After half a century of neglect and disinvestment, pub lic, private, and nonprofit developers are beginning to realize the potential of inner city retail. Accordingly, there have been tremendous redevelopment efforts in low income inner city neighborhoods over the last 15 years. While this development physically revitalizes commercial strips, it sometimes contributes to gentrification, driving out long-time neighborhood residents. However, redevelopment is not synonymous with displacement and when revitalization efforts seek to address community needs and concerns, neighborhoods and their residents benefit from positive change. / text

published_or_final_version / Applied Geosciences / Master / Master of Science

The goal of psychotherapy and Biblical counselling is to change undesirable cognition, affect, and behaviour in the counselee. For the Biblical counsellor change entails more than mere behaviour change. He endeavours to facilitate inner Biblical change where the counselee can grow spiritually through sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit. Change should occur from the inside and result in Godly living. The central theoretical argument is that pastoral counselling portrays certain unique features that can be used to bring about change in the core of the counselee's being, renewing the mind sufficiently to walk in holiness. The aim is to establish whether pastoral counselling can be used effectively to help the counselee change in his conscious direction to walk in holiness. The first objective was to establish what Scriptural perspectives exist on change. When the believer is set free from the law sin and death, the effect of sin remains. Sinful patterns have been habituated into his thinking and behaviour. Every Christian has to deal with unbiblical beliefs and behaviour which are not easily overcome. Although problems do not disappear at regeneration, God through His Spirit equips the believer to handle them, providing the necessary resources, directions, and power for the change He commands. The Christian life is not static; it is a life that is characterized by change. In the basis-theoretical perspective it has been established that change that is pleasing to God involves the repudiation of the former "old man" and the assumption of the "new man". The believer is also challenged to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. This Scriptural understanding of change is addressed in the epistles of Paul (Ep. 4:22-24; Col. 3:8-10; Ro. 12:l-2). The uniqueness of Biblical counselling and the different perspectives were explored in this study. The exposition of inner change in the life of the counselee rendered important information. If the counsellor ignores what is happening on the inside of the individual, he will be unable to help him change his overt behaviour in any meaningful way. The second objective was to explore what other relevant disciplines had to contribute to the issue of change. The meta-theoretical perspective on change established that psychology is concerned with changing undesirable behaviour, cognitions, and affect. Knowledge of mental processes are important because the mind represents that which needs to be changed. The psychoanalytic, behavioural-cognitive, and person-centred approaches concerning change were expounded. According to answers given in the research of this study, Biblical perspectives included the use of Christian values and spiritual disciplines (use of Scripture, prayer). In most instances counselling included the use of secular perspectives using the Word of God as a foundation from which they derived their own models. It has been indicated that theology and psychology can complement each other, each contributing to a better understanding of the complexities of human nature. The third objective was accomplished by utilizing the basis- and meta-theoretical perspectives in a hermeneutical interaction to formulate a model of change that can be proposed for pastoral counselling. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

In the past, pastoral-therapeutic support was mainly approached only from the functioning of the left hemisphere of the brain. This implies that pastoral therapists mainly interacted with people in therapy at an intellectual-analytical level under modernistic influence. Since man's destitution and need changes along with time, it is essential for pastoral therapists/counsellors to supplement and adapt their modus operandi and strategies if they wish to remain relevant regarding their pastoral dealings with people. In this study the researcher attempted to formulate from the Scriptures a basis theory regarding the role of music as a whole-brain strategy in inner change. For the sake of a more holistic approach, a meta-theoretical investigation was also undertaken. To confirm the basis and meta-theoretical information, researcher entered the living reality of seven individuals during which a qualitative research was done. The results of the study, according to which the basis and meta-theoretical perspectives were placed in hermeneutical relation to one another, led to practice-theoretical guidelines within the subject domain of Practical Theology regarding the role of music as a whole-brain strategy in inner change. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

The goal of psychotherapy and Biblical counselling is to change undesirable cognition, affect, and behaviour in the counselee. For the Biblical counsellor change entails more than mere behaviour change. He endeavours to facilitate inner Biblical change where the counselee can grow spiritually through sanctification by the power of the Holy Spirit. Change should occur from the inside and result in Godly living. The central theoretical argument is that pastoral counselling portrays certain unique features that can be used to bring about change in the core of the counselee's being, renewing the mind sufficiently to walk in holiness. The aim is to establish whether pastoral counselling can be used effectively to help the counselee change in his conscious direction to walk in holiness. The first objective was to establish what Scriptural perspectives exist on change. When the believer is set free from the law sin and death, the effect of sin remains. Sinful patterns have been habituated into his thinking and behaviour. Every Christian has to deal with unbiblical beliefs and behaviour which are not easily overcome. Although problems do not disappear at regeneration, God through His Spirit equips the believer to handle them, providing the necessary resources, directions, and power for the change He commands. The Christian life is not static; it is a life that is characterized by change. In the basis-theoretical perspective it has been established that change that is pleasing to God involves the repudiation of the former "old man" and the assumption of the "new man". The believer is also challenged to be transformed by the renewing of his mind. This Scriptural understanding of change is addressed in the epistles of Paul (Ep. 4:22-24; Col. 3:8-10; Ro. 12:l-2). The uniqueness of Biblical counselling and the different perspectives were explored in this study. The exposition of inner change in the life of the counselee rendered important information. If the counsellor ignores what is happening on the inside of the individual, he will be unable to help him change his overt behaviour in any meaningful way. The second objective was to explore what other relevant disciplines had to contribute to the issue of change. The meta-theoretical perspective on change established that psychology is concerned with changing undesirable behaviour, cognitions, and affect. Knowledge of mental processes are important because the mind represents that which needs to be changed. The psychoanalytic, behavioural-cognitive, and person-centred approaches concerning change were expounded. According to answers given in the research of this study, Biblical perspectives included the use of Christian values and spiritual disciplines (use of Scripture, prayer). In most instances counselling included the use of secular perspectives using the Word of God as a foundation from which they derived their own models. It has been indicated that theology and psychology can complement each other, each contributing to a better understanding of the complexities of human nature. The third objective was accomplished by utilizing the basis- and meta-theoretical perspectives in a hermeneutical interaction to formulate a model of change that can be proposed for pastoral counselling. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Practical Theology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2004.

In the past, pastoral-therapeutic support was mainly approached only from the functioning of the left hemisphere of the brain. This implies that pastoral therapists mainly interacted with people in therapy at an intellectual-analytical level under modernistic influence. Since man's destitution and need changes along with time, it is essential for pastoral therapists/counsellors to supplement and adapt their modus operandi and strategies if they wish to remain relevant regarding their pastoral dealings with people. In this study the researcher attempted to formulate from the Scriptures a basis theory regarding the role of music as a whole-brain strategy in inner change. For the sake of a more holistic approach, a meta-theoretical investigation was also undertaken. To confirm the basis and meta-theoretical information, researcher entered the living reality of seven individuals during which a qualitative research was done. The results of the study, according to which the basis and meta-theoretical perspectives were placed in hermeneutical relation to one another, led to practice-theoretical guidelines within the subject domain of Practical Theology regarding the role of music as a whole-brain strategy in inner change. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Pastoral))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2008.

Background Long life does not inevitably mean more healthy years; older women have an increased risk of disabilities, diseases and adverse life events. Nevertheless, many older women experience health. This may be explained by possessing resources that promote health, despite adversities. Inner strength is seen as a resource as such. In this thesis inner strength is interpreted according to a theoretical model where inner strength comprises four interrelated and interacting dimensions: connectedness, creativity, flexibility and firmness, and being rated by the Inner Strength Scale (ISS). Aim and methods The overall purpose of this thesis was to explore inner strength as a health resource among older women. In study I six focus group interviews were performed with older women (66-84 years; n = 29) and the interviews were analysed by a concept driven approach and by means of qualitative content analysis. Studies II–IV had a quantitative, cross-sectional design. A questionnaire was sent to all older women (65 years and older) living in Åland, an autonomous island community in the Baltic Sea, and 1555 (57%) women responded. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. Results In study I, exploring how inner strength and its dimensions can be identified in narratives of older women, connectedness was interpreted as a striving to be in communion, creativity as the ability to make the best of the situation, firmness as having a spirit of determination – “it is all up to you”, and flexibility as a balancing act. The results of study II showed that strong inner strength was associated with better mental health, but not physical health. In exploring factors associated with health-related quality of life, fewer symptoms of depressive disorders was the strongest explanatory variable, and together with not feeling lonely associated with better both physical health and mental health. Better physical health was also explained by not having a diagnosed disease, being of lower age and the opportunity to engage in meaningful leisure activities. Better mental health was additionally explained by having enough money for personal needs. In study III the result showed that non-depressed women were likely to have a strong inner strength, as well as never or seldom feeling lonely, taking fewer prescribed drugs, feeling needed and having the opportunity to engage in meaningful leisure activities. In study IV poorer mental health was associated with weaker inner strength in total, and in all four dimensions of inner strength. Symptoms of depressive disorders and feeling lonely were related to lower scores in three of the dimensions (except firmness and creativity, respectively) and poorer physical health was associated with lower scores in two of the dimensions (firmness and flexibility). Some other health threats were significantly associated with only one of the dimensions (connectedness or creativity), and others were not significantly associated at all. Conclusion The results add nuance to the notion of inner strength and deepen empirical knowledge about the phenomenon. It is elucidated that the ISS can be used not only to rate inner strength but also to offer guidance as to the areas (i.e. dimensions) in which interventions may be profitable. It is further shown that inner strengths can be identified in narratives of older women. Mental ill health has shown to have overall the strongest association with weakened inner strength among community-dwelling older women. The causality can, though, not be studied due to the cross-sectional design; therefore, longitudinal studies are recommended. Notwithstanding that limitation, the findings can be used as a knowledge base in further research within this field.

No description available.

Two Chinese pine (Pinus tabulaeformis) tree-ring width chronologies up to 375 years long were used to reconstruct rainfall from February to early July for the Wu Dangzhao region and from February to mid-July for the La Madong region, Inner Mongolia, China. The predictor variables account for 44.3% and 42.7% of the variance in precipitation, respectively. Both historical records and two other tree-ring based precipitation reconstructions from the environmentally sensitive zone (the northern Helan Mountain range and Baiyinaobao) confirm our results. After applying a 10-year moving average, the trends of four tree-ring based precipitation reconstructions vary synchronously. Periods with below-normal precipitation occurred during the 1720s–1730s, 1740s–1750s, 1790s, early 1810s, late 1830s–1860s, 1880s–1910s, late 1920s–1930s and after the late 1960s–early 1970s. Periods with above-normal precipitation occurred in the 1760s to early 1770s, 1820s to early 1830s, 1870s–1880s, early 1920s, 1940s to early 1960s, and 1990s. The late 1920s period was the most severe drought over a broad area in north China in the last 375 years. In contrast, the wettest period was in the late 1990s.

We define a new graph operation called the inner power of a graph. The construction is similar to the direct power of graphs, except that factors are intertwined in such a way that certain structural properties of graphs are more clearly reflected in their inner powers. We investigate various properties of inner powers, such as connectivity, bipartiteness, and their interaction with the direct product. We explore possible connections between inner powers and the problem of cancellation over the direct product of graphs.