Over the last 4 decades remarkable progress has been made in the treatment of cleft palate: the rate of attaining normal or nearly normal speech after surgery has risen from about 65% 40 years ago to nearly 90% or more nowadays. One of the main factors is intratracheal intubation anesthesia that has made the surgery much safer and easier. Improved surgical technique and speech therapy also played a great role. This paper deals with two problems: (1) Slight velopharyngeal incompetence: The combined use of fiberscopy and fluorovideoscopy can provide useful information as to: (a) the exact place of the faulty articulation, (b) the detailed pattern of inconsistent velopharyngeal function, (c) changes in articulation induced by speech therapy, and (d) the relation between velopharyngeal function and faulty articulation. All the above information greatly facilitates speech therapy for cleft palate speech. It should be done with utmost care though due to possible adverse effects of radiation. (2) Analysis of faulty articulation: It was revealed that faulty articulations such as laryngeal fricative and affricates, pharyngeal stop, and glottal stop in cleft palate speech, secondary to velopharyngeal incompetence, were produced by articulation in the larynx at various sites such as the epiglottis, arytenoids, aryepiglottic folds and vocal folds. These faulty articulation points were located lower than supposed on the basis of auditory perception.
Professor Isshiki, one of Japan's foremost scientists in the energy field, teaches in the prestigious Tokyo Institute of Technology and is an elder in his local congregation (Kyodan). Dr Isshiki developed the safety design for the first Japanese atomic powered ship which, when it was floated several years ago, provoked heated public debate. Fishermen, anxious about the safety aspects, were particularly insensed by the project. Scientists countered with assurances that some of the operational problems which had appeared in the ship's trial run could certainly be ironed out, but popular resistance to the project continued.
The people's resistance stirred deeper questions in Dr Isshiki's mind: What relationship ought there to be between his scientific calling and his faith in Christ? Could these two integral parts of an individual be compartmentalized? Had his participation in this project already shown that compartmentalization in his own thinking? Wasn't one's life a whole, a totality? But could these two things really be mixed? Should he leave his profession and thereby resolve the tension? But if he left his post, the present course of technological development would continue, and he would have no means of influencing it. Were not scientific gifts, such as his, God‐given?
It was out of this ferment that Professor Isshiki undertook his research into new alternative forms of energy which eventually issued in his invention of the CDE engine, a history‐making event, and, for Dr Isshiki, a gift of God.
We asked Dr Isshiki to write something for our readers on the scientific vocation and the responsibilities of a Christian scientist working at this very high technological level. (Editor)
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