We study whether transfer programs in which funds are targeted to women decrease the incidence of spousal abuse. We examine the impact of the Mexican Oportunidades program on spousal abuse rates and threats of violence using data from a specialized survey. Beneficiary women are 40 percent less likely to be victims of physical abuse, but are more likely to receive violent threats with no associated abuse. This evidence is consistent with a model of decision-makers' interactions with asymmetric information in the male partner's gains to marriage, who can then use threats of violence to extract rents from their female partners. (JEL D82, J12, J16, K42, O15, O17)

The use of hydrogen (H 2 ) as a fuel offers enhanced energy conversion efficiency and tremendous potential to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, but producing it in a distributed, carbon-neutral, low-cost manner requires new technologies. Herein we demonstrate the complete conversion of glucose and xylose from plant biomass to H 2 and CO 2 based on an in vitro synthetic enzymatic pathway. Glucose and xylose were simultaneously converted to H 2 with a yield of two H 2 per carbon, the maximum possible yield. Parameters of a nonlinear kinetic model were fitted with experimental data using a genetic algorithm, and a global sensitivity analysis was used to identify the enzymes that have the greatest impact on reaction rate and yield. After optimizing enzyme loadings using this model, volumetric H 2 productivity was increased 3-fold to 32 mmol H 2 ·L. The productivity was further enhanced to 54 mmol H 2 ·L −1 ·h −1 by increasing reaction temperature, substrate, and enzyme concentrations-an increase of 67-fold compared with the initial studies using this method. The production of hydrogen from locally produced biomass is a promising means to achieve global green energy production.hydrogen | biomass | in vitro metabolic engineering | metabolic network modeling | global sensitivity analysis

Violence is common among pregnant women, but pregnancy does not appear to be an initiating factor. Intergenerational violence is highly predictive of violence during pregnancy.

Research into intimate partner violence has shown that social isolation constitutes a risk factor, and the presence of social networks can be an important source of social support. This research note presents some results of an empirical study carried out in Mexico into women's social relations, especially their family relations, and their role in the promotion of traditional gender norms. Findings indicate that some of the main conditions that are associated with the production of violence against women are either generated or reinforced within the realm of what can be regarded as women's "strong ties."

In Mexico, a woman dies of cervical-uterine cancer every 2 hours, indicating a low impact by the national program for early detection of this cancer, principally because of problems related to quality and coverage. Through a qualitative study, we identified the principal barriers to use of the detection program from the point of view of actual and potential program users. Four focus groups were organized in standard conditions in Mexico City (urban, developed) and in the southern state of Oaxaca (rural, economically disadvantaged area). Participants were either women with at least one previous Papanicolaou (Pap) test or women who had never had the test. Barriers to Pap test use included (1) lack of knowledge about cervical-uterine cancer etiology, (2) not knowing that the Pap test exists, (3) the conception that cancer is an inevitably fatal disease, (4) problems in doctor/medical institution-patient relationships, (5) giving priority to unmet needs related to extreme poverty, (6) opposition by the male sexual partner, (7) rejection of the pelvic examination, (8) long waits for sample collection and receiving results, and (9) perceived high costs for care. To increase coverage of the early detection program for cervical-uterine cancer in Mexico, the needs, perceptions, and beliefs of women and their partners must be taken into account when developing policy and planning, given the role these factors play in the decision-making process that leads to their participation or nonparticipation in this program.

Follow-up was difficult due to deficient identification variables in the cancer registry and to easier identification of the living compared to the decreased in the civil registry at the end of the observation period. The various systematic errors in this study are likely to produce an underestimation of the relative risk estimates. This study contributes to improvements of the registries and increases the potential for cancer epidemiology in Costa Rica and other developing countries.

Obstetric violence has not received the same amount of interest as other forms of violence against women (VAW). We assess the prevalence and factors associated with experiences of obstetric violence (obstetric abuse and violence, and nonconsensual care) among women between 15 and 49 years of age in their latest childbirth within the last 5 years by using the 2016 National Survey on Household Relationship Dynamics. ( N = 24,126 women). A total of 33.3% of Mexican women experienced obstetrical violence in their last childbirth: 23.6% experienced obstetric abuse and violence and 17.1% nonconsensual care. Gender interacts with other social stratification variables. Obstetric violence is an extended practice in health care services. It is a human rights problem that must be prevented and eradicated.

ResumenObjetivo. Determinar la prevalencia y los factores de riesgo en violencia contra mujeres por parte de sus parejas, en una muestra representativa de aquéllas residentes en el área metropolitana de Cuernavaca, Morelos, México. Material y métodos. De junio a septiembre de 1998 se realizó un estudio con base poblacional en 1 535 mujeres, de 15 a 49 años de edad. Para construir la variable dependiente se realizó análisis de componentes principales y, adicionalmente, análisis de regresión logística politómica, de lo cual se obtuvieron estimadores de razón de momios (RM), con intervalos de confianza (IC 95%). Resultados. La prevalencia de violencia leve-moderada fue de 35.8%, y de severa 9.5%. La prevalencia de violación fue de 5.9%. Los principales factores asociados con violencia fueron los siguientes: nivel socioeconómico (RM= 0.57; IC 95%= 0.34-0.95); nivel educativo en ambas mujeres (prueba de tendencia p=0.01) y sus parejas (prueba de tendencia p= 0.002); años de convivir con la pareja (RM= 2.63; IC 95%= 1.55-4.45), uso de alcohol y drogas ilegales (RM= 2.56; IC 95%= 2.02-3.25, RM= 6.17; IC 95%= 2.37-16.03, respectivamente); violencia durante la niñez (RM= 3.40; IC 95%= 2.23-5.18) e historia de violación (RM= 5.89; IC 95%= 2.78-12.5). Conclusiones. Este estudio confirma cómo la violencia en contra de las mujeres es