Closely geared to general practice yet without neglecting basic theory, this book has retained so much appeal among readers .as to warrant a third edition. We assume that the work has retained its place among the leading publications on psychosomatics because it embodies our strong interest in the 'here and now' of medical practice. The timing of this thoroughly revised and enlarged edition appears opportune as psychosomatic basic care and the medicine of dialogue acquire more meaning in daily routine practice, and as the need for basic information increases. We conceive psychosomatics to be an integral part of medicine. When we speak of 'psychosomatic disorders' in this book, our premise is that somatic and psychosocial aspects play an important role in their pathogenesis and course. This notion constitutes the very basis of what is understood as psychosomatic medical treatment. Such a point of departure calls for a consistent spirit of cooperation with regard to the problems involved. This alone satisfies the initial requirement of simultaneously considering both the somatic and psychosocial aspects of health and illness.

Fibre (rod) and sheet-shaped crystals with specified size for use as final products without additional machining are required in various applications of modern engineering. In order to avoid formation of internal mechanical stress in the crystal, lateral surface shaping without contact with container walls is preferred. As the crystal is not restricted by crucible walls, its cross-section is determined by the meniscus-shaping capillary forces and the heat and mass-exchange in the melt-crystal system. Any variation of the pulling rate, pressure, temperature gradient in the furnace, and melt temperature at the meniscus base leads to a change in the crystal cross-section and to pinch formation. Over the past two decades, many experimental and theoretical studies have been reported on a powerful approach to crystal lateral surface shaping without contact with container walls, namely the so-called edge-defined film-fed growth (EFG) technique. The shape and size of a single crystal grown by EFG is determined by the shape and size of the meniscus, (i.e: the liquid bridge retained between the die and the crystal) which depend on the radius or half-thickness of the die and other properties such as pulling rate, pressure, temperature gradient and melt temperature. In this book, theoretical and numerical results are obtained using a non-linear mathematical model of the EFG method. Theoretical results presented for fibres and sheets are rigorously obtained on the basis of the equations of the model. Numerical results are obtained on the basis of theoretical results using experimental data. Such results offer a complete package of the possibilities of the model for equipment designers and practical crystal growers.