Developmental perspectives on interpersonal affective touch

In the last decade, philosophy, neuroscience and psychology alike have paid increasing attention to the study of interpersonal affective touch, which refers to the emotional and motivational facets of tactile sensation. Some aspects of affective touch have been linked to a neurophysiologically specialised system, namely the C tactile (CT) system. While the role of this sys-tem for affiliation, social bonding and communication of emotions have been widely investigated, only recently researchers have started to focus on the potential role of interpersonal affective touch in acquiring awareness of the body as our own, i.e. as belonging to our psychological ‘self’. We review and discuss recent developmental and adult findings, pointing to the central role of interpersonal affective touch in body awareness and social cognition in health and disorders. We propose that interpersonal affective touch, as an interoceptive modality invested of a social nature, can uniquely contribute to the ongoing debate in philosophy about the primacy of the relational nature of the minimal self

Homicide-Suicide

Homicide-suicide (H-S) is a category of interpersonal violence, whereby a person commits suicide after perpetrating a homicide of one or more persons (Barraclough & Harris, 2002). Although their incidence is low relative to other violent acts, homicide-suicides are considered a public health concern, as they typically involve more than one member of a family, and have been found to often target children (Adinkrah, 2003; Violence Policy Center, 2012). In some cases, there are survivors/witnesses of these incidences (e.g., children left parentless) (Adinkrah, 2003), who go on to bear severe psychological and behavioral consequences as a result of the trauma (Sillito & Salari, 2011). Indeed, H-S events impose widespread suffering affecting the individuals involved, their families, and the community. Developing a model unique to H-S incidents requires careful evaluation of known psychosocial, medical, economic, cultural, developmental and psychiatric variables that have the highest correlation with predatory violence (Goranson, Boehnlein, & Drummond, 2012). Within the H-S literature, select populations have been identified as being at an exceptionally higher risk for involvement: couples with intimate partner violence (IPV), individuals involved in family court cases, older adults, and law enforcement officers. Studies have revealed unique precursors and dynamics within each of these populations that increase risk them for this type violence.https://nsuworks.nova.edu/cps_facbooks/1581/thumbnail.jp

Homicide-suicide and the role of mental disorder: a national consecutive case series

Five similar glacial-lake outburst floods (GLOFs) occurred in April, October, December 2008, March and September 2009 in the Northern Patagonia Icefield. On each occasion, Cachet 2 Lake, dammed by the Colonia Glacier, released circa 200-million m3 water into the Colonia River. Refilling has occurred rapidly, such that further outbreak floods can be expected. Pipeflow calculations of the subglacial tunnel drainage and 1D hydraulic models of the river flood give consistent results, with an estimated peak discharge surpassing 3,000 m3 s−1. These floods were larger in magnitude than any flood on record, according to gauged data since 1963. However, geomorphological analysis of the Colonia valley shows physical evidence of former catastrophic outburst floods from a larger glacial-lake, with flood discharges possibly as high as 16,000 m3 s−1. Due to potential impacts of climate change on glacier dynamics in the area, jökulhlaups may increase future flood risks for infrastructure and population. This is particularly relevant in view of the current development of hydropower projects in Chilean Patagonia