Modern Islamic contributions to science
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After the 15th century, there were very few medical contributions from Muslim scientists until the 20th century. Since then, there have been some notable medical contributions from Pakistani, Turkish,Egyptian, Iranian, Saudi Arabian, Yemeni, Malaysian and American Muslim scientists and researchers. Pharmacology and natural products chemistry In the 20th century, Salimuzzaman Siddiqui was a leading Pakistani scientist in natural products chemistry. He is the pioneer in extracting chemical compounds from the Neem and Rauwolfia, and is also known for isolating novel chemical compunds from various other flora in the Indian subcontinent. As the director of H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, he carried out extensive research with a team of scientists on pharmacology of various plants to extract a number of chemical substances of medicinal importance. Dermatology and neurology Behçet's disease is named after Hulusi Behçet (1889-1948), the Turkish dermatologist and scientist who first recognized the syndrome in one of his patients in 1924 and reported his research on the disease in Journal of Skin and Venereal Diseases in 1936. In 1991, Saudi medical researchers discovered "neuro-Behcet's disease", a neurological involvement in Behcet's disease, considered one of the most devastating manifestations of the disease as described by Egyptian Scientist Sahar Saleem. In 1989, Saudi neurologists also discovered "neurobrucellosis", a neurological involvement in brucellosis. Medical technology Iranian physician and engineer Toffy Musivand invented a variety of medical technology, including the artificial cardiac pump as treatment for heart failure, "remote power transfer for implantable medical devices, remote patient monitoring (telemedicine), biofluid dynamics to reduce/eliminate thrombosis in blood conducting devices, patient care simulation centre, detection devices and methods for detection, in situ sterilization, medical devices (failure analysis and regulatory process), and medical sensors." Internal medicine, pathology, rheumatology Dr. Muhammad B. Yunus is a Muslim American physician who practices internal medicine and rheumatology. In 1981, he published the "first controlled study of the clinical characteristics" of the fibromyalgia syndrome, for which he is regarded as "the father of our modern view of fibromyalgia." He also made important advances in the understanding of the chronic fatigue syndromes in general, the biopsychosocial model, medical sociology, neurology, psychosocial development, and neurochemical pathology. His "biopsychosocial perspective" of fibromyalgia and other chronic fatigue syndromes is the "only way to synthesize the disparate contributions of such variables as genes and adverse childhood experiences, life stress and distress, posttraumatic stress disorder, mood disorders, self-efficacy for pain control, catastrophizing, coping style, and social support into the evolving picture of central nervous system dysfunction vis-a-vis chronic pain and fatigue." Biomedical research in space In 2007, Malaysian scientist Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor, who is both an astronaut and orthopedic surgeon, became the first to perform biomedical research in outer space. His medical experiments on board the International Space Station were related to the characteristics and growth of liver cancer and leukemia cells, and the crystallisation of various proteins and microbes in space. His experiments relating to liver cancer, leukemia cells and microbes will benefit general science and medical research, while his experiments relating to the crystallisation of proteins, lipases in this case, will directly benefit local Malaysian industries.
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