Three novel woody litter inhabiting fungi in Didymosphaeriaceae, Phaeoseptaceae and Synnemasporellaceae from Zhujiangyuan Nature Reserve, Yunnan Province, P.R. China.

Zhujiangyuan Nature Reserve, located in Qujing City, Yunnan Province, China, is reported with high fauna and floral diversity, while the fungal diversity of the region is poorly documented. During the summer season in 2023, decaying wood-inhabiting microfungi were collected from different microhabitats. The novel species were identified based on morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analyses (based on combined datasets of ITS, LSU, SSU, tef1-α, and rpb2 regions). Two species belong to Dothideomycetes (viz., Spegazziniazhujiangyuanensis sp. nov. and Phaeoseptumzhujiangyuanense sp. nov. in Pleosporales) while the other one resides in Sordariomycetes (Synnemasporellafanii sp. nov. in Diaporthales). The results are in conformity with the earlier studies that predicted higher fungal diversity in this region.

Efficient extraction of nickel from chloride system using a cleaner extractant: Taking the example of processing nickel-aluminum slag remaining from spent hydroprocessing catalysts.

The efficient recovery of nickel from chloride systems has long presented a challenge in the field. While solvent extraction is a viable approach, conventional extractants have been associated with drawbacks such as a high requirement for chloride ions and substantial consumption of acids and alkalis. In response to these challenges, this investigation developed and synthesized a novel thiazole-based extractant, N, N-Bis(4-thiazolylmethyl)octylamine (NNBT), tailored for the selective extraction of nickel from chloride systems. Findings from the study indicate that the nitrogen atom situated on the benzylamine framework within NNBT can interact synergistically with the chelating thiazole ring, facilitating effective nickel extraction and notably reducing the need for chloride ions. Furthermore, the extractant can be regenerated using deionized water, thereby obviating the necessity for additional consumption of acids and alkalis. Following the validation of NNBT as an environmentally sustainable and efficient nickel extractant within the chloride ion system, it was successfully employed to selectively and effectively extract nickel from the nickel-aluminum slag of spent HDP catalyst. The extracted nickel and aluminum were subsequently processed into electroplated nickel chloride and polyaluminum chloride, respectively, meeting the national standards of China. These outcomes underscore the eco-friendliness and promise of NNBT for nickel extraction from chloride systems.

High-efficiency recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries: Optimization of SO2 pressure leaching and selective extraction of trace impurities.

The recovery of valuable metals from spent lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is crucial for environmental protection and resource optimization. In the traditional recovery process of spent LIBs, the leaching of high-valence metals has the problems of high cost and limited reagent utilization, and some valuable metals are lost in the subsequent purification process of the leaching solution. To reduce the cost of reagents, this study proposes the use of low-cost SO2 as a reagent combined with pressure leaching to efficiently recover high-valence metals from delithiated materials of spent LIBs, while selective solvent extraction is used to remove trace impurities in the leaching solution to avoid the loss of valuable metals. Experimental results demonstrated that by optimizing the conditions to 0.25 MPa SO2 partial pressure and 60 min reaction time at 70 °C, the leaching efficiencies for Ni, Co, and Mn reached 99.6%, 99.3%, and 99.6%, respectively. The kinetic study indicated that the leaching process was diffusion-controlled. Furthermore, the delithiated materials were used to completely utilize the residual SO2 in the solution to obtain a high concentration Ni-Co-Mn rich solution. Subsequently, Fe and Al impurities were deeply removed through a synergistic extraction of Di-2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid (D2EHPA) and tributyl phosphate (TBP) without loss of valuable metals, achieving a high-purity Ni-Co-Mn solution. The process developed based on this work has the characteristics of environmental friendliness, high valuable metal recovery, and high product purity, providing a reference technical method for the synergistic treatment of waste SO2 flue gas with spent LIBs and the deep purification of impurities in spent LIBs.

NR3C1 overexpression regulates the expression and alternative splicing of inflammation-associated genes involved in PTSD.

NR3C1-encoding glucocorticoid receptors have dual roles as RNA-binding protein and transcription factor. Recent studies revealed that NR3C1 might play an important role in the pathogenesis of PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder). However, its molecular mechanism remained unclear. In the present study, a neuronal cell model was constructed by transfecting a NR3C1-overexpressing plasmid pIRES-hrGFP-1a-NR3C1 or empty vector into HT22 cells. The changes in global transcription levels and alternative splicing events in HT22 cells after NR3C1 overexpression were analyzed by RNA sequencing. Compared with the empty vector control, the expression of inflammatory factors were differentially regulated by NR3C1, including genes involved in chemokine signal pathway, PI3K-Akt signal pathway, cytokine receptor interaction, neural ligand-receptor interaction and so on. In addition, NR3C1 regulated the alternative splicing of many genes involved in immune response, axon formation, stress response and inflammation. This study was the first to perform a transcriptome analysis of differential gene expression and alternative splicing in a NR3C1-overexpressing HT22 cell model. Our results suggested that NR3C1 could manipulate the expression of inflammatory transcription factors and their alternative splicing patterns, subsequently affecting the expression of downstream targets, may be leading to the onset of PTSD. This study will provide new insights in the NR3C1-mediated gene regulation in relation to PTSD.

Eco-friendly extraction of arsenic and tungsten from hazardous tungsten residue waste by pressure oxidation leaching in alkaline solutions: Mechanism and kinetic model.

Tungsten residue waste (TRW), considered an environmental burden due to high content and excessive leaching toxicity of arsenic (As), are also secondary tungsten (W) resources. A novel method for simultaneous extraction of arsenic and tungsten from TRW via alkaline pressure oxidative leaching was proposed. The results show that As in the TRW mainly exists in the form of As coprecipitated with Mn(Ⅱ) oxides and FeAsS. In addition, As coprecipitated with Mn(Ⅱ) oxides and W are encapsulated in Fe, Mn oxides. The structure of Fe, Mn oxides with dense surface can be destroyed and the chemically stable arsenopyrite can be efficiently oxidized by oxygen in alkaline solutions. The leaching efficiency of As and S reached 97% and 99% at 80 min, respectively, while that of W reached 82% at 10 min. The leaching rate of As and S is controlled by diffusion with the apparent activation energies of 16.67 kJ/mol and 15.66 kJ/mol, respectively. Compared with TRW, the leaching toxicity of As in the leach residue decreased from 10.2 mg/L to only 0.071 mg/L. The new process suggests new possibilities for removal and recovery of As and W from TRW that will contribute to circular economy and environmental protection.

Dynamic changes in brain structure in patients with post-traumatic stress disorder after motor vehicle accident: A voxel-based morphometry-based follow-up study.

Objectives: To investigate the dynamic changes of emotional and memory-related brain regions in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients and trauma-exposed subjects, who experienced motor vehicle accident (MVA). Materials and methods: Functional Magnetic Resonance imaging (fMRI) and general data were collected from trauma victims who had experienced MVA within 2 days, and their social support and coping style were evaluated. The PTSD Checklist for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders-Fifth Edition (PCL-5) is used for screening and diagnosis. Subsequently, 17 PTSD patients and 23 car accident trauma-exposed individuals completed a second fMRI scan at 2 months. Data were analyzed by using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) to examine the volume changes of relevant brain regions. Correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the regions of interest (ROIs) and the total scores on the clinical scales. Subsequently, the relationship between the total PCL-5 scores and the individual dimensions of the Simplified Coping Style Questionnaire (SCSQ) and the Social Support Rate Scale (SSRS) was studied. Results: In comparison with the control group, the results showed a reduction in right SFG volume in the PTSD group at 2 months. Similarly, a comparison within the PTSD group revealed a reduction in the left STG volume at 2 months. Compared with the control group, PTSD patients showed a more negative coping style and worse performance in objective and subjective support. In addition, the total PCL-5 scores were negatively associated with positive coping, objective support, and subjective support. Conclusion: The occurrence of PTSD may be related to reduced volume of the right SFG and left STG, and that patients with PTSD receive less social support and tend to cope in a negative manner in the face of stressful events. These results suggest that within 2 months of the MVA, changes in gray matter volume have occurred in some brain regions of those suffering from PTSD. We believe the results of our study will provide useful insights into the neuropsychological mechanisms underlying PTSD.

Fungi associated with dead branches of Magnolia grandiflora: A case study from Qujing, China.

As a result of an ongoing survey of microfungi associated with garden and ornamental plants in Qijing, Yunnan, China, several saprobic fungal taxa were isolated from Magnolia grandiflora. Both morphological and combined SSU, LSU, ITS, tef1, and rpb2 locus phylogenetic analyses (maximum-likelihood and Bayesian analyses) were carried out to identify the fungal taxa. Three new species are introduced in Pleosporales, viz., Lonicericola qujingensis (Parabambusicolaceae), Phragmocamarosporium magnoliae, and Periacma qujingensis (Lentitheciaceae). Botryosphaeria dothidea, Diplodia mutila, and Diplodia seriata (in Botryosphaeriaceae) are reported from Magnolia grandiflora for the first time in China. Angustimassarina populi (Amorosiaceae) is reported for the first time on M. grandiflora from China, and this is the first report of a member of this genus outside Europe. Shearia formosa is also reported for the first time on M. grandiflora from China.

Experimental Study on Phenol-Formaldehyde Resin Aggregates as In-Depth Conformance Control Agents Stabilized by Polymer.

To improve the dispersion stability of phenol-formaldehyde resin (PFR) particles in simulated oilfield injection water and their propagation ability in petroleum reservoir, a hydrophobically associating polymer (HAP) was employed as a stabilizer in this paper. The dispersion stability of PFR in the injection water was studied by measuring turbidity as a function of time. In addition, the migration property of the PFR/HAP dispersion was evaluated by both cellulose membrane filtration and sand packs-flooding experiments. The results show that HAP can stabilize the PFR dispersion prepared with the simulated injection water by forming PFR/HAP complex molecular aggregates. These aggregates can migrate in sand packs with strong flow resistance due to deformation or disaggregation of the aggregates when passing through the pore throat. Oil recovery was improved by up to 21.1% on the basis of water flooding, and the higher the concentration of PFR/HAP dispersion system, the better the oil recovery effect. Moreover, the cycle of log-jamming/dispersion of the aggregates leads to their penetrations through the bigger pores in the sand packs with a higher flow resistance than water. This process can improve the conformance of water in high permeability sand packs on a micro/macro scale and thus divert more water into low permeability sand packs. Therefore, more oil could be recovered from the low permeability sand packs. Moreover, the bigger the sand pack's permeability ratio, the lower the oil recovery rate by waterflood, and the more the incremental oil can be recovered by the PFR/HAP flood.

Taxonomic and Phylogenetic Characterizations Reveal Four New Species, Two New Asexual Morph Reports, and Six New Country Records of Bambusicolous Roussoella from China.

During the ongoing investigation of bambusicolous ascomycetous fungi in Yunnan, China, 24 specimens belonging to the family Roussoellaceae were collected and identified based on morphological features and phylogenetic support. Maximum-likelihood (ML) analyses and Bayesian analyses were generated based on the combined data set of ITS, LSU, tef1, and rpb2 loci. The phylogenetic analyses revealed four novel lineages in Roussoella s. str.; thus, we introduced four new species viz., Roussoella multiloculate sp. nov., R. papillate sp. nov., R. sinensis sp. nov., and R. uniloculata sp. nov. Their morphological characters were compared with the known Roussoella taxa, which lack sequence data in the GenBank. Asexual morphs of R. kunmingensis and R. padinae were recorded from dead bamboo culms in China (from the natural substrates) for the first time. Neoroussoella bambusae, Roussoella japanensis, R. nitidula, R. padinae, R. scabrispora, and R. tuberculate were also reported as the first records from China. All new taxa are described and illustrated in detail. Plates are provided for new reports.

ReaxFF-MPNN machine learning potential: a combination of reactive force field and message passing neural networks.

Reactive force field (ReaxFF) is a powerful computational tool for exploring material properties. In this work, we proposed an enhanced reactive force field model, which uses message passing neural networks (MPNN) to compute the bond order and bond energies. MPNN are a variation of graph neural networks (GNN), which are derived from graph theory. In MPNN or GNN, molecular structures are treated as a graph and atoms and chemical bonds are represented by nodes and edges. The edge states correspond to the bond order in ReaxFF and are updated by message functions according to the message passing algorithms. The results are very encouraging; the investigation of the potential, such as the potential energy surface, reaction energies and equation of state, are greatly improved by this simple improvement. The new potential model, called reactive force field with message passing neural networks (ReaxFF-MPNN), is provided as an interface in an atomic simulation environment (ASE) with which the original ReaxFF and ReaxFF-MPNN potential models can do MD simulations and geometry optimizations within the ASE. Furthermore, machine learning, based on an active learning algorithm and gradient optimizer, is designed to train the model. We found that the active learning machine not only saves the manual work to collect the training data but is also much more effective than the general optimizer.

Prevalence and risk factors of disability and anxiety in a retrospective cohort of 432 survivors of Coronavirus Disease-2019 (Covid-19) from China.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of disability and anxiety in Covid-19 survivors at discharge from hospital and analyze relative risk by exposures. DESIGN: Multi-center retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Twenty-eight hospitals located in eight provinces of China. METHODS: A total of 432 survivors with laboratory-confirmed SARS CoV-2 infection participated in this study. At discharge, we assessed instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) with Lawton's IADL scale, dependence in activities of daily living (ADL) with the Barthel Index, and anxiety with Zung's self-reported anxiety scale. Exposures included comorbidity, smoking, setting (Hubei vs. others), disease severity, symptoms, and length of hospital stay. Other risk factors considered were age, gender, and ethnicity (Han vs. Tibetan). RESULTS: Prevalence of at least one IADL problem was 36.81% (95% CI: 32.39-41.46). ADL dependence was present in 16.44% (95% CI: 13.23-20.23) and 28.70% (95% CI: 24.63-33.15) were screened positive for clinical anxiety. Adjusted risk ratio (RR) of IADL limitations (RR 2.48, 95% CI: 1.80-3.40), ADL dependence (RR 2.07, 95% CI 1.15-3.76), and probable clinical anxiety (RR 2.53, 95% CI 1.69-3.79) were consistently elevated in survivors with severe Covid-19. Age was an additional independent risk factor for IADL limitations and ADL dependence; and setting (Hubei) for IADL limitations and anxiety. Tibetan ethnicity was a protective factor for anxiety but a risk factor for IADL limitations. CONCLUSION: A significant proportion of Covid-19 survivors had disability and anxiety at discharge from hospital. Health systems need to be prepared for an additional burden resulting from rehabilitation needs of Covid-19 survivors.

Ultrathin hetero-nanosheets assembled hollow Ni-Co-P/C for hybrid supercapacitors with enhanced rate capability and cyclic stability.

Nanohybrid-type Ni-Co-phosphide/C (Ni-Co-P/C) hollow microflowers with ultrathin nanosheets (HUNs) are constructed through a modified ethylene glycol-mediated self-assembly process and further phosphating treatment. The peculiar structure can availably provide affluent mass transfer channels and active sites, meanwhile inhibit the aggregation of nanosheets. The synergistic effects of the produced Ni-Co-P/C are demonstrated systematically through regulating the initial Ni/Co ratio. A remarkable specific capacity of 205 mAh g-1 can be achieved at 1 A g-1, and the optimized Ni1-Co2-P/C (referred to as NiCoP/CoP/C) still holds a superior rate capability with a capacity retention of 71% even at 50 A g-1. Notably, the electrode also reveals an attractive capacity of 133 mAh g-1 with a high mass loading of 9.1 mg cm-2. A hybrid supercapacitor assembled with Ni1-Co2-P/C cathode and N-doped porous carbon anode demonstrates outstanding electrochemical performance, such as a high energy density (43 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 818 W kg-1) and excellent stability (90% retention after 20,000 cycles at 12 A g-1). The facile fabrication process and attractive performance make Ni1-Co2-P/C HUNs promising in energy storage applications.

Optimal Energy Consumption Tasks Scheduling Strategy for Multi-Radio WSNs.

Multi-radio technology is regarded as a promising way to improve the performance of Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) and has attracted much attention of researchers. It is very important to reduce energy consumption and to prolong the lifetime of Multi-Radio WSNs (MR-WSNs), since the node is generally battery-operated in MR-WSN environments. In this paper, two typical types of energy consumption process, the transmitting energy consumption and idle listening energy consumption, are analyzed firstly. Based on the above analysis, the energy consumption model of multi-radio nodes is built, and then it is considered as the optimization objective for the minimization energy consumption of multi-radio nodes. Furthermore, the heuristic optimal energy consumption task scheduling strategy based on the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm is proposed, and then the detailed steps of the proposed strategy are presented. Finally, the effectiveness and performance of the proposed strategy are evaluated through practical experiments and simulations. Evaluation results show that the proposed strategy outperforms some other algorithms, in terms of energy consumption, network lifetime, and tasks extensibility.

Delayed-Crosslink Hydrogel for Improving Oil Recovery in Differential Heterogeneous Reservoirs.

Premature water production is an inevitable issue that results in loss of quantities of reserves in heterogeneous oilfields especially with large permeability ratios. Hydrogel treatments, preferentially plugging large channels, are efficient techniques to reduce excessive water circulation. In this work, a moderate delayed polyacrylamide hydrogel was fabricated applying in-depth plugging to promote oil production. Suitability tests of delayed hydrogel in the presence of quartz sand confirmed its mature delay over 10 days, providing the low-viscosity gelant sufficient time for entering the deep layer. Single sand-pack displacement tests demonstrated the excellent plugging ability in differential permeability layers to strongly promote the follow-up oil production. Aiming at heterogeneous reservoirs with three different permeability ratios, conventional displacements and hydrogel treatments were sequentially conducted. In comparison with water- and polymer-flooding that mainly performed exploitation at low-permeability-contrast layers (K high/K low = 3), the delayed hydrogel technique after polymer-flooding was capable of improving the oil recovery efficiency of unswept zones at high-permeability-contrast zones (K high/K low ≥ 10). Recovery in heterogeneous layers with permeability ratios (K high/K low) of 10 and 15 was enhanced to 48 and 59%, respectively from 18 and 0%. In addition, rheological behaviors and morphologies elucidated the delayed hydrogel with extruding deformation and high yield strength, facilitating water shutoff and improvement of oil production.

Efficacy and Safety of High-Frequency Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation for Poststroke Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To summarize and systematically review the efficacy and safety of high-frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (HF-rTMS) for depression in patients with stroke. DATA SOURCES: Six databases (Wanfang, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science) were searched from inception until November 15, 2018. STUDY SELECTION: Seventeen randomized controlled trials were included for meta-analysis. DATA EXTRACTION: Two independent reviewers selected potentially relevant studies based on the inclusion criteria, extracted data, and evaluated the methodological quality of the eligible trials using the Physiotherapy Evidence Database. DATA SYNTHESIS: We calculated the combined effect size (standardized mean difference [SMD] and odds ratio [OR]) for the corresponding effects models. Physiotherapy Evidence Database scores ranged from 7 to 8 points (mean=7.35). The study results indicated that HF-rTMS had significantly positive effects on depression in patients with stroke. The effect sizes of the SMD ranged from small to large (SMD, -1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.36 to -0.66; P<.001; I2, 85%; n=1053), and the effect sizes of the OR were large (response rates, 58.43% vs 33.59%; OR, 3.31; 95% CI, 2.25-4.88; P<.001; I2, 0%; n=529; remission rates, 26.59% vs 12.60%; OR, 2.72; 95% CI, 1.69-4.38; P<.001; I2, 0%; n=529). In terms of treatment side effects, the HF-rTMS group was more prone to headache than the control group (OR, 3.53; 95% CI, 1.85-8.55; P<.001; I2, 0%; n=496). CONCLUSIONS: HF-rTMS is an effective intervention for poststroke depression, although treatment safety should be further verified via large sample multicenter trials.

Telomere length and telomere repeating factors: Cellular markers for post-traumatic stress disorder-like model.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to explore the telomere length of peripheral blood leukocytes from a rat model of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), as well as the expression level of telomere-binding protein in the hippocampal CA1 region. METHODS: The PTSD model was established with 42 adult male Wistar rats. The relative telomere length of the leukocytes was measured by real-time fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction, and the expression levels of telomere repeating factor 1 (TRF1) and telomere repeating factor 2 (TRF2) in the hippocampal CA1 region of the PTSD rat model were determined by immunofluorescence technology. The covariance analysis of repeated measurements by the mixed model approach was used for the telomere length analysis. The comparison of averaged data among groups was performed using least significant difference and analysis of variance. The Student's t test or the Mann-Whitney U test was used for intragroup comparison. The association study among groups was conducted using the Spearman test. RESULTS: The shortening speed of telomere length significantly accelerated in rats after Single Prolonged Stress (SPS) stimulation (P<0.05). The expression levels of TRF1 and TRF2 increased with the progress of PTSD, and the expression peak was shown in day 14, which was significantly different from the control group (P<0.05). CONCLUSION: The shortening speed of the telomere length of peripheral blood leukocytes accelerated in PTSD rats, and the expression levels of TRF1 and TRF2 increased in hippocampus, both of which were closely associated with the pathological progress of the PTSD-like model and unfavorable prognosis.

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing versus cognitive-behavioral therapy for adult posttraumatic stress disorder: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a relatively common mental disorder, with an estimated lifetime prevalence of ∼5.7%. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) are the most often studied and most effective psychotherapies for PTSD. However, evidence is inadequate to conclude which treatment is superior. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to confirm the effectiveness of EMDR compared to CBT for adult PTSD. We searched Medline, PubMed, Ebsco, Proquest, and Cochrane (1989-2013) to identify relevant randomized control trials comparing EMDR and CBT for PTSD. We included 11 studies (N = 424). Although all the studies had methodological limitations, meta-analyses for total PTSD scores revealed that EMDR was slightly superior to CBT. Cumulative meta-analysis confirmed this and a meta-analysis for subscale scores of PTSD symptoms indicated that EMDR was better for decreased intrusion and arousal severity compared to CBT. Avoidance was not significantly different between groups. EMDR may be more suitable than CBT for PTSD patients with prominent intrusion or arousal symptoms. However, the limited number and poor quality of the original studies included suggest caution when drawing final conclusions.

Altered neurotransmitter levels with post-traumatic stress disorder.

AIM: The aim of this study was to observe the changes in the monoamine neurotransmitter levels of patients with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and explore whether the neurotransmitter level is correlated with the severity of PTSD. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 15 PTSD patients without any physical injuries were enrolled into the study. Another 15 cases of pre-restoration patients were recruited as controls who experienced traumatic events but did not experience PTSD or had a Posttraumatic stress disorder Check List-Civilian version (PCL-C) score lower than 12 points. The levels of plasma monoamine neurotransmitters, including norepinephrine, 5-hydroxytryptamine, and dopamine, were tested using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. RESULTS: No significant differences were found between the monoamine neurotransmitter levels of the PTSD and the control groups (p > 0.05). A correlation study confirmed that the monoamine neurotransmitter levels and the PCL-C scores of the PTSD group were not significantly correlated (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: No neurotransmitter changes are seen in PTSD caused by simple mental trauma, and the PCL-C scores do not associate with PTSD.

Study of deep profile control and oil displacement technologies with nanoscale polymer microspheres.

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), dynamic lighting scattering (DLS) and HAAKE rheometer experiments were adopted to investigate the shape, size and rheological properties of nanoscale polymer microspheres. Moreover, nuclear-pore film filtration, sand packed tube displacement, core displacement, micro-visual model and capillary flow experiments were used to study the mechanisms of deep profile control and oil displacement of nanoscale polymer microspheres. The results demonstrated that the original shape of the nanoscale polymer microspheres were typically spherical, ranging in size from 30 to 60 nm. When the microspheres were dispersed in water, their size increased by 3-6 times due to swelling and a poly-dispersed system appeared; however, the spherical conformation remained. Within a certain range of shear rates, a 100-900 mg/L microsphere dispersed system exhibited shear thickening behaviour, making it favourable for increasing the flow resistance of a displacement fluid. These polymer microspheres dispersed systems exhibited effective plugging on a nuclear pore film with 0.4-µm pores with deep plugging in the core; these systems also tended to plug the high permeability layer and drive crude oil from the low permeability layer in parallel sand packed tubes. Cross-linked polymer microspheres could reduce water permeability because the microspheres adsorbed, accumulated and bridged in the pore-throat, and the adsorbed layers would be collapsed under the pressure, entering deep into the reservoir due to the good deformation properties of the microspheres. Meanwhile these microspheres would drive crude oil on and in the pores/throats while they are transported in porous media, achieving deep profile control and oil displacement with the ultimate purpose of improving oil recovery.