planned for this weekend. In March, it received a two-year extension, until 2015, to the 78 billion euro bailout package ($101 billion)?negotiated in 2011 to meet the European deficit target of 3 percent of the gross domestic product.

The new 2013 target agreed to in March was 5.5 percent, from 6.4 percent in 2012, but the court ruling could derail that. Portugal will face ?serious difficulty? to meet its international financial commitments and its budget targets, the government said after a Sunday cabinet meeting in response to the ruling.

The troika has suggested it is open to talks with Portugal, despite persistent delays to the country meeting its goals, no doubt to avoid opening yet another flank in the troika's ongoing efforts to control the economic crisis. But depending on the political and economic evolution, Portugal could be forced to ask for more money.

?We need to do everything to avoid a second bailout,? said Passos Coelho. But that will depend on his troika creditors and also how markets react to yet another obstacle to the country?s economic recovery.

Despite controversially threatening to resign if the court found the budget unconstitutional, it remains unlikely that Passos Coelho will do so imminently. His party holds a comfortable majority in parliament and enjoys strong institutional support after surviving several no-confidence votes, including one last week.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/L_LZbxJuEgc/More-pain-for-Portugal-High-court-ruling-threatens-2013-budget-recovery

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Measuring Spine Angle in Elderly Can Predict Future Disability ...

HOME ? US / WORLD ? CONSUMER NEWS ? POLICY / BIZ ? SCIENCE / TECH ? DRUGS ? HEALTHY LIVING ? CONDITIONS ? Home > Healthy Living. Measuring Spine Angle in Elderly Can Predict Future Disability. A study to determine if posture can predict the ?

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House Dems who promise to vote No to benefit cuts like Chained CPI (Americablog)

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Wall Street closes higher, Alcoa rises late

By Ryan Vlastelica

NEW YORK (Reuters) - U.S. stocks ended a volatile session higher on Monday as investors looked ahead to an earnings season expected to show modest growth despite concerns about macroeconomic conditions.

Wall Street fluctuated between positive and negative territory for much of the day before climbing in the final hour of trading, ending near its session highs. However, volume was light and the Dow's gains were limited by a selloff of Johnson & Johnson shares.

Forecasts for first-quarter earnings have been scaled back in 2013, with profits seen rising just 1.6 percent from the year-ago quarter, according to Thomson Reuters data. In January, earnings were seen rising 4.3 percent.

The drop in expectations has come as economic figures suggest the recovery could be less robust than some had thought. Weak corporate results could give investors further reasons to sell, pushing both the Dow and the S&P 500 back from recent all-time closing highs.

"We're waiting for earnings for evidence that the market can be supported at these levels," said Jim Dunigan, chief investment officer at PNC Wealth Management in Philadelphia. "We will see growth in earnings, but clearing the expectations bar could be difficult, which could give us reason to pause."

The season unofficially started after the market closed with results from Alcoa Inc . The stock rose 1.3 percent to $8.50 in extended-hours trading after adjusted earnings topped expectations.

As the first Dow component to report, Alcoa is informally viewed as setting the initial tone for the season, though many more bellwether companies' earnings won't come out until next week. The S&P materials index ended Monday's session up 0.4 percent.

Among the day's most active names, Advanced Micro Devices jumped 13 percent to $2.59 as the S&P 500's biggest percentage gainer, while Monster Beverage rose 4.7 percent to $52.01, helping boost the S&P consumer staples sector index, which rose 1.1 percent.

On the downside, J&J fell 1.1 percent to $81.11 after JPMorgan downgraded the healthcare company's stock to "neutral" from "overweight," saying it faced "a messy first quarter and a likely downward revision to 2013 guidance."

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 48.15 points, or 0.33 percent, at 14,613.40. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index was up 9.76 points, or 0.63 percent, at 1,563.04. The Nasdaq Composite Index was up 18.39 points, or 0.57 percent, at 3,222.25.

Stocks have rallied strongly this year with major indexes hitting record highs, helped in part by the Federal Reserve's stimulus program. The S&P 500 is up 9.6 percent for the year so far, while the Dow has gained 11.5 percent.

Despite that, major indexes posted their worst weekly loss for 2013 last week, with the payroll report fueling concerns about economic growth.

"A lot of the momentum we had in the first quarter was based on improving economic news, and the jobs report really took the wind out of our sails," said Dunigan, who helps oversee $116 billion in assets. "We're still trying to sift through what that means for our prospects going forward."

Volume was light, with about 5.02 billion shares changing hands on the New York Stock Exchange, the Nasdaq and NYSE MKT, well below the daily average so far this year of about 6.48 billion shares.

Two-thirds of the stocks traded on the New York Stock Exchange closed in positive territory, while about 60 percent of Nasdaq-listed shares ended higher.

Loose monetary policy from central banks around the world is expected to keep equities attractive. Recently investors have been using market declines as buying opportunities.

The Bank of Japan started its bond purchases on Monday after it announced last week that it will inject about $1.4 trillion into the economy in less than two years.

Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke will give a speech later on Monday after markets are closed. Investors have been watching for any insight into the Fed's thinking on how long the central bank will keep its asset purchase program in place as it tries to boost the economic recovery.

General Electric Co said it will buy oilfield pump maker Lufkin Industries Inc for about $2.98 billion, driving Lufkin shares up 37.6 percent to $87.96. GE, a Dow component, rose 0.8 percent to $23.12.

The news lifted energy names, with WPX Energy Inc up 5.3 percent at $17.01.

(Editing by Nick Zieminski and Jan Paschal)

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/wall-street-ends-slightly-earnings-awaited-200934984--finance.html

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Afghan teenager fatally stabs US soldier

Only one U.S. service member was killed in February, but the death toll climbed to at least 14 in March. The recent stabbing reveals the ongoing danger to troops, even as full withdrawal approaches.

By Kim Gamel,?Associated Press / April 1, 2013

U.S. Army and Air Force officers pray beside the remains of Army Sgt. Michael Cable at Dover Air Force Base, Del., March 28. An Afghan teenager killed Cable in eastern Afghanistan by stabbing him in the neck while he played with a group of local children, officials announced today.

Cliff Owen / AP

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An Afghan teenager fatally stabbed an American soldier in the neck as he played with children in eastern Afghanistan, officials said Monday, as the U.S. death toll rose sharply last month with an uptick in fighting due to warmer weather.

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Last week's calculated attack shows that international troops still face myriad dangers even though they are increasingly taking a back seat in operations with Afghan forces ahead of a full withdrawal by the end of 2014.

Just one U.S. service member was killed in February ? a five-year monthly low ? but the American death toll climbed to at least 14 in March.

Overall, the number of Americans and other foreign forces killed in Afghanistan has fallen as their role shifts more toward training and advising government troops instead of fighting.

But a series of so-called insider attacks on foreign troops by Afghan forces of insurgents disguised as them has threatened to undermine the trust needed to help President Hamid Karzai's government take the lead in securing the country after more than 11 years at war.

The attack that killed Sgt. Michael Cable, 26, of Philpot, Ky., last Wednesday occurred after the soldiers had secured an area for a meeting of U.S. and Afghan officials in a province near the volatile border with Pakistan.

But one of two senior U.S. officials who confirmed that Cable had been stabbed by a young man said the assailant was not believed to have been in uniform so it was not being classified as an insider attack.

The officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing, said the attacker was thought to be about 16 years old. He escaped so his age couldn't be verified.

Cable's brother Raymond Johnston, a 42-year-old waiter in Owensboro, Ky., said the Army told the family the basics of what happened and that his brother was stabbed in the neck from behind.

Johnston said his brother, who also did a tour of duty in Iraq, was "prepared before he left for anything that happened" in Afghanistan.

Cable met individually with Johnston and three other family members before leaving for Afghanistan and had similar conversations with each ? that the deployment was extremely hazardous and that his family and friends should "continue to enjoy life" if he was killed.

"He was able to communicate to the family about if the worst was supposed to happen, what we were supposed to do," Johnston said.

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/iJPBbs2OIOY/Afghan-teenager-fatally-stabs-US-soldier

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