Latest news with #Strand
Time of India
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
4 New Gameplay Mechanics in Death Stranding 2 You Need to Know
Image via Kojima Productions Death Stranding 2: On the Beach will not only be a sequel but also a daring development of the Kojima Productions vision. Where the first title initiated arguments over the label of a walking simulator, the second project incorporates a large number of new game mechanics that look into expanding action and immersion. These are the new features worth keeping an eye on, whether you were a returning porter or new to the Strand universe. 1)Wide Spectrum of combat and hacking systems 8 Things You Need To Know About Death Stranding 2: On The Beach - Hands On Preview, New Gameplay Combat and stealth are one of the greatest changes that are refined. In Death Stranding 2, we can finally determine our own strategy of handling the situations, whether it is full-blown combat, a technical way of handling the situation, or avoiding it altogether. They added a skill tree system where the players enhance the abilities of Sam in a combat-oriented ability tree, a stealth-oriented ability tree, and a delivery-oriented one. This brings a lot of flavor of progression and play style choices, as the first game did not. 2)Traversal improvements: monorails, etc. The process of traveling across the post-apocalyptic world has been refurbished significantly. Monorail construction is now also available as a means of transport to connect important outposts, significantly increasing transport efficiency and safety. Throw in some new vehicles and better weather forecast systems and sturdier gear, and long hauls are no longer so tedious and much more methodical. This is also part of the community-building feature; players can share and take advantage of each other's infrastructure. 3)Dynamic environments and world events The context of Death Stranding 2 is much more responsive than it used to be. Variations in weather, rainfall patterns, and terrain degradation are all dynamic factors that impact your routes and your plans. The game has introduced new environmental dangers, such as quicksand-like grounds or shaky cliffs, that add tension to the game and require the player to improvise. This is an added degree of realism and is harder to explore. 4)Companion features and equipment It is not a solo thing. Death Stranding 2 brings about the companion system that uses AI and more sophisticated gear management. To cut example, your helper robot (who has been briefly presented in the trailers) can help you both in fights and during transportation. It also has a more customizable loadout system, where it can set a deeper customization system depending on the type of missions being executed: combat, delivery, or stealth. With intensified travel, the dynamic way of interacting with the world, powerful tools of combat/stealth, and advancement systems, Death Stranding 2 is making substantial steps toward integrating the scope of the story with more interesting game depth. Such mechanics demonstrate the desire of Hideo Kojima to cross the line in storytelling, as well as in our ways of playing and relating. This sequel does want to make every step count, whether you are spending time walking, fighting, or even building bridges (the literal kind).
Yahoo
04-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
As Boise area grapples with change, more homes get OK for busy transit corridor
There's no simple solution to the problems prompted by an ever-growing Treasure Valley. Increasing traffic, concerns over water rights or loss of agricultural land often dominate city council or planning-and-zoning commission discussions across Southwest Idaho. It was no different Monday, when the Nampa City Council grappled with and narrowly approved a nearly 1,500-home development on the northeastern edge of the city. Nampa Mayor Debbie Kling broke a tie when the City Council voted 4-3 to approve the development from San Diego-based Murphy Development Co. The development pays tribute to the region's farming history, though she — and other members of the council — struggled with ever-shrinking farmland. Kling said she didn't want to see the 78 acres of farmland at 17672 N. Can Ada Road, along the busy Ustick Road corridor, disappear or the area to keep growing. She said watching farmland be razed can put a pit in her stomach. But she said growth was inevitable, and Murphy had a right to develop the land. 'This is a good plan, it's a good development,' Kling said. 'When it's built out, I think that we're going to be really proud of it in our community.' The area has long been planned for development. The site is wedged between two Nampa special planning areas and Meridian's Fields District Plan Area, and is just over 1½ miles west of the under-construction Highway 16. In its place on the southeast corner of the Can Ada and Ustick intersection, Murphy Development would build 32 three-story and 17 four-story apartment buildings, several clubhouses, 10,000 square feet of market and retail space, an event area and children's play space. The amenity areas would fill pockets of open spaces between the building clusters, according to Renée Strand, the owner, principal and managing director of Holst Architecture in Portland. Most notably, the development would be centered around a 3-acre farm that could include U-pick flowers, seasonal crops and curated events, according to Strand. This could include pumpkins, hot cider or a Christmas tree lot, Strand said during a public hearing on the project in March. 'The heart of this neighborhood is really this 3-acre farm area,' she said at Monday's council meeting. The team, she said, is also trying to figure out how the farm could function in the off-season with cover crops to make it a year-round attraction. Plans call for a perimeter walking-and-biking trail that loops into a network of pedestrian paths. It would also include a tree orchard between the Ustick and the main entrance of the subdivision. The estimated $36 million development would likely take about 10 years to finish, according to Mike Arduino, a partner at Murphy Development. The plan sailed through the city's Planning and Zoning Commission in March with glowing support and no public testimony in opposition. But the City Council struggled. According to a March staff report, the development could add nearly 3,000 residents to the area — a behemoth amount for an area that a few decades ago was far from the heart of Nampa. That prospect discouraged several nearby neighbors, who spoke against the plans Monday. Neils Tidwell, who lives next to the development, said at least half of the property was a part of his family farm for over 80 years. Tidwell said he's watched the landscape change, and that nothing he could say could stop it. 'This is all going to turn into residential,' he said. 'Everything around us. It's already happening, and it's heartbreaking to me.' Katie Hassard, a nearby resident who has lived on a farm that's been in her family for around 50 years, said homes are filling the land around her and causing more congestion. She said though the Murphy Development project 'looks beautiful' with the 3-acre farm, she couldn't imagine the impact it would have on the area. 'They are paying homage to the culture of farming while wiping it out,' she said. 'Please remember us — that we are also important members of a good and healthy community that started here and want to continue here.' Kling, before her tie-breaking vote, said that the area has long been in the sights of development with Highway 16 coming through and a planned expansion of the Ustick Road corridor. 'When you punch the new road in, growth is going to come,' she said. Most of the concerns from City Council members who voted no were in line with residents' comments that the development was too dense and took away farmland, and that the city wasn't ready for the growth barreling toward it. 'The analogy 'if we're not growing, we're dying' is a hard one for me to stomach,' said Council Member Sebastian Griffin, who was undecided going into the vote but ultimately voted against it. 'If we're not growing, we're dying or we cut what we have and try to maintain for the interim until we can be better prepared for the amount of growth that we're going to have.' Council Member Victor Rodriguez, who voted no in part because of disappearing farmland and strained emergency services, put it bluntly: 'I cannot approve this based on the density.' Council Member Dale Reynolds, who voted yes, said that building up with higher density, rather than out, is exactly how the city could best preserve farmland. Plus, he said, the development will add to the city's tax base, helping to provide services. 'Going four stories to me is smart, because we save our farm ground by doing that,' Reynolds said. 'The people are coming here whether we want them to come here or not… This is smart growth.' Harris Ranch could soon add businesses, shopping & food carts. What's the plan? A historic Boise home could be demolished over safety concerns. What happened? For a snapshot of changing Treasure Valley, visit this Boise-area city Want to buy a unique Idaho property? You could shoot your shot with a gun range
Business Wire
28-05-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Strand Therapeutics Announces Initial First-in-human Phase 1 Data for STX-001 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors at The 2025 ASCO Annual Meeting
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Strand Therapeutics, a leader in next-generation mRNA-based therapeutics, today announced exciting preliminary Phase 1 clinical data for its lead investigational candidate, STX-001, in patients with advanced solid tumors. The study marks the first clinical evidence of Strand's proprietary programmable mRNA technology platform and represents a major milestone in the company's mission to bring next-generation mRNA therapies to patients with cancer. 'This is a transformative moment for Strand and for the field of synthetic mRNA therapeutics,' said Jake Becraft, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Strand Therapeutics. 'The Phase 1 data for STX-001 provide early clinical validation of our platform." Share In the ongoing first-in-human Phase 1, open-label, dose-escalation clinical trial, STX-001 demonstrated a favorable safety profile and encouraging signs of anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy in patients with immune checkpoint inhibitor-refractory solid tumors, including melanoma and other solid tumor indications. As of the April 3rd, 2025 data cutoff, the trial had enrolled 22 patients across multiple sites in the United States and Australia. All patients were treated with STX-001 as a monotherapy (without combination with immune checkpoint inhibitors, etc.) with injections to surface accessible lesions. The data will be presented at The 2025 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting in Chicago on June 1 by Sarina Piha-Paul, M.D., professor of Investigational Cancer Therapeutics at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. 'This investigational therapy has the potential to address an important unmet need in patients with checkpoint inhibitor-refractory advanced cancers,' said Dr. Piha-Paul. 'We're observing systemic immune activation and antitumor responses, including in non-injected lesions, across multiple tumor types, which is encouraging and supports continued evaluation.' Key highlights from the Phase 1 trial include: Preliminary Clinical Activity: Multiple RECIST responses were observed, including a confirmed complete response and multiple partial responses. Furthermore, there were multiple cases of prolonged disease stabilization. Safety and Tolerability: STX-001 was well-tolerated up to 300 µg. Treatment-related adverse events were consistent with STX-001's intended mechanism of action of immune activation. Pharmacodynamic Activity: Biomarker analysis confirmed dose-dependent increase in plasma IL-12 and IFN-γ, as well as infiltration of immune cells within the tumor microenvironment. 'This is a transformative moment for Strand and for the field of synthetic mRNA therapeutics,' said Jake Becraft, PhD, CEO and Co-founder of Strand Therapeutics. 'The Phase 1 data for STX-001 provide early clinical validation of our platform's ability to deliver programmable, tumor-localized immunotherapy safely and effectively. Our mRNA medicines as a therapeutic modality offer the potential capability to broaden pathways to treatment for patients while seamlessly integrating into the existing healthcare ecosystem.' STX-001 encodes IL-12, an immunomodulatory protein, which the company has designed such that it can reprogram the tumor microenvironment and stimulate a systemic anti-tumor immune response. Unlike traditional mRNA therapies, Strand's approach uses self-replicating mRNA, ensuring localized and durable therapeutic activity. The company is currently conducting dose expansion in the Phase 1 trial. Upon completion, the company plans to transition into a Phase 2 trial of STX-001 as a monotherapy. The company also plans to initiate dose escalation of STX-001 in combination with checkpoint inhibitors and expand into additional solid tumor indications. In addition, Strand is advancing a broader pipeline powered by the company's first-in-class cell-type specific mRNA engineering platform, including advancing STX-003, an intravenously administered version of STX-001, to patients in 2026. ASCO Poster Presentation Information: Abstract Title: Phase I dose escalation trial of STX-001, an LNP-encapsulated self-replicating mRNA expressing IL-12, in patients (pts) with advanced solid tumors. Session Type: Poster Date and Time: June 1, 9:00 AM-12:00 PM CDT Abstract Number: 9556 Location: Hall A Full abstract is available on the ASCO Annual Meeting Website. The study, an open-label, dose escalation trial, evaluated the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and preliminary antitumor activity of STX-001 in patients with advanced solid tumors. STX-001 was well-tolerated up to 300 µg, with dose-dependent and manageable treatment-related adverse events. Promising early clinical activity was observed, including multiple RECIST responses and durable disease stabilization. Findings support the further development of STX-001 as a monotherapy and in combination with checkpoint inhibitors for the treatment of solid tumors. Additional Commentary Professor Georgina Long AO, BSc, PhD, MBBS, FRACP, FAHMS, AAHMS, FAA, Medical Director of Melanoma Institute Australia (MIA), and Chair of Melanoma Medical Oncology and Translational Research at MIA and Royal North Shore Hospital, The University of Sydney: 'I am encouraged by this early data. While intratumoral therapies offer a promising approach by initiating immune activation at the injected tumor site, they have historically struggled to generate robust systemic responses. STX-001 may represent a meaningful step forward, with early clinical evidence showing cases of regression of non-injected lesions, a sign of systemic immune engagement.' Tasuku Kitada, PhD, Co-Founder, President, and Head of R&D at Strand Therapeutics: 'Patients who are refractory to immune checkpoint inhibitors urgently need new treatment options. While IL-12 has long been recognized as a powerful immune stimulator, its clinical potential has been limited by toxicity, and to date, no IL-12–based therapies have been approved by the FDA. STX-001 is designed to overcome these challenges, delivering localized IL-12 expression to activate the tumor microenvironment and drive systemic immune responses, all while seeking to minimize toxicities. These early data suggest we may finally be able to realize the promise of IL-12 in cancer therapy.' About STX-001 STX-001 is an investigational multi-mechanistic, synthetic self-replicating mRNA technology that expresses an IL-12 cytokine for an extended period of time, directly injected into the tumor microenvironment in order to promote immune modulation and antitumor activity. The company received IND clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in December 2023 to initiate a Phase 1/2 clinical trial for STX-001, and announced its first patient dosed just before the 2024 ASCO Annual Meeting. Additional study details can be found at using identifier: NCT06249048. About Strand Therapeutics Strand Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing programmable mRNA therapeutics to transform the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. Founded by synthetic biology pioneers from MIT, Strand's proprietary platform integrates synthetic gene circuits with mRNA delivery to enable targeted, controlled, and intelligent therapies. The company is based in Boston, Massachusetts. For more information, visit Follow us on LinkedIn and on X at @StrandTx.
North Wales Chronicle
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- North Wales Chronicle
Historic Belfast picturehouse going back to the future in £6.5 million revamp
The Strand, which is also Belfast's only operational art-deco picturehouse, has released a first look at its £6.5 million face lift, with new CGIs that reveal a return to original art deco features with a contemporary twist. The attraction in east Belfast is set to reopen in summer 2026 following the work supported by Belfast City Council and a £1.8 million commitment from the Belfast Investment Fund. It originally opened on December 7 1935 and survived the bombing blitzes of the Second World War and changing entertainment tastes in the intervening decades while scores of picturehouses and cinemas closed. The images show the restoration of architectural features that were lost over the decades. For the first time, the Strand's name will stand atop its roof, using the original font that previously graced the side of the picturehouse in 1935, while the building's front facade will be restored with hand-glazed, blue-green terracotta tiles in the same material and style used when the doors first opened 90 years ago. Meanwhile the canopy that spanned the front of the building has been removed, restoring the original 1935 profile of the Strand and allowing south-facing sun to fill a new cafe bar space, creating a bright and welcoming hub at the heart of the venue. The ground floor will feature a Crittall-look window, echoing the original curved glass shopfront on the street corner. Bike stands outside will support active travel, while level access and a new lift will make the building fully accessible for the first time, widening the venue's ability to cater for a diverse range of audiences. Strand chief executive Mimi Turtle said it is a celebration of the building's heritage. 'We are thrilled to be sharing these highly-anticipated CGIs, which give people a taste of what the new and improved Strand will look like when we reopen our doors next summer,' she said. 'It was essential to us that the building's heritage was both protected and celebrated, while implementing vital enhancements and features that will strengthen the Strand's offering for future generations to come. 'Over the coming months, our team will continue to support the wider community and keep everyone connected to our treasured venue. 'We've been hosting our popular silver-screenings in Belmont Bowling Club, and we're looking forward to sharing further updates on both the restoration progress, and community activities being held across different locations.' Alongside the support of Belfast City Council, additional funding has been secured from Levelling Up Funding UK, Belfast City Council's Belfast Investment Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston, Foyle Foundation, Ulster Garden Villages, and a number of private trusts and the support of the Strand's patrons. Meanwhile in the lead up to the Strand's summer 2026 reopening, the venue's fundraising initiative, Name a Seat campaign is calling out for both corporates and individuals to take part and purchase its last remaining plaques that will be placed in its new screen rooms. To find out more about the campaign, or further information about the Strand, visit or connect with @StrandBelfast on Facebook and @ on Instagram.
South Wales Guardian
27-05-2025
- Entertainment
- South Wales Guardian
Historic Belfast picturehouse going back to the future in £6.5 million revamp
The Strand, which is also Belfast's only operational art-deco picturehouse, has released a first look at its £6.5 million face lift, with new CGIs that reveal a return to original art deco features with a contemporary twist. The attraction in east Belfast is set to reopen in summer 2026 following the work supported by Belfast City Council and a £1.8 million commitment from the Belfast Investment Fund. It originally opened on December 7 1935 and survived the bombing blitzes of the Second World War and changing entertainment tastes in the intervening decades while scores of picturehouses and cinemas closed. The images show the restoration of architectural features that were lost over the decades. For the first time, the Strand's name will stand atop its roof, using the original font that previously graced the side of the picturehouse in 1935, while the building's front facade will be restored with hand-glazed, blue-green terracotta tiles in the same material and style used when the doors first opened 90 years ago. Meanwhile the canopy that spanned the front of the building has been removed, restoring the original 1935 profile of the Strand and allowing south-facing sun to fill a new cafe bar space, creating a bright and welcoming hub at the heart of the venue. The ground floor will feature a Crittall-look window, echoing the original curved glass shopfront on the street corner. Bike stands outside will support active travel, while level access and a new lift will make the building fully accessible for the first time, widening the venue's ability to cater for a diverse range of audiences. Strand chief executive Mimi Turtle said it is a celebration of the building's heritage. 'We are thrilled to be sharing these highly-anticipated CGIs, which give people a taste of what the new and improved Strand will look like when we reopen our doors next summer,' she said. 'It was essential to us that the building's heritage was both protected and celebrated, while implementing vital enhancements and features that will strengthen the Strand's offering for future generations to come. 'Over the coming months, our team will continue to support the wider community and keep everyone connected to our treasured venue. 'We've been hosting our popular silver-screenings in Belmont Bowling Club, and we're looking forward to sharing further updates on both the restoration progress, and community activities being held across different locations.' Alongside the support of Belfast City Council, additional funding has been secured from Levelling Up Funding UK, Belfast City Council's Belfast Investment Fund, National Lottery Heritage Fund, Garfield Weston, Foyle Foundation, Ulster Garden Villages, and a number of private trusts and the support of the Strand's patrons. Meanwhile in the lead up to the Strand's summer 2026 reopening, the venue's fundraising initiative, Name a Seat campaign is calling out for both corporates and individuals to take part and purchase its last remaining plaques that will be placed in its new screen rooms. To find out more about the campaign, or further information about the Strand, visit or connect with @StrandBelfast on Facebook and @ on Instagram.
