Abstract Objective Hand hygiene (HH) is a critical component for controlling hospital-acquired infection (HAI). The present study was designed to develop an intervention approach to improve compliance with HH among healthcare workers in a hospital setting. Methods The HH intervention study was conducted in Guizhou Provincial People's Hospital, Guiyang, China and organized by its Department of HAI Management. It was an observational, prospective, quasiexperimental (before-after intervention) study. The study was divided into two phases: the baseline phase and the intervention phase. The investigative team included clinical monitoring staff and infection control practitioners who received a series of instructions on HH compliance, monitoring skills, and measurement of the use of HH products. Results Based on 27,852 observations in a 17-month period, the rate of compliance with HH improved from 37.78% at baseline to 75.90% after intervention. Significant improvement in compliance and an increase in consumption of HH products was observed after intervention. The per patient-day consumption of alcohol-based hand rub products and handwash agents increased by 4.75 mL and 4.55 mL, respectively. The consumption of paper towels increased 3.41 sheets per patient-day. During the same period, the prevalence rate of HAI decreased 0.83%. Conclusions This study demonstrates that a significant improvement in compliance with HH can be achieved through a systemic, multidimensional intervention approach involving all categories of healthcare workers in a hospital setting, which may result in a decrease of the HAI rate.

An effcient route to the synthesis of dibenzylbutanediol lignans and their analogues was reported. The syntheses were based on a strategy involving Stobbe condensation and alkylation reaction to give the skeleton of lignan, the resolution of (±)-diacid with quinine, the transformation of functional groups to obtain seven dibenzylbutanediol lignans and one analogue. Among the synthesized lignans, four compounds were natural products. All dibenzylbutanediol lignans and their analogue synthesized were evaluated on HIV Tat transactivation in human epithelial cells, HSV-1 gene and human leukemic, liver, prostate, stomach, and breast cancer cell in vitro, but some compounds displayed weak activity against HIV, HSV and MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer cell.