Background: Preoperative anxiety is a significant problem worldwide that may affect patients’ surgical outcome. By using a simple and reliable tool such as the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS), anaesthesiologists would be able to assess preoperative anxiety adequately and accurately. Objective: The purpose of this study was to develop and validate the Malay version of APAIS (Malay-APAIS), and assess the factors associated with higher anxiety scores. Methods: The authors performed forward and backward translation of APAIS into Malay and then tested on 200 patients in the anaesthetic clinic of University Malaya Medical Centre. Psychometric analysis was performed with factor analysis, internal consistency and correlation with Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-state). Results: A good correlation was shown with STAI-state (r = 0.59). Anxiety and need for information both emerged with high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha 0.93 and 0.90 respectively). Female gender, surgery with a higher risk and need for information were found to be associated with higher anxiety scores. On the other hand, previous experience with surgery had lower need for information. Conclusion: The Malay-APAIS is a valid and reliable tool for the assessment of patients’ preoperative anxiety and their need for information. By understanding and measuring patient’s concerns objectively, the perioperative management will improve to a much higher standard of care.

INTRODUCTIONSporadic clinical episodes of malignant hyperthermia (MH) that develop during general anaesthesia (GA) have been reported in Singapore. However, there is no published local report of a confirmed case of MH susceptibility (MHS) by skeletal muscle contracture tests and/or molecular tests.

MATERIALS AND METHODSWe report 2 patients from an extended family who developed signs of clinical MH while under GA. The MH episodes were successfully treated with intravenous dantrolene sodium. Sequence analysis of the entirecoding gene was carried out in an index patient.

RESULTSThe index patient was found to carry a c.7373G>A (p.Arg2458His) mutation in exon 46. This particular mutation satisfies the criteria for a MHS causative mutation. Hence, the index patient was considered to be MHS and did not need to undergo further muscle contracture testing. The same mutation was also found in 3 other members of his extended family.

CONCLUSIONThis is the first report of a Singaporean family with at least 4 members carrying a MH-causative mutation ingene. This report serves to highlight the existence of the putative gene for MH in Singapore, and the need for clinical vigilance during anaesthesia involving the use of triggering agents.

Aims: Plant diseases caused by pathogens are threatening crop yield. Agrochemicals are used extensively to curb pathogens. Efforts to reduce the usage of agrochemicals are needed for sustainable agriculture. This study was aimed to screen medicinal plants possessing antifungal properties against crop pathogenic fungi. Methodology and results: Sequential extraction using absolute n-hexane, ethyl acetate and methanol was performed on nine selected medicinal plants to obtain crude extract. An antifungal assay using these crude extracts was performed on Fusarium solani, Collectotrichum musae and two isolates of Pyricularia oryzae. The assay showed that medicinal plant species with all three types of crude extract inhibited the growth of all three pathogenic fungal species tested. The inhibitory effects of crude extracts were not only fungal species dependent but also isolate dependent. Conclusion, significance and impact of study Antifungal effect of nine selected medicinal plant species was observed against the three tested fungal pathogens. These research findings suggest that the selected medicinal plant species may serve as a potential source for the development of new biofungicide products.
Plants, Medicinal