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StockX’s Midyear Trend Report Has Asics and Salomon Among Fastest-Growing Sneaker Brands; Sees New Records for Labubu and Triple-Digit Sales Growth for Trading Cards
Other brands seeing meaningful growth in 2025 include Louis Vuitton, New Era, Clarks, and Bravest Studios

DETROIT, Aug. 13, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Today StockX dropped its latest midyear data report, Big Facts: Brands Making Moves, highlighting the fastest-growing brands across sneakers, collectibles, shoes, apparel, and accessories. Drawing on StockX’s global sales data from the first half of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, the report reveals which brands are gaining momentum and market share among today’s culture-driven consumers. Notable takeaways include the continued dominance of performance styles in the sneaker space, a surge in interest in trading cards and Pop Mart’s Labubu collectibles, the enduring appeal of Murakami, and an increased focus on jerseys within the apparel space.

StockX’s latest midyear report highlights the fastest-growing brands across sneakers, collectibles, shoes, apparel, and accessories in 2025.

“This year’s report underscores how both old and new brands are winning over consumers and finding success on our platform,” said StockX CEO Greg Schwartz. “From the Labubu phenomenon to up-and-comers like Bravest Studios, there’s great energy in the secondary market right now. I’m excited by the growth we’re tracking and the number of consumers who continue to turn to StockX to make these purchases. Their passion fuels everything we do.”

Key Report Highlights:
- Asics maintained its No. 1 spot in the sneakers category, while Salomon returned to growth. Asics (+71%) is the fastest-growing sneaker brand on StockX for the second straight year. The Gel-1130 remains its top-selling silhouette and was a key growth driver, as was the Gel-NYC. A smaller boost came from the GT-2160, a silhouette that several big names put their mark on recently, including JJJJound, Kiko Kostadinov, and Kith. Salomon, meanwhile, enjoyed a comeback this year. It returned to the list in the No. 3 spot, posting 53% growth in 2025 after a down year in 2024. A resurgence in the brand’s most popular silhouette—the XT-6—helped, as did the XT-Whisper, which was reimagined through several new colorways as well as collaborations with Sandy Liang and Kith. The momentum of the XT-Whisper is promising for Salomon, as so much of the brand’s growth has historically relied on the XT-6. Further proving that the running aesthetic isn’t dead is On. The young Swiss sports company was the No. 5 fastest-growing sneaker brand on StockX (+15%), despite its playbook not including many of the hype sneaker collaborations that typically drive secondary market growth. Anta ranked No. 4 with a 51% surge in sales during the first half of 2025, building on its explosive 1,901% growth in 2024. Kyrie Irving’s signature shoe line continues to fuel demand.
- Pop Mart’s Labubu products set records for the collectibles category on StockX. Pop Mart is the No. 1 best-selling collectibles brand on StockX, a position it has held since October 2024 thanks to the viral success of its Labubu character. And it hasn’t hit its peak—StockX saw more than twice as many sales in June 2025 as it did in January of this year, and Pop Mart set another new sales record in July. StockX also saw 2.4 million searches for “Labubu” in the first six months of the year, making it one of the top 10 most popular search terms during that time. The beginning of the Labubu craze coincided with the rise of bag charms, but it’s also tied to a growing emphasis on blind box products. The blind box model, which offers an element of surprise and discovery for buyers, is a tool that could be implemented in other categories as brands seek to refresh their drop models. Looking at the first half of the year, the most popular Labubu blind box sets on StockX were the Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters Exciting Macaron Vinyl Face Sealed Case (6 Blind Boxes) and Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters Have a Seat Vinyl Plush Sealed Case (6 Blind Boxes), while the Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters Exciting Macaron Lychee Berry Vinyl Plush Pendant and Pop Mart Labubu The Monsters I Found You Vinyl Doll topped the list for single products.
- Trading cards are surging, with Pokémon and Topps sales up 367% and 208%, respectively. The trading card category on StockX is experiencing another boom, with both Pokémon and Topps seeing triple-digit sales growth year-over-year. Both sports cards and trading card games (TCGs) have benefited from strong release calendars in 2025, with many hot products selling out quickly at retail stores and hobby shops. The trading card market as a whole has seen strong price appreciation for many key single cards, which in turn is driving even more demand for sealed boxes, as consumers purchase sealed boxes in hopes of pulling a high-value card. The best-selling products for each brand in the first half of the year were the Pokémon Scarlet & Violet 151 Blooming Waters Premium Collection Box and the 2025 Topps MLB World Tour Tokyo Series Takashi Murakami Hobby Box.
- Murakami collabs pushed New Era and Louis Vuitton to triple-digit growth in the accessories category. New Era (No. 3) sales jumped 274% year-over-year, driven largely by the brand’s collaboration with Takashi Murakami. The famed Japanese artist brought his playful touch to classic baseball caps for the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs. Murakami also had a hand in landing Louis Vuitton the No. 5 spot on the list with 133% growth year-over-year. In celebration of their iconic 2003 partnership, Louis Vuitton rolled out a highly anticipated three-part re-edition collection, bringing back beloved motifs like the cherry blossom, signature cherries, and multicolor monogram. Pieces from the collection sold out almost instantly and have performed extremely well on the secondary market, with resale prices continuing to climb month-over-month on StockX. Top sellers included the Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Card Holder White Multicolored and Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Passport Cover White Multicolored, while pieces like the Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Speedy Soft 30 Black Multicolored and Louis Vuitton x Takashi Murakami Cherry Blossom Alma BB Pink have drawn some of the most impressive resale prices.
- An ongoing obsession with jerseys helped Cactus Plant Flea Market clinch the No. 1 spot in the apparel category and powered Mitchell & Ness to 40% year-over-year growth. Traditional sports jerseys and jersey-inspired designs continue to perform well on the secondary market, with brands like Cactus Plant Flea Market (CPFM) and Mitchell & Ness reaping the benefits. CPFM saw sales jump more than 300% year-over-year, thanks largely to the success of its SS25 collaboration with Nike that included sport-inspired pieces like a crochet hockey jersey and a velvet soccer jersey. The 40% sales increase from Mitchell & Ness is on top of a 200% year-over-year sales spike it saw in 2024. The brand’s top movers in the first six months of 2025 were Michael Jordan and Derrick Rose Chicago Bulls jerseys. Derrick Rose announced his retirement in September of last year, which may have sparked the 600% year-over-year sales growth in his jersey specifically. Also worth mentioning is the FC Barcelona x Travis Scott jersey that was released earlier this year to much fanfare. It boasts an average resale price of $910, the highest of any jersey on StockX.^¹
- Clarks (No. 2) and Bravest Studios (No. 5) are winning in the shoes category. As more consumers look to add non-sneaker options into their closets, brands like Clarks and Bravest Studios are seeing growth on the secondary market. Clarks closed 2024 with 13% growth over 2023, and has built on that with 58% growth in the first half of 2025 over the same period in 2024. The brand has had a slew of new collaborations over the last year, tapping the likes of Supreme, Martine Rose, and even Oasis frontman Liam Gallagher, but its most successful 2025 release thus far is a collaboration with Human Made. Meanwhile, Bravest Studios made its first appearance on StockX’s list of fastest-growing shoe brands this year, debuting at No. 5 with 32% sales growth year-over-year. With products like a bright green foot clog and fuzzy orange bear claw mule, the brand is contributing to a wave of maximalist footwear. The popularity of Bravest’s playful footwear is also part of a disintegration of hypebeast monoculture—shoppers want to support more diverse, smaller brands.
For more information on the report, visit https://stockx.com/about/sx-market-insights/big-facts-brands-making-moves-2025/.

About StockX
StockX is proud to be a Detroit-based technology leader focused on the large and growing online market for sneakers, apparel, accessories, electronics, collectibles, trading cards, and more. StockX’s powerful platform connects buyers and sellers of high-demand consumer goods from around the world using dynamic pricing mechanics. This approach affords access and market visibility powered by real-time data that empowers buyers and sellers to determine and transact based on market value. The StockX platform features hundreds of brands across verticals including Jordan Brand, adidas, Nike, Supreme, BAPE, Off-White, Louis Vuitton, Gucci; collectibles from brands including LEGO, KAWS, Bearbrick, and Pop Mart; and electronics from industry-leading manufacturers Sony, Microsoft, Meta, and Apple. Launched in 2016, StockX employs 1,000 people across offices and verification centers around the world. Learn more at www.stockx.com.

^¹ Among jerseys with at least 100 sales in 2025, the FC Barcelona x Travis Scott jersey has the highest average resale price ($910).

SOURCE StockX
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August 13, 2025
Encorafenib Triplet Could Address Poor Outcomes With Immunotherapy in BRAF V600–Mutant Melanoma With Brain Metastases
The addition of BRAF-targeted therapies encorafenib (Braftovi) and binimetinib (Mektovi) to nivolumab (Opdivo) may be more therapeutically beneficial for patients with BRAF V600–mutant melanoma brain metastases, who have historically had poor outcomes with solely immunotherapy-based regimens, according to Zeynep Eroglu, MD.¹

Results from the phase 2 SWOG S2000 trial (NCT04511013), presented during the 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting, showed that the encorafenib plus binimetinib and nivolumab regimen (n = 16) produced a median progression-free survival (PFS) of 6.2 months (95% CI, 3-14.4) vs 1.5 months (95% CI, 0.7-1.7) with nivolumab plus ipilimumab (Yervoy; n = 15; HR, 0.47; 1-sided 90% CI, 0-0.82; P = .04). The 6-month PFS rates were 54% (95% CI, 27%-75%) with the triplet and 20% (95% CI, 5%-42%) with the doublet; the median intracranial PFS was 8.7 months (95% CI, 3-19.4) vs 1.5 months (95% CI, 0.7-1.7), respectively (HR, 0.39; 1-sided 90% CI, 0-0.68; P = .01).

Notably, nivolumab plus ipilimumab was previously evaluated in a phase 2 study (NCT02374242) for the treatment of patients with active asymptomatic melanoma brain metastasis.² Data from the study determined that upfront ipilimumab plus nivolumab should be the standard of care in patients with melanoma brain metastasis, as patients treated with the doublet demonstrated a 7-year overall survival rate of 48%.

“If a patient [with] melanoma harbors a BRAF mutation, which is important to find out early if it is not known ahead of time, this triplet approach of combining the targeted therapy with the immunotherapy [could be] considered. It may be a [more] helpful regimen for these patients, as opposed to starting them with immunotherapy alone,” Eroglu shared with OncLive®.

In the interview, Eroglu outlined typical challenges when attempting to use immunotherapy regimens for patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastasis; the design and eligibility criteria of SWOG S2000; key efficacy and safety data with the triplet combination; and the importance of identifying BRAF mutations early in the treatment course to inform selection.

Eroglu is a medical oncologist in the Department of Cutaneous Oncology at Moffitt Cancer Center and an assistant professor in the Department of Oncologic Sciences at the University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, both located in Tampa.

OncLive: What was the rationale for investigating the triplet regimen in patients with BRAF V600E-mutant melanoma harboring brain metastases?

Eroglu: We know that it is very challenging to treat patients with symptomatic melanoma brain metastases. In asymptomatic patients, immunotherapy drugs such as ipilimumab plus nivolumab are associated with high response rates of [over] 50% and median PFS exceeding 3 years. However, in patients with symptomatic brain metastases, [including] those with neurologic symptoms and/or [those] requiring corticosteroids to manage those symptoms, outcomes with immunotherapies like ipilimumab plus nivolumab are significantly poorer, with response rates of approximately 20% and median PFS of just over 1 month. This population often requires local therapies such as craniotomy or radiation, yet still experiences poor outcomes with systemic treatments.

The rationale for this study was that, for patients with melanoma harboring a BRAF V600 mutation, combining BRAF-targeted therapy with encorafenib plus binimetinib and nivolumab could be evaluated against the current standard of ipilimumab plus nivolumab to [determine whether] we could improve upon PFS and response rates.

What should be known about the trial design, enrollment criteria, and baseline characteristics?

To be eligible [for the study], patients had to have symptomatic melanoma brain metastasis that could be measurable—so either neurologic symptoms or requiring corticosteroids prior to enrollment—and had to have a BRAF V600 mutation. They had to be treatment-naive in the metastatic setting. They could have had prior neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic treatment upon enrollment.

We had about 30 patients. They were [randomly assigned] 1:1 to either the triplet immunotherapy combination [of] encorafenib, binimetinib, and nivolumab, all using standard doses of those drugs, or to immunotherapy with ipilimumab 3 mg/kg plus nivolumab 1 mg/kg, which is standard.

Upon starting these regimens, [patients] stayed on them until they [experienced disease] progression, although they were permitted to stay on trial beyond progression if that was thought to be in their best interest. They could, for example, receive radiation to brain metastases in the event of progression and continue with the systemic treatment afterward. The study’s primary end point was PFS, including both intracranial and extracranial responses.

Patient demographics were evenly matched. It was about 15 patients per arm, and approximately half of them had received prior surgery or radiation for their brain metastases before enrollment. Nearly half had corticosteroids at the time of enrollment, and there were no significant differences between the groups in their demographics.

What efficacy and safety findings were presented?

In terms of findings, we did see a significant [PFS] improvement in patients who got the triplet regimen [vs the doublet]. The 6-month PFS rate was 54% with encorafenib plus binimetinib and nivolumab compared with 20% with ipilimumab plus nivolumab; the HR was 0.47. The median intracranial PFS was 8.7 months [with the triplet regimen] compared with 1.3 months in the [doublet arm]. Intracranial response rates were 75% with the triplet regimen versus 13% with ipilimumab plus nivolumab. There was [also] a significant difference in improving response rates.

Both study arms had high rates of grade 3/4 [treatment-related] toxicities. [In the ipilimumab/nivolumab arm], 75% of patients experienced grade 3/4 adverse effects [AEs]; this [incidence] was similar in the [triplet] arm, at 69%.

With the triplet regimen, the most common grade 3/4 [treatment-related] AEs were elevations in liver enzymes. When you have both targeted therapy and immunotherapy [in one regimen], sometimes it’s a question of which drug is causing that AE. We would often hold the targeted therapy or do a dose reduction plus start corticosteroids if we thought the AE was related to the immunotherapy. In the ipilimumab/nivolumab cohort, the most frequent grade 3/4 AEs were diarrhea and enterocolitis. High doses of corticosteroids [were typically required] to manage enterocolitis.

What are the implications of these findings for selecting triplet vs doublet regimens in clinical practice?

Symptomatic melanoma brain metastases [are] difficult to treat, and a multidisciplinary approach is very important. Oftentimes, these patients are seen by neurosurgeons if they may need surgery at some point, and radiation oncologists, as they may need stereotactic radiation.

Because of the effects of corticosteroids on decreasing the efficacy of the immunotherapy, trying to reduce the dose of corticosteroids as much as possible, if feasible, is important. [Corticosteroid use] may be one of the reasons why these patients with symptomatic brain metastases who get immunotherapy do so poorly, as oftentimes these patients require something like dexamethasone. The reason that patients in this study on the triplet arm who got the targeted therapy together with immunotherapy may have done better is that the targeted therapy shrinks the metastases, both within the brain and outside, more quickly. That allowed the patients to come off the corticosteroids faster and may allow the immunotherapy to be more effective as well.

Within the triplet arm, there were patients who had to undergo either dose holds or dose reductions, which we were able to do with targeted therapy drugs and sometimes with immunotherapy. In some cases, the immunotherapy agent had to be held for several cycles for a certain AE to resolve. Similarly, within the ipilimumab/nivolumab arm, we did have to hold [the dose of an agent] in some cases or drop the ipilimumab early and have the patients just continue on the nivolumab alone. However, with immunotherapy, we cannot do a dose reduction, as those are set doses. Patients did have to undergo dose holds or, in some cases, discontinue the treatment early if we thought it was not safe to rechallenge with the immunotherapy.

References
1. Eroglu Z, Moon J, Najjar Y, et al. A randomized phase 2 trial of encorafenib + binimetinib + nivolumab vs ipilimumab + nivolumab in BRAFV600-mutant melanoma brain metastases: SWOG S2000 (NCT04511013). J Clin Oncol. 2025;43(suppl 17):LBA9507. doi:10.1200/JCO.2025.43.17_suppl.LBA9507
2. Long GV, Atkinson V, Lo SN, et al. Ipilimumab plus nivolumab versus nivolumab alone in patients with melanoma brain metastases (ABC): 7-year follow-up of a multicentre, open-label, randomised, phase 2 study. Lancet Oncol. 2025;26(3):320-330. doi:10.1016/S1470-2045(24)00735-6
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August 13, 2025
NA passes Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024

The National Assembly on Wednesday passed the Anti-Terrorism (Amendment) Bill 2024 by a majority vote enacting it into law after rejecting opposition proposals amid protests in the House.

The House suspended its routine agenda to take up the bill. Speaker Ayaz Sadiq ordered a headcount on the bill’s passage, which showed 125 votes in favour and 45 against. Opposition members protested and shouted slogans during the process.

PTI chairperson Barrister Gohar Ali Khan argued that the bill violated Article 10 of the Constitution and fundamental rights by allowing detention without trial for up to three months, extendable by another three.

He said no law could be enacted in contravention of the Constitution or the Supreme Court’s rulings, and noted past instances of prolonged detention without due process.

Read: HRCP urges govt to scrap anti-terror bill

Maulana Fazlur Rehman questioned the need for such a law, recalling similar measures in the Musharraf era that he said treated citizens as “born criminals”.

The opposition maintained that the law could be misused, while the government insisted it was necessary to address the prevailing security situation.

Oil reserves

Separately, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) lawmakers sought clarification from the government over US President Donald Trump’s past remarks about vast oil reserves in Pakistan.

On July 31, Trump took to social media to announce a new deal between the US and Pakistan for the joint development of Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves”.

PPP’s Dr Nafisa Shah questioned why the government had not provided information if such reserves existed. “The US President is telling us about oil reserves in Pakistan, but why is the Government of Pakistan not informing us?”

Read More: Trump wins his deal, Pakistan eyes the future

Responding to the call to attention notice, Federal Minister for Petroleum Ali Pervaiz Malik said Pakistan had recently awarded oil exploration rights to companies from Kuwait, Turkey, and other countries.

He confirmed the presence of reserves but said their exact size could only be determined after exploration work began.

He added that three major gas fields—larger than the Sui field—had been discovered, and exploration had commenced in Hyderabad.

Malik noted that countries such as China and the US possessed technology to verify the presence of oil and gas rapidly.

Dr Shah also questioned whether Trump’s remarks, including that Pakistan could one day export oil to India, were intended to pressure India into concessions, given that Pakistani ministers claimed they did not yet know the reserves’ size.

PPP lawmaker Syed Naveed Qamar asked if exploration opportunities would be open to countries beyond the US.

Malik replied that rights would be available to multiple companies.

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August 13, 2025
What young athletes should eat and drink
Sports nutrition 101: What young athletes should eat and drink | Image Credit: © Monkey Business – stock.adobe.com.

As team sports ramp up this fall, pediatricians can expect the return of a familiar question from parents: “What should my child eat before the big game?”

Sports nutrition is not just a modified version of general healthy eating—it requires specific strategies to help young athletes sustain energy, stay hydrated, and recover well. Whether you are advising a soccer player, cross-country runner, or competitive swimmer, here’s a practical breakdown you can share with families covering what to eat and drink before, during, and after activity.

Pregame fueling

Carbohydrates are the body’s primary energy source during physical activity, and they are especially important in the 24 hours leading up to a game.¹ Yet many families still view them as something to limit. Remind parents that carbs are not the enemy. When timed and portioned appropriately, carbohydrates play a vital role in energy, endurance, and recovery.

The night before a game, dinner should follow a simple formula: half the plate should be carbs (such as pasta, rice, potatoes, or fruit), one-quarter protein, and one-quarter vegetables. Meals such as spaghetti with grilled chicken and vegetables, chicken stir-fry with vegetables and steamed rice, a turkey sandwich with pretzels and fruit, or even breakfast-for-dinner all provide appropriate precompetition fuel.

In the 1 to 3 hours before an event, opt for easily digested carbohydrates. Oatmeal with fruit, crackers with peanut butter and banana, or a simple turkey sandwich can provide steady energy. If a child needs a quick top-off 15 to 30 minutes before play, small portions of pretzels or animal crackers, applesauce pouches, mini bagels with jelly, or a granola bar can help boost blood glucose and energy availability.

Encourage families to test these strategies during practices—not on game day. Trying new foods or timing combinations for the first time before a competition can lead to unexpected gastrointestinal distress. Help parents understand that what works for one child may not work for another, and that dialing in a nutrition routine takes a bit of trial and error.

Hydration basics

Hydration is not just about chugging water before warm-up. Children should be drinking fluids consistently throughout the day. Roughly 4 hours before activity, athletes should aim for 5 to 7 mm of fluid per kilogram of body weight.² Hydrating foods, such as watermelon, strawberries, oranges, and cucumbers, can also contribute meaningfully to daily fluid intake. Instruct children to check their urine, which should resemble light-colored lemonade, a sign of adequate hydration.

Midgame fueling and fluid replacement

For training sessions or games that last more than an hour, athletes may need additional energy mid-activity.³ Quick carbohydrates such as sports drinks, juice boxes, bananas, or fruit chews can provide a needed boost. The goal is to replenish glycogen and maintain focus and energy.

Hydration needs vary by age, activity, sweat levels, and environment. A general rule of thumb: drink 6 to 12 oz of fluid every 15 to 20 minutes.² One large gulp typically equals about an ounce. In hot and humid weather, or when children have multiple events in a single day, electrolyte replacement may be needed. Some athletes benefit from weighing themselves before and after activity to estimate fluid loss and guide rehydration.

Postgame recovery

After activity, the goal is to restore fluids, replenish glycogen, and repair muscle. Encourage families to offer their child a meal or snack within 30 to 60 minutes of finishing the game.³ Balanced options might include a turkey wrap with fruit, pasta with meat sauce, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, or a smoothie with milk, banana, and nut butter. Chocolate milk remains a popular recovery drink for good reason—it delivers a near-ideal ratio of carbohydrates to protein, plus fluids and electrolytes, in a familiar and portable format. To rehydrate fully, athletes should aim for 16 to 24 oz of fluid in the 2 hours after competition.²

What about creatine?

As children get more involved in competitive sports, questions about supplements, especially creatine, often arise. Although many products include warnings against its use in individuals under 18 years, these are legal disclaimers, not evidence-based restrictions.⁴

That said, supplements should never be a shortcut for poor nutrition. Before even considering creatine, young athletes should be focusing on the fundamentals: eating enough total calories, meeting protein and carbohydrate needs, staying hydrated, and recovering properly between workouts. Once those foundations are in place, creatine supplementation may be an acceptable nutritional strategy if the athlete is involved in serious, supervised training; follows a well-balanced, performance-enhancing diet; understands the purpose and use of creatine; and does not exceed the recommended dose of 3 to 5 g per day.⁴

Final thoughts

When it comes to young athletes, thoughtful nutrition advice can make a meaningful difference. A few targeted, practical recommendations—what to eat the night before a game, how much to drink during practice, or which snacks to enjoy between events—can go a long way in helping young athletes feel and perform at their best. For families seeking a more individualized approach, consider referring them to a registered dietitian who specializes in sports nutrition and can tailor fueling strategies to match the athlete’s unique needs, training load, and goals.

References
1. Thomas DT, Erdman KA, Burke LM. American College of Sports Medicine joint position statement. Nutrition and Athletic Performance. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(3):543-568. doi:10.1249/MSS.0000000000000852
2. American College of Sports Medicine; Sawka MN, Burke LM, Eichner ER, Maughan RJ, Montain SJ, Stachenfeld NS. American College of Sports Medicine position stand: exercise and fluid replacement. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2007;39(2):377-390. doi:10.1249/mss.0b013e31802ca597
3. Kerksick CM, Arent S, Schoenfeld BJ, et al. International society of sports nutrition position stand: nutrient timing. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:33. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0189-4
4. Kreider RB, Kalman DS, Antonio J, et al. International Society of Sports Nutrition position stand: safety and efficacy of creatine supplementation in exercise, sport, and medicine. J Int Soc Sports Nutr. 2017;14:18. doi:10.1186/s12970-017-0173-z
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August 13, 2025
Milltek launches Lamborghini Urus exhaust
Milltek Sport’s mission was to “restore the drama and character” enthusiasts expect from a Lamborghini, while retaining full compatibility with the super SUV’s 4.0-litre twin-turbo v8 factory drive modes and emissions compliance.

Milltek’s new Urus SE system is a downpipe-back configuration, designed to integrate seamlessly with the vehicle’s OE valve control system. This ensures that in the Urus’s Strada, Sport, Corsa, Sabbia, Terra and Neve driving modes, the exhaust note and performance are perfectly matched to the driver’s chosen setting.
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August 13, 2025
Higher maternal vitamin D levels in early pregnancy linked to improved child cognition
Higher maternal vitamin D levels in early pregnancy linked to improved child cognition | Image Credit: © bit24 – stock.adobe.com.

Higher vitamin D concentrations during pregnancy may be associated with improved cognitive performance in children, according to a study from the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Cohort published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.^1,2

The investigation included 912 mother–child pairs from 5 ECHO cohort sites across the United States. Maternal 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations were measured from blood samples collected between 4 and 42 weeks’ gestation, with a median collection time of 23 weeks. Cognitive outcomes were assessed when children were aged 7 to 12 years using the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery, which evaluates composite scores for fluid cognition (problem-solving and novel information processing), crystallized cognition (knowledge-based skills such as vocabulary), and overall cognition.

Results showed that each 10-ng/mL increase in gestational 25(OH)D was associated with a 1.11-point higher overall cognition score (95% CI, 0.08–2.14) and a 1.21-point higher fluid cognition score (95% CI, 0.07–2.34) after full adjustment for potential confounders. No statistically significant association was observed for crystallized cognition.

Although the relationship between vitamin D status and cognition did not differ significantly by race, the associations appeared stronger in children of Black mothers. For these children, a 10-ng/mL higher 25(OH)D level was linked to a 2.99-point higher fluid cognition score (95% CI, 0.82–5.16), compared with a 0.43-point increase (95% CI, −0.93 to 1.78) in children of non-Black mothers.

The analysis also suggested that vitamin D levels earlier in pregnancy might be most important for neurodevelopment. In exposure pattern modeling, the largest divergence in 25(OH)D concentrations between children with higher and lower cognitive scores was observed in early gestation.

“Our study provides important new evidence that early pregnancy may be a critical period when vitamin D has the greatest potential to support cognitive development,” said Melissa M. Melough, PhD, RD, of the University of Delaware, Newark. “This highlights a key opportunity for clinicians to enhance screening and support for vitamin D supplementation before and during pregnancy.”

Vitamin D deficiency was common in the study population, affecting approximately 38% of participants. The prevalence was higher among Black mothers (56.9%) compared with White mothers (31.0%). Deficiency was also more common among participants with lower maternal education levels, prepregnancy obesity, and prenatal nicotine use.

The authors noted that vitamin D plays an important role in brain development through its actions on neuronal and glial cells, regulation of neurotrophic factors, and modulation of neurotransmitter synthesis. Experimental evidence from animal models suggests that deficiency during gestation can alter brain morphology and disrupt neuronal differentiation.

While previous studies have linked prenatal vitamin D status to early childhood cognitive outcomes, evidence for sustained effects into later childhood has been inconsistent. The present study extends the follow-up period to school-age years and includes a racially and socioeconomically diverse cohort, addressing limitations of earlier research.

The researchers emphasized that the findings should not be interpreted as establishing causality and that further studies, including randomized controlled trials, are needed to determine optimal vitamin D intake and timing during pregnancy for cognitive benefits. They also noted that postnatal factors, such as educational environment and family resources, may influence crystallized cognition and could explain the lack of association with that domain.

Given the high prevalence of vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy, particularly among groups at increased risk, the authors suggest that public health strategies promoting adequate vitamin D intake before and during pregnancy could have population-level benefits for child neurodevelopment. “Promoting vitamin D adequacy beginning in early pregnancy may enhance cognitive development in children,” the authors concluded.

References:
1. Melough MM, McGrath M, Palmore M, et al. Gestational vitamin D concentration and child cognitive development: a longitudinal cohort study in the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes Program. Am J Clin Nutr. 2025;122(2):571-581. doi:10.1016/j.ajcnut.2025.06.017
2. Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes. Vitamin D during pregnancy may play a role in children’s cognitive development, ECHO study suggests. eurekalert. August 6, 2025. Accessed August 12, 2025. https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1093864
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August 13, 2025
Samsung TV Plus Gets a Bold Makeover with an Intelligent, Personalized Experience
TV & Home Theaters

Debuting AI-Powered Personalization, Immersive Browsing, Smarter Discovery and more!

8/13/2025
Today, August 13, 2025, Samsung TV Plus, a leading FAST (Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV) service with the #1 linear offering, unveiled a transformative upgrade and the reimagination of how viewers discover and enjoy content. With a sleek new interface, smarter navigation, and AI-driven personalization, Samsung TV Plus is setting a new benchmark in intuitive, effortless entertainment.

This upgraded experience introduces a fully personalized home screen and an immersive browsing experience built around what today’s viewers crave: less scrolling, more discovery. And, it reaffirms Samsung’s leadership in streaming innovation and its commitment to delivering premium TV.

“With AI at the core and a bold new look, this is our smartest and most visually stunning update yet.” said Salek Brodsky, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Samsung TV Plus. “With these innovations, we not only bring a highly intuitive and personalized experience to FAST, but also bring the true depth and breadth of our high quality programming to life.”

Key Features:
- Immersive Browsing Experience: A bold new design and interface simplifies navigation, with rich metadata and high-quality imagery providing clearer context and greater confidence in what to watch.
- Personalized Home Screen: The all-new home screen adapts to your preferences, learning from your viewing and engagement habits to bring the most relevant channels, shows, and genres to the forefront.
- Enhanced Discovery Engine: A turbocharged, machine learning-powered engine that understands your tastes and delivers curated suggestions and top hits, no digging required ¹.
- Linear-to-VOD Integration: Seamlessly move between linear programming and on-demand to watch your way for the ultimate flexibility.
- Live Events Spotlight: Improved discovery for live content like sports, concerts, and breaking news, so viewers never miss a moment.
As one of the most transformative user experience enhancements to date, the new Samsung TV Plus sets a bold new standard for FAST platforms and further strengthens Samsung’s leadership in connected home entertainment. Additional press images HERE. For more information on Samsung TV Plus, please visit samsungtvplus.com.
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August 13, 2025
Kim Jongkyu, in sixth Asia Cup, embraces ‘big bro’ role for Korea

JEDDAH (Saudi Arabia) – Only a few have had enough longevity to play in more than five editions of the FIBA Asia Cup and Kim Jongkyu has entered rarified air now that he’s seeing action in the 2025 festivities.

The revered Team Korea veteran is now in his sixth appearance in FIBA’s flagship event for men’s national teams in the continent, and making it all the more impressive is the fact that he’s done it in successive fashion.

Now the oldest in this youth-laden team at 34, he’s been competing in this event since 2011 in Wuhan, China as part of a squad that took home bronze after downing the Philippines in a thrilling Third-Place Game.

“Definitely not,” admitted Kim, who’s been playing professionally since 2013, when asked if he ever imagined competing in the tournament as many times as he’s done. “But I just tried to do my best every moment.”

He was still a wide-eyed 20-year-old during his first Asia Cup experience, learning the ropes from the program’s big names such as Taejong Moon (Cameron Stevenson), Oh Se-keun, and Ha Seung-jin, to name a few.

“

I desperately want to go to the Final in Saudi Arabia.

Kim Jongkyu, Korea

But as his national team career progressed, he’s grown from the one being mentored to becoming a mentor himself, most especially now that Team Korea are in the midst of a shift with the future in mind.

Kim has embraced that role of being an all-knowing sage to the young ones.

“Team Korea is now in a generational transition,” he said.

“Our players are still young, but disciplined and with good talent. I am confident that they will be the best in Asia. I am now sharing all my experiences and memories I got from my first moment as a national team player,” he added.

His numbers may not be that gaudy, but the 2.07 M (6’9″) remains a valuable asset to the men’s team not only because of the presence he brings up front but due to his vast experience in the international arena.

That has been evident in the ongoing 2025 Asia Cup, serving as an anchor specifically on defense. And the intangibles he’s been providing has enabled the Koreans to reach the Quarter-Finals again.

Kim and the team accomplished as much following a 99-66 dismantling of Guam in the Qualification to Quarter-Finals, where he made his presence felt with 7 points, 3 rebounds, and a pair of blocked shots.

It has also given him a chance to atone for their disappointing showing in the 2022 games in Jakarta, where they finished at sixth after bowing to eventual bronze medalists New Zealand in the Quarter-Finals, 88-78.

Kim averaged 9.3 PPG in the FIBA Asia Cup 2022.

Making it even tougher for the team to accept was the fact that they bowed to the same team which they actually beat for the same medal during the 2017 festivities in Beirut, Lebanon by way of an 80-71 result.

That win, though, gave Kim his third Asia Cup bronze, becoming one of Korean hoops’ more bemedaled figures as his collection also features other titles from various global meets, including a 2014 Asian Games gold.

No doubt that he has written a career any other basketball player could only dream of, but he wants more. And he wants to get it in this year’s Asia Cup as he aspires to make it all the way to the Last Dance.

“As I have said, Team Korea is very young at the moment, but we have the best chemistry and capability. I desperately want to go to the Final in Saudi Arabia,” said the Seongnam-born bruiser.

That would be interesting to see if Kim can live the dream.

FIBA

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August 13, 2025
Integrity on the Water: World Rowing U19 Championships Lead by Example

Last week Trakai, Lithuania hosted the World Rowing Under 19 Championships, bringing together some of the most promising young athletes in the sport. Alongside the racing, the International Testing Agency (ITA), in partnership with the International Olympic Committee Olympic Movement Unit on the Prevention of the Manipulation of Competitions (PMC), hosted an integrity booth on site. It was part of World Rowing’s continued efforts to support clean and fair competition.

Throughout the event, young rowers stopped by the booth to speak with Anita Hartung, ITA Educator, who walked them through key clean sport topics, such as: the 11 Anti-Doping Rule Violations (ADRVs), how to check medications, how to apply for a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE), and what to expect during the Doping Control Process. The conversations were informal but informative focused on helping athletes feel confident and prepared.

Laura Valle, from the IOC’s PMC Unit, shared her expertise on the risks of competition manipulation. She spoke directly with athletes about what manipulation can look like, why it poses a serious threat to sport, and what steps they can take to protect themselves and their sport.

The booth drew steady interest throughout the 2 days. Athletes were curious, asked great questions, and left with a stronger understanding of the responsibilities that come with competing at a high level.

The races themselves were intense and exciting, with Trakai’s beautiful lakeside setting adding to the atmosphere. But beyond the medals and finishes, it was great to see the rowing community come together to promote integrity and fair play – values that matter just as much as performance.

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August 13, 2025
18 Year Study Reveals Truth of Where Giant Rogue Waves Come From : ScienceAlert

Rogue waves have captivated the attention of both seafarers and scientists for decades. These are giant, isolated waves that appear suddenly in the open ocean.

These puzzling giants are brief, typically lasting less than a minute before disappearing. They can reach heights of 65 feet (20 meters) or greater and often more than twice the height of surrounding waves. Once a nautical myth, rogue waves have now been observed around the world. Because they’re so tall and powerful, they can pose a danger to ships and offshore structures.

To rethink what rogue waves are and what causes them, I gathered an international team of researchers. Our study, published in Nature Scientific Reports, sheds light on these oceanic giants using the most comprehensive dataset of its kind.

Related: Giant Wave in Pacific Ocean Was The Most Extreme ‘Rogue Wave’ Ever Recorded

By analyzing 18 years of high-frequency laser measurements from the Ekofisk oil platform in the central North Sea, we reached the surprising conclusion that rogue waves aren’t just freak occurrences. They arise under the natural laws of the sea. They are not mysterious, but somewhat simple.

27,500 sea states

We analyzed nearly 27,500 half-hour wave records, or sea states, collected between 2003 and 2020 in the central North Sea. These records, taken every 30 minutes, describe how elevated the sea surface was compared to the average sea level. They include major storms, such as the Andrea wave event in 2007.

A complex of platforms on the Ekofisk oil field in the North Sea. (BoH/Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA)

Under normal conditions, waves arise from wind blowing over the sea surface. It’s like when you blow over your cup of coffee and form small ripples on the surface. At sea, with enough time and space, those ripples can turn into large waves.

We focused on understanding what causes waves to suddenly go rogue and rise far above their neighboring waves. One proposed theory is based on modulational instability, a phenomenon described by complex mathematical models. I’ve revised these models in the past, as my work suggests that this theory doesn’t fully explain what causes rogue waves in the open ocean.

Sea states record the height of waves and show when some waves rise high above sea level. (US Government Accountability Office)

When waves are trapped within a narrow channel, the modulational instability theory describes their rippling movement well. However, it starts to fall apart when you look at the real ocean. In open environments such as the North Sea, waves are free to propagate from multiple directions.

To understand the difference, imagine a crowd of spectators leaving a stadium after a football game. If the exit is a long, narrow hallway with tall walls, people are forced to move in a single direction. Those at the back push forward, and some may even climb over others, piling up between the confining walls. This catastrophic pileup would resemble a rogue wave, caused by their confinement.

In contrast, if the stadium’s exit opens onto a wide field, spectators can disperse freely in all directions. They don’t push on each other, and they avoid pileups.

Similarly, researchers can generate rogue waves in a confined channel in the lab, where they obey modulational instability. But without the confinement of a channel, rogue waves usually won’t follow those physics or form the same way in the open sea.

Our team knew we had to study the open sea directly to figure out what was really going on. The real-world data my team examined from the North Sea doesn’t line up with modulational instability – it tells a different story.

It’s just a bad day at sea

We analyzed the sea state records using statistical techniques to uncover patterns behind these rare events. Our findings show that instead of modulational instability, the extreme waves observed more likely formed through a process called constructive interference.

Constructive interference happens when two or more waves line up and combine into one big wave. This effect is amplified by the natural asymmetry of sea waves – their crests are typically sharper and steeper than their flatter troughs.

Rogue waves form when lots of smaller waves line up and their steeper crests begin to stack, building up into a single, massive wave that briefly rises far above its surroundings. All it takes for a peaceful boat ride to turn into a bad day at sea is a moment when many ordinary waves converge and stack.

These rogue waves rise and fall in less than a minute, following what’s called a quasi-deterministic pattern in space and time. This type of pattern is recognizable and repeatable, but with touches of randomness.

In an idealized ocean, that randomness would almost vanish, allowing rogue waves to grow to nearly infinite heights. But it would also take an eternity to witness one of these waves, since so many would have to line up perfectly. Like waiting for Fortuna, the goddess of chance, to roll a trillion dice and have nearly all of them land on the same number.

In the real ocean, nature limits how large a rogue wave can grow thanks to wave breaking. As the wave rises in height and energy, it can’t hold itself beyond a certain point of no return. The tip of the wave spills over and breaks into foam, or whitecap, releasing the excess energy.

The quasi-deterministic pattern behind rogue waves

Rogue waves aren’t limited to the sea. Constructive interference can happen to many types of waves. A general theory called the quasi-determinism of waves, developed by oceanographer Paolo Boccotti, explains how rogue waves form, both in the ocean and in other wave systems.

For example, for turbulent water flowing through a confined channel, a rogue wave manifests in the form of an intense, short-lived spike in vortices – patterns of spinning swirls in the water that momentarily grow larger as they move downstream.

While ocean waves seem unpredictable, Boccotti’s theory shows that extreme waves are not completely random. When a really big wave forms, the waves in the sea around it follow a recognizable pattern formed through constructive interference.

We applied Boccotti’s theory to identify and characterize these patterns in the measured North Sea wave records.

The giant waves observed in these records carry a kind of signature or fingerprint, in the form of a wave group, which can reveal how the rogue wave came to life. Think of a wave group like a small package of waves moving together. They rise, peak and then fade away through constructive interference. Tracking these wave groups allows researchers to understand the bigger picture of a rogue event as it unfolds.

As one example, a powerful storm hit the North Sea on Nov. 24, 2023. A camera at the Ekofisk platform captured a massive 55 foot (17 meter) rogue wave. I applied the theory of quasi-determinism and an AI model to investigate the origin of this extreme wave.

My analysis revealed that the rogue event followed these theories – quasi-determinism and constructive interference – and came from multiple smaller waves repeatedly stacking together.

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Left: Stereo video footage of a powerful storm in the North Sea on Nov. 24, 2023, recorded at the Ekofisk platform.
Right: The wave group signature of the recorded rogue wave.

Recognizing how rogue waves form can help engineers and designers build safer ships and offshore platforms – and better predict risks.

Francesco Fedele, Associate Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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August 13, 2025