@inproceedings{6164, abstract = {In this paper, we propose an algorithm to build discrete spherical shell having integer center and real-valued inner and outer radii on the face-centered cubic (FCC) grid. We address the problem by mapping it to a 2D scenario and building the shell layer by layer on hexagonal grids with additive manufacturing in mind. The layered hexagonal grids get shifted according to need as we move from one layer to another and forms the FCC grid in 3D. However, we restrict our computation strictly to 2D in order to utilize symmetry and simplicity.}, author = {Koshti, Girish and Biswas, Ranita and Largeteau-Skapin, Gaëlle and Zrour, Rita and Andres, Eric and Bhowmick, Partha}, booktitle = {19th International Workshop}, isbn = {978-3-030-05287-4}, issn = {1611-3349}, location = {Porto, Portugal}, pages = {82--96}, publisher = {Springer}, title = {{Sphere construction on the FCC grid interpreted as layered hexagonal grids in 3D}}, doi = {10.1007/978-3-030-05288-1_7}, volume = {11255}, year = {2018}, } @article{617, abstract = {Insects are exposed to a variety of potential pathogens in their environment, many of which can severely impact fitness and health. Consequently, hosts have evolved resistance and tolerance strategies to suppress or cope with infections. Hosts utilizing resistance improve fitness by clearing or reducing pathogen loads, and hosts utilizing tolerance reduce harmful fitness effects per pathogen load. To understand variation in, and selective pressures on, resistance and tolerance, we asked to what degree they are shaped by host genetic background, whether plasticity in these responses depends upon dietary environment, and whether there are interactions between these two factors. Females from ten wild-type Drosophila melanogaster genotypes were kept on high- or low-protein (yeast) diets and infected with one of two opportunistic bacterial pathogens, Lactococcus lactis or Pseudomonas entomophila. We measured host resistance as the inverse of bacterial load in the early infection phase. The relationship (slope) between fly fecundity and individual-level bacteria load provided our fecundity tolerance measure. Genotype and dietary yeast determined host fecundity and strongly affected survival after infection with pathogenic P. entomophila. There was considerable genetic variation in host resistance, a commonly found phenomenon resulting from for example varying resistance costs or frequency-dependent selection. Despite this variation and the reproductive cost of higher P. entomophila loads, fecundity tolerance did not vary across genotypes. The absence of genetic variation in tolerance may suggest that at this early infection stage, fecundity tolerance is fixed or that any evolved tolerance mechanisms are not expressed under these infection conditions.}, author = {Kutzer, Megan and Kurtz, Joachim and Armitage, Sophie}, issn = {1420-9101}, journal = {Journal of Evolutionary Biology}, number = {1}, pages = {159 -- 171}, publisher = {Wiley}, title = {{Genotype and diet affect resistance, survival, and fecundity but not fecundity tolerance}}, doi = {10.1111/jeb.13211}, volume = {31}, year = {2018}, } @unpublished{6183, abstract = {We study the unique solution $m$ of the Dyson equation \[ -m(z)^{-1} = z - a + S[m(z)] \] on a von Neumann algebra $\mathcal{A}$ with the constraint $\mathrm{Im}\,m\geq 0$. Here, $z$ lies in the complex upper half-plane, $a$ is a self-adjoint element of $\mathcal{A}$ and $S$ is a positivity-preserving linear operator on $\mathcal{A}$. We show that $m$ is the Stieltjes transform of a compactly supported $\mathcal{A}$-valued measure on $\mathbb{R}$. Under suitable assumptions, we establish that this measure has a uniformly $1/3$-H\"{o}lder continuous density with respect to the Lebesgue measure, which is supported on finitely many intervals, called bands. In fact, the density is analytic inside the bands with a square-root growth at the edges and internal cubic root cusps whenever the gap between two bands vanishes. The shape of these singularities is universal and no other singularity may occur. We give a precise asymptotic description of $m$ near the singular points. These asymptotics generalize the analysis at the regular edges given in the companion paper on the Tracy-Widom universality for the edge eigenvalue statistics for correlated random matrices [arXiv:1804.07744] and they play a key role in the proof of the Pearcey universality at the cusp for Wigner-type matrices [arXiv:1809.03971,arXiv:1811.04055]. We also extend the finite dimensional band mass formula from [arXiv:1804.07744] to the von Neumann algebra setting by showing that the spectral mass of the bands is topologically rigid under deformations and we conclude that these masses are quantized in some important cases.}, author = {Alt, Johannes and Erdös, László and Krüger, Torben H}, booktitle = {arXiv}, title = {{The Dyson equation with linear self-energy: Spectral bands, edges and cusps}}, doi = {10.48550/arXiv.1804.07752}, year = {2018}, } @inproceedings{6195, abstract = {In the context of robotic manipulation and grasping, the shift from a view that is static (force closure of a single posture) and contact-deprived (only contact for force closure is allowed, everything else is obstacle) towards a view that is dynamic and contact-rich (soft manipulation) has led to an increased interest in soft hands. These hands can easily exploit environmental constraints and object surfaces without risk, and safely interact with humans, but present also some challenges. Designing them is difficult, as well as predicting, modelling, and “programming” their interactions with the objects and the environment. This paper tackles the problem of simulating them in a fast and effective way, leveraging on novel and existing simulation technologies. We present a triple-layered simulation framework where dynamic properties such as stiffness are determined from slow but accurate FEM simulation data once, and then condensed into a lumped parameter model that can be used to fast simulate soft fingers and soft hands. We apply our approach to the simulation of soft pneumatic fingers.}, author = {Pozzi, Maria and Miguel Villalba, Eder and Deimel, Raphael and Malvezzi, Monica and Bickel, Bernd and Brock, Oliver and Prattichizzo, Domenico}, isbn = {9781538630815}, location = {Brisbane, Australia}, publisher = {IEEE}, title = {{Efficient FEM-based simulation of soft robots modeled as kinematic chains}}, doi = {10.1109/icra.2018.8461106}, year = {2018}, } @article{62, abstract = {Imaging is a dominant strategy for data collection in neuroscience, yielding stacks of images that often scale to gigabytes of data for a single experiment. Machine learning algorithms from computer vision can serve as a pair of virtual eyes that tirelessly processes these images, automatically detecting and identifying microstructures. Unlike learning methods, our Flexible Learning-free Reconstruction of Imaged Neural volumes (FLoRIN) pipeline exploits structure-specific contextual clues and requires no training. This approach generalizes across different modalities, including serially-sectioned scanning electron microscopy (sSEM) of genetically labeled and contrast enhanced processes, spectral confocal reflectance (SCoRe) microscopy, and high-energy synchrotron X-ray microtomography (μCT) of large tissue volumes. We deploy the FLoRIN pipeline on newly published and novel mouse datasets, demonstrating the high biological fidelity of the pipeline’s reconstructions. FLoRIN reconstructions are of sufficient quality for preliminary biological study, for example examining the distribution and morphology of cells or extracting single axons from functional data. Compared to existing supervised learning methods, FLoRIN is one to two orders of magnitude faster and produces high-quality reconstructions that are tolerant to noise and artifacts, as is shown qualitatively and quantitatively.}, author = {Shabazi, Ali and Kinnison, Jeffery and Vescovi, Rafael and Du, Ming and Hill, Robert and Jösch, Maximilian A and Takeno, Marc and Zeng, Hongkui and Da Costa, Nuno and Grutzendler, Jaime and Kasthuri, Narayanan and Scheirer, Walter}, journal = {Scientific Reports}, number = {1}, publisher = {Nature Publishing Group}, title = {{Flexible learning-free segmentation and reconstruction of neural volumes}}, doi = {10.1038/s41598-018-32628-3}, volume = {8}, year = {2018}, } @article{620, abstract = {Clathrin-mediated endocytosis requires the coordinated assembly of various endocytic proteins and lipids at the plasma membrane. Accumulating evidence demonstrates a crucial role for phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2) in endocytosis, but specific roles for PtdIns(4)P other than as the biosynthetic precursor of PtdIns(4,5)P2 have not been clarified. In this study we investigated the role of PtdIns(4)P or PtdIns(4,5)P2 in receptor-mediated endocytosis through the construction of temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants for the PI 4-kinases Stt4p and Pik1p and the PtdIns(4) 5-kinase Mss4p. Quantitative analyses of endocytosis revealed that both the stt4(ts)pik1(ts) and mss4(ts) mutants have a severe defect in endocytic internalization. Live-cell imaging of endocytic protein dynamics in stt4(ts)pik1(ts) and mss4(ts) mutants revealed that PtdIns(4)P is required for the recruitment of the alpha-factor receptor Ste2p to clathrin-coated pits whereas PtdIns(4,5)P2 is required for membrane internalization. We also found that the localization to endocytic sites of the ENTH/ANTH domain-bearing clathrin adaptors, Ent1p/Ent2p and Yap1801p/Yap1802p, is significantly impaired in the stt4(ts)pik1(ts) mutant, but not in the mss4(ts) mutant. These results suggest distinct roles in successive steps for PtdIns(4)P and PtdIns(4,5)P2 during receptor-mediated endocytosis.}, author = {Yamamoto, Wataru and Wada, Suguru and Nagano, Makoto and Aoshima, Kaito and Siekhaus, Daria E and Toshima, Junko and Toshima, Jiro}, journal = {Journal of Cell Science}, number = {1}, publisher = {Company of Biologists}, title = {{Distinct roles for plasma membrane PtdIns 4 P and PtdIns 4 5 P2 during yeast receptor mediated endocytosis}}, doi = {10.1242/jcs.207696}, volume = {131}, year = {2018}, } @article{63, abstract = {African cichlids display a remarkable assortment of jaw morphologies, pigmentation patterns, and mating behaviors. In addition to this previously documented diversity, recent studies have documented a rich diversity of sex chromosomes within these fishes. Here we review the known sex-determination network within vertebrates, and the extraordinary number of sex chromosomes systems segregating in African cichlids. We also propose a model for understanding the unusual number of sex chromosome systems within this clade.}, author = {Gammerdinger, William J and Kocher, Thomas}, journal = {Genes}, number = {10}, publisher = {MDPI}, title = {{Unusual diversity of sex chromosomes in African cichlid fishes}}, doi = {10.3390/genes9100480}, volume = {9}, year = {2018}, } @article{6339, abstract = {We introduce a diagrammatic Monte Carlo approach to angular momentum properties of quantum many-particle systems possessing a macroscopic number of degrees of freedom. The treatment is based on a diagrammatic expansion that merges the usual Feynman diagrams with the angular momentum diagrams known from atomic and nuclear structure theory, thereby incorporating the non-Abelian algebra inherent to quantum rotations. Our approach is applicable at arbitrary coupling, is free of systematic errors and of finite-size effects, and naturally provides access to the impurity Green function. We exemplify the technique by obtaining an all-coupling solution of the angulon model; however, the method is quite general and can be applied to a broad variety of systems in which particles exchange quantum angular momentum with their many-body environment.}, author = {Bighin, Giacomo and Tscherbul, Timur and Lemeshko, Mikhail}, journal = {Physical Review Letters}, number = {16}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Diagrammatic Monte Carlo approach to angular momentum in quantum many-particle systems}}, doi = {10.1103/physrevlett.121.165301}, volume = {121}, year = {2018}, } @article{6354, abstract = {Blood platelets are critical for hemostasis and thrombosis, but also play diverse roles during immune responses. We have recently reported that platelets migrate at sites of infection in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, platelets use their ability to migrate to collect and bundle fibrin (ogen)-bound bacteria accomplishing efficient intravascular bacterial trapping. Here, we describe a method that allows analyzing platelet migration in vitro, focusing on their ability to collect bacteria and trap bacteria under flow.}, author = {Fan, Shuxia and Lorenz, Michael and Massberg, Steffen and Gärtner, Florian R}, issn = {2331-8325}, journal = {Bio-Protocol}, keywords = {Platelets, Cell migration, Bacteria, Shear flow, Fibrinogen, E. coli}, number = {18}, publisher = {Bio-Protocol}, title = {{Platelet migration and bacterial trapping assay under flow}}, doi = {10.21769/bioprotoc.3018}, volume = {8}, year = {2018}, } @article{6355, abstract = {We prove that any cyclic quadrilateral can be inscribed in any closed convex C1-curve. The smoothness condition is not required if the quadrilateral is a rectangle.}, author = {Akopyan, Arseniy and Avvakumov, Sergey}, issn = {2050-5094}, journal = {Forum of Mathematics, Sigma}, publisher = {Cambridge University Press}, title = {{Any cyclic quadrilateral can be inscribed in any closed convex smooth curve}}, doi = {10.1017/fms.2018.7}, volume = {6}, year = {2018}, } @article{6368, abstract = {An optical network of superconducting quantum bits (qubits) is an appealing platform for quantum communication and distributed quantum computing, but developing a quantum-compatible link between the microwave and optical domains remains an outstanding challenge. Operating at T < 100 mK temperatures, as required for quantum electrical circuits, we demonstrate a mechanically mediated microwave–optical converter with 47% conversion efficiency, and use a classical feed-forward protocol to reduce added noise to 38 photons. The feed-forward protocol harnesses our discovery that noise emitted from the two converter output ports is strongly correlated because both outputs record thermal motion of the same mechanical mode. We also discuss a quantum feed-forward protocol that, given high system efficiencies, would allow quantum information to be transferred even when thermal phonons enter the mechanical element faster than the electro-optic conversion rate.}, author = {Higginbotham, Andrew P and Burns, P. S. and Urmey, M. D. and Peterson, R. W. and Kampel, N. S. and Brubaker, B. M. and Smith, G. and Lehnert, K. W. and Regal, C. A.}, issn = {1745-2473}, journal = {Nature Physics}, number = {10}, pages = {1038--1042}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Harnessing electro-optic correlations in an efficient mechanical converter}}, doi = {10.1038/s41567-018-0210-0}, volume = {14}, year = {2018}, } @article{6369, abstract = {We construct a metamaterial from radio-frequency harmonic oscillators, and find two topologically distinct phases resulting from dissipation engineered into the system. These phases are distinguished by a quantized value of bulk energy transport. The impulse response of our circuit is measured and used to reconstruct the band structure and winding number of circuit eigenfunctions around a dark mode. Our results demonstrate that dissipative topological transport can occur in a wider class of physical systems than considered before.}, author = {Rosenthal, Eric I. and Ehrlich, Nicole K. and Rudner, Mark S. and Higginbotham, Andrew P and Lehnert, K. W.}, issn = {2469-9950}, journal = {Physical Review B}, number = {22}, publisher = {American Physical Society (APS)}, title = {{Topological phase transition measured in a dissipative metamaterial}}, doi = {10.1103/physrevb.97.220301}, volume = {97}, year = {2018}, } @article{64, abstract = {Tropical geometry, an established field in pure mathematics, is a place where string theory, mirror symmetry, computational algebra, auction theory, and so forth meet and influence one another. In this paper, we report on our discovery of a tropical model with self-organized criticality (SOC) behavior. Our model is continuous, in contrast to all known models of SOC, and is a certain scaling limit of the sandpile model, the first and archetypical model of SOC. We describe how our model is related to pattern formation and proportional growth phenomena and discuss the dichotomy between continuous and discrete models in several contexts. Our aim in this context is to present an idealized tropical toy model (cf. Turing reaction-diffusion model), requiring further investigation.}, author = {Kalinin, Nikita and Guzmán Sáenz, Aldo and Prieto, Y and Shkolnikov, Mikhail and Kalinina, V and Lupercio, Ernesto}, issn = {0027-8424}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America}, number = {35}, pages = {E8135 -- E8142}, publisher = {National Academy of Sciences}, title = {{Self-organized criticality and pattern emergence through the lens of tropical geometry}}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1805847115}, volume = {115}, year = {2018}, } @article{19806, abstract = {Transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) are renowned for their rich and varied bulk properties, while their single-layer variants have become one of the most prominent examples of two-dimensional materials beyond graphene. Their disparate ground states largely depend on transition metal d-electron-derived electronic states, on which the vast majority of attention has been concentrated to date. Here, we focus on the chalcogen-derived states. From density-functional theory calculations together with spin- and angle-resolved photoemission, we find that these generically host a co-existence of type-I and type-II three-dimensional bulk Dirac fermions as well as ladders of topological surface states and surface resonances. We demonstrate how these naturally arise within a single p-orbital manifold as a general consequence of a trigonal crystal field, and as such can be expected across a large number of compounds. Already, we demonstrate their existence in six separate TMDs, opening routes to tune, and ultimately exploit, their topological physics.}, author = {Bahramy, M. S. and Clark, O. J. and Yang, B.-J. and Feng, J. and Bawden, L. and Riley, J. M. and Marković, I. and Mazzola, F. and Sunko, Veronika and Biswas, D. and Cooil, S. P. and Jorge, M. and Wells, J. W. and Leandersson, M. and Balasubramanian, T. and Fujii, J. and Vobornik, I. and Rault, J. E. and Kim, T. K. and Hoesch, M. and Okawa, K. and Asakawa, M. and Sasagawa, T. and Eknapakul, T. and Meevasana, W. and King, P. D. C.}, issn = {1476-4660}, journal = {Nature Materials}, pages = {21--28}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Ubiquitous formation of bulk Dirac cones and topological surface states from a single orbital manifold in transition-metal dichalcogenides}}, doi = {10.1038/nmat5031}, volume = {17}, year = {2018}, } @article{19808, abstract = {The single-band, quasi-two dimensional metals PdCoO2 and PtCoO2 have recently come to prominence because of their extremely long mean free paths, which establish them as some of the most electronically pure materials known, and as potential hosts of previously unobservable regimes of electronic transport. To fully establish their magnetotransport properties, we have studied the magnetoresistance and Hall effect in bulk single crystals to which electrical contacts have been made with high precision using focused ion beam machining. We observe a strong temperature dependence of the Hall resistivity in small applied fields, linked to a large violation of Kohler’s rule in the magnetoresistance. We discuss the extent to which these observations can be accounted for by standard transport theory.}, author = {Nandi, Nabhanila and Scaffidi, Thomas and Kushwaha, Pallavi and Khim, Seunghyun and Barber, Mark E. and Sunko, Veronika and Mazzola, Federico and King, Philip D. C. and Rosner, Helge and Moll, Philip J. W. and König, Markus and Moore, Joel E. and Hartnoll, Sean and Mackenzie, Andrew P.}, issn = {2397-4648}, journal = {npj Quantum Materials}, publisher = {Springer Nature}, title = {{Unconventional magneto-transport in ultrapure PdCoO2 and PtCoO2}}, doi = {10.1038/s41535-018-0138-8}, volume = {3}, year = {2018}, } @article{19813, abstract = {We study the low-energy surface electronic structure of the transition-metal dichalcogenide superconductor PdTe2 by spin- and angle-resolved photoemission, scanning tunneling microscopy, and density-functional theory-based supercell calculations. Comparing PdTe2 with its sister compound PtSe2, we demonstrate how enhanced interlayer hopping in the Te-based material drives a band inversion within the antibonding 𝑝-orbital manifold well above the Fermi level. We show how this mediates spin-polarized topological surface states which form rich multivalley Fermi surfaces with complex spin textures. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy reveals type-II superconductivity at the surface, and moreover shows no evidence for an unconventional component of its superconducting order parameter, despite the presence of topological surface states.}, author = {Clark, O. J. and Neat, M. J. and Okawa, K. and Bawden, L. and Marković, I. and Mazzola, F. and Feng, J. and Sunko, Veronika and Riley, J. M. and Meevasana, W. and Fujii, J. and Vobornik, I. and Kim, T. K. and Hoesch, M. and Sasagawa, T. and Wahl, P. and Bahramy, M. S. and King, P. D. C.}, issn = {1079-7114}, journal = {Physical Review Letters}, number = {15}, publisher = {American Physical Society}, title = {{Fermiology and superconductivity of topological surface states in PdTe2}}, doi = {10.1103/physrevlett.120.156401}, volume = {120}, year = {2018}, } @article{19819, abstract = {The ability to modulate the collective properties of correlated electron systems at their interfaces and surfaces underpins the burgeoning field of “designer” quantum materials. Here, we show how an electronic reconstruction driven by surface polarity mediates a Stoner-like magnetic instability to itinerant ferromagnetism at the Pd-terminated surface of the nonmagnetic delafossite oxide metal PdCoO2. Combining angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and density-functional theory calculations, we show how this leads to a rich multiband surface electronic structure. We find similar surface state dispersions in PdCrO2, suggesting surface ferromagnetism persists in this sister compound despite its bulk antiferromagnetic order.}, author = {Mazzola, Federico and Sunko, Veronika and Khim, Seunghyun and Rosner, Helge and Kushwaha, Pallavi and Clark, Oliver J. and Bawden, Lewis and Marković, Igor and Kim, Timur K. and Hoesch, Moritz and Mackenzie, Andrew P. and King, Phil D. C.}, issn = {1091-6490}, journal = {Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences}, number = {51}, pages = {12956--12960}, publisher = {National Academy of Sciences}, title = {{Itinerant ferromagnetism of the Pd-terminated polar surface of PdCoO2}}, doi = {10.1073/pnas.1811873115}, volume = {115}, year = {2018}, } @article{199, abstract = {Sex-biased genes are central to the study of sexual selection, sexual antagonism, and sex chromosome evolution. We describe a comprehensive de novo assembled transcriptome in the common frog Rana temporaria based on five developmental stages and three adult tissues from both sexes, obtained from a population with karyotypically homomorphic but genetically differentiated sex chromosomes. This allows the study of sex-biased gene expression throughout development, and its effect on the rate of gene evolution while accounting for pleiotropic expression, which is known to negatively correlate with the evolutionary rate. Overall, sex-biased genes had little overlap among developmental stages and adult tissues. Late developmental stages and gonad tissues had the highest numbers of stage-or tissue-specific genes. We find that pleiotropic gene expression is a better predictor than sex bias for the evolutionary rate of genes, though it often interacts with sex bias. Although genetically differentiated, the sex chromosomes were not enriched in sex-biased genes, possibly due to a very recent arrest of XY recombination. These results extend our understanding of the developmental dynamics, tissue specificity, and genomic localization of sex-biased genes.}, author = {Ma, Wen and Veltsos, Paris and Toups, Melissa A and Rodrigues, Nicolas and Sermier, Roberto and Jeffries, Daniel and Perrin, Nicolas}, journal = {Genes}, number = {6}, publisher = {MDPI}, title = {{Tissue specificity and dynamics of sex biased gene expression in a common frog population with differentiated, yet homomorphic, sex chromosomes}}, doi = {10.3390/genes9060294}, volume = {9}, year = {2018}, } @article{20, abstract = {Background: Norepinephrine (NE) signaling has a key role in white adipose tissue (WAT) functions, including lipolysis, free fatty acid liberation and, under certain conditions, conversion of white into brite (brown-in-white) adipocytes. However, acute effects of NE stimulation have not been described at the transcriptional network level. Results: We used RNA-seq to uncover a broad transcriptional response. The inference of protein-protein and protein-DNA interaction networks allowed us to identify a set of immediate-early genes (IEGs) with high betweenness, validating our approach and suggesting a hierarchical control of transcriptional regulation. In addition, we identified a transcriptional regulatory network with IEGs as master regulators, including HSF1 and NFIL3 as novel NE-induced IEG candidates. Moreover, a functional enrichment analysis and gene clustering into functional modules suggest a crosstalk between metabolic, signaling, and immune responses. Conclusions: Altogether, our network biology approach explores for the first time the immediate-early systems level response of human adipocytes to acute sympathetic activation, thereby providing a first network basis of early cell fate programs and crosstalks between metabolic and transcriptional networks required for proper WAT function.}, author = {Higareda Almaraz, Juan and Karbiener, Michael and Giroud, Maude and Pauler, Florian and Gerhalter, Teresa and Herzig, Stephan and Scheideler, Marcel}, issn = {1471-2164}, journal = {BMC Genomics}, number = {1}, publisher = {BioMed Central}, title = {{Norepinephrine triggers an immediate-early regulatory network response in primary human white adipocytes}}, doi = {10.1186/s12864-018-5173-0}, volume = {19}, year = {2018}, } @phdthesis{200, abstract = {This thesis is concerned with the inference of current population structure based on geo-referenced genetic data. The underlying idea is that population structure affects its spatial genetic structure. Therefore, genotype information can be utilized to estimate important demographic parameters such as migration rates. These indirect estimates of population structure have become very attractive, as genotype data is now widely available. However, there also has been much concern about these approaches. Importantly, genetic structure can be influenced by many complex patterns, which often cannot be disentangled. Moreover, many methods merely fit heuristic patterns of genetic structure, and do not build upon population genetics theory. Here, I describe two novel inference methods that address these shortcomings. In Chapter 2, I introduce an inference scheme based on a new type of signal, identity by descent (IBD) blocks. Recently, it has become feasible to detect such long blocks of genome shared between pairs of samples. These blocks are direct traces of recent coalescence events. As such, they contain ample signal for inferring recent demography. I examine sharing of IBD blocks in two-dimensional populations with local migration. Using a diffusion approximation, I derive formulas for an isolation by distance pattern of long IBD blocks and show that sharing of long IBD blocks approaches rapid exponential decay for growing sample distance. I describe an inference scheme based on these results. It can robustly estimate the dispersal rate and population density, which is demonstrated on simulated data. I also show an application to estimate mean migration and the rate of recent population growth within Eastern Europe. Chapter 3 is about a novel method to estimate barriers to gene flow in a two dimensional population. This inference scheme utilizes geographically localized allele frequency fluctuations - a classical isolation by distance signal. The strength of these local fluctuations increases on average next to a barrier, and there is less correlation across it. I again use a framework of diffusion of ancestral lineages to model this effect, and provide an efficient numerical implementation to fit the results to geo-referenced biallelic SNP data. This inference scheme is able to robustly estimate strong barriers to gene flow, as tests on simulated data confirm.}, author = {Ringbauer, Harald}, issn = {2663-337X}, pages = {146}, publisher = {Institute of Science and Technology Austria}, title = {{Inferring recent demography from spatial genetic structure}}, doi = {10.15479/AT:ISTA:th_963}, year = {2018}, }