Fueling Autism Research: 4-year-old donates cells to UConn doc

STORRS — April is Autism Awareness Month and a doctor from the University of Connecticut is conducting research that could be a breakthrough that changes people's views of the disorder.
Jacqueline Vanderhoof, a mother from Philadelphia whose daughter, Fiona, was diagnosed with Dup15q at the age of eight months, was determined to find out what others were doing for genetically based therapies in similar conditions.
Vanderhoof said she was led to Dr. Eric Levine at UConn because she knew him as someone who's 'famous.'

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Yahoo

14-06-2025

• Yahoo

UConn Health, ConnectiCare have reached multi-year agreement

FARMINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — UConn Health announced Friday it has reached a multi-year agreement with ConnectiCare after its contract with the insurance provider expired in April. A statement from UConn Health said that the agreement will ensure that UConn Health stays as an in-network provided for patients with ConnectiCare health plans, and patient care should continue without interruption. UConn Health drops insurance contract with ConnectiCare 'This new multi-year agreement reached during the post-termination 60-day period, means that patients with ConnectiCare plans can continue to receive care at John Dempsey Hospital, UConn Medical Group, and throughout UConn Health without any disruption,' the statement said. 'Patients with ConnectiCare plans are now able to schedule appointments and access the full range of services they rely on.' UConn Health said it has started reaching out to affected patients to inform them of the update and provide resources. Patients with questions are asked to visit or contact the patient support team at (860) 679-0199. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Yahoo

13-06-2025

• Yahoo

UConn students bike across the country for suicide prevention

FARMINGTON, Conn. (WTNH) — Two University of Connecticut medical students flew to Seattle on Tuesday with no return flight booked, as the pair plans to bike back to their home state while raising money for suicide prevention. James Marks, 25, of Guilford, and Zach Giguere, 23, of Windsor began their summer cross-country bike trek as part of a two-decades-long UConn tradition that raises money and awareness for a specific cause. This year, the duo plans to raise awareness for suicide prevention, donating money toward advancing mental health research. Hamden school raises money for cancer research at 'Saint Baldrick's' event Their cause to prevent suicide is deeply personal to Marks. 'I lost my Dad,' Marks said. 'I am glad I can do this journey to raise awareness.' Giguere finds it critically important to raise greater awareness of the importance of mental health. 'Recently after COVID, I have seen more people struggling with anxiety and depression,' Giguere said. 'Research into these topics and supporting people who are really struggling is so important.' Suicide Prevention Month: How to get help during a mental health crisis Every year, more than 700,000 people die by suicide worldwide, according to the World Health Organization. Mental health research and resources often lack the funding and attention they desperately need, the UConn students said. 'We believe that investing in suicide prevention—through research, crisis support, and accessible mental health care—can save lives,' they said. 'We are committed to raising awareness, advocating for change, and ensuring that no one feels alone in their struggle.' The two classmates' coast-to-coast trip is planned for a total of 48 days. 'A few days in, we are still on track, but we know the first few weeks will be the toughest,' Giguere said, who will celebrate his birthday on Tuesday. 'I have never been out West before,' Giguere said. 'I always wanted to see all of the U.S. This is the absolute best opportunity to do so!' Mark shared the same sentiment. 'It's beautiful out here!' he said. 'We did our biggest bike climbs yet in the Cascades here in Washington state even climbing up Washington Pass with its 5,500-foot elevation. It's really hard but everything of America we have seen so far, has incredible views.' Only a few days into the trek, both riders have witnessed the spirit of the American people over and over. Bridgeport 'painting the city blue' ahead of Swim Across the Sound fundraiser 'Everyone and every town we encounter are really kind and are excited to hear what we are doing,' Marks said. 'We were blessed when a stranger's truck stopped to give us Gatorade. Americans are extremely nice out here.' Their Coast-2-Coast journey can be followed on Instagram @_coast2coast25_ and you can donate to the duo's cause by clicking on this link. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

Miami Herald

10-06-2025

• Miami Herald

Study finds football fan rituals can create emotional mob mentality

By Stephen Beech Football fans get more emotional in pre-match rituals than during the actual game, suggests new research. The study of Brazilian football supporters showed that the intense feelings of joy, unity and excitement that fans experience can be less about the game and more about coming together. The only time fans' emotions exceeded the "high" of the pre-match gathering was when their team scored a goal, according to the findings. The study was led by Dimitris Xygalatas, a Professor of Anthropology at the University of Connecticut and a lifelong soccer fan. Xygalatas says that when his hometown team PAOK won the Greek Super League for the first time in 34 years in 2019, he cried tears of joy, adding: "Not what you might call a rational organism's behavior." But his emotional reaction was in keeping with the findings of the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Xygalatas said: "Rituals are the kinds of things that, at first glance, don't make any sense in terms of human behavior, but are deeply meaningful to people." With the cooperation of die-hard Brazilian footie fans, Xygalatas and his team tracked the physiological arousal of fans before, during, and after a state championship final in Minas Gerais between local rival clubs. Using wearable heart monitors, they measured the emotional reactions of fans during the ritual of Rua de Fogo - "Street of Fire" - during which crowds gather near the stadium to welcome the team's bus. As it arrives, fans light flares, smoke bombs, and fireworks, wave flags, and chant to boost team morale and unify supporters. The research team fitted participants with EKG monitors hidden beneath their clothing. The devices measured heart rate fluctuations, which is an indicator of emotional arousal, as fans participated in the pre-game celebration, entered the stadium, and watched the match unfold. The research team found that the levels of shared excitement, or what the scientists call "collective effervescence," peaked not during the match itself, but during the pre-game fan rituals. Only when the home team scored a goal did the physiological markers exceed the emotional high of the pre-match gathering. Xygalatas said, "What we see is that, in fact, the pre-game ritual generates more emotional synchrony than the game itself. "There's a single moment in the entire game when they have more collective emotional synchrony than the pre-game ritual, and that's when they scored a goal." The findings underscore Xygalatas' broader work to understand how ritual shapes human behavior and identity. He said, "Rituals are the kinds of things that, at first glance, don't make any sense in terms of human behavior, but are deeply meaningful to people." His previous research has taken him to remote firewalking ceremonies and intense religious festivals. But he said football offers a "unique laboratory" as it's a "global obsession" that's rich in ritual and pageantry, but largely free from political or religious ideology. The physiological data from the new study showed that the ritualistic gathering that happens before a ball is even kicked produced "sustained arousal levels" comparable to the game itself. Xygalatas said, "People attribute a lot of meaning to sports. "Sports generate billions and billions of dollars globally, and they take up so much of people's attention. "And the reason they do that is not just because of what's happening on the pitch. It's because of these ritualized interactions that occur among the fans." He says the implications of the findings may extend beyond sports as ritualized group behaviors, such as concerts, religious ceremonies, or political rallies, may "powerfully shape" people's emotions and even their beliefs. Xygalatas said, "By going to these events, we're actually shaping our beliefs. "So sports is not just an excuse for people to get together. It's a driver of identity." He recalled, as a young man growing up in Thessaloniki, Greece, how one day he was wearing his team's scarf in the wrong neighborhood when he was ambushed by four men and brutally attacked. Xygalatas said the incident echoes the fatal beating of a 19-year-old in his hometown years later, also over team allegiance. He said: "I felt a blow to my head from behind, and next thing I knew, there were four men beating me, kicking me on the head, everywhere. "The reason I was able to escape is that another group of men was turning the corner, wearing my insignia, so they chased them away." Xygalatas says football is the only sport that regularly leads to deadly violence, a fact that leagues and governing bodies such as FIFA should take seriously. He says it's in the best interest of clubs to strike a balance between building loyalty, which Europeans and South Americans are excellent at doing, and making it safe for people to participate in. However, Xygalatas is not advocating for less passion and he hopes his work helps people understand why they care so deeply in the first place. He added: "If we look at what makes us human, we realize that it's our ability and our need to derive meaning from things that seem meaningless." The post Study finds football fan rituals can create emotional mob mentality appeared first on Talker. Copyright Talker News. All Rights Reserved.