The number of deaths among babies is declining

THE first 28 days of life are among the most dangerous in a human's existence. In 2009 3.3m children died before they were four weeks old, down from 4.6m in 1990, according to a new paper from the World Health Organisation. The burden is not spread evenly. Five populous countries—India, Nigeria, Pakistan, China and the Congo—now account for more than half of all neonatal deaths. And though mortality rates for newborns are falling, progress is much faster in some regions than others. If current trends continue, neonatal mortality rates in Africa will not reach the rich world's levels until 2166.the Allier River (Loire drainage) were sampled. In addition, four localities situated in the Durance hybrid zone (Avignon, Manosque, and Pertuis on the Durance River, and Pont de Laragne on the Buech River, a tributary of the Durance River) and two localities situated in the Ardeche hybrid zone (Saint Just and Labeaume) were sampled. The Directions Départementales des Territoires (DDT) from Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, Hautes-Alpes, Vaucluse, (N° 2010-961 and N° 2011-133), Ardèche (N°2010-253-8), Puy-de-Domes (N°2008-01-04) and Aude (N° 2003-3555 and ONEMA11-2008) districts issued the permits for fish catching in France, where fishing was done in collaboration with Officers of the French ONEMA (Office National de l\'Eau et des Milieux Aquatiques). A fin sample of each fish specimen was preserved in 96% ethanol. The spleen of each individual was removed, transferred