While there has been a substantial body of research on interest group activity in U.S. federal courts, there has been comparatively little analysis of interest group engagement with state courts. Given that state courts adjudicate the vast majority of cases in the American legal system and very few cases are appealed to the Supreme Court, understanding why organized interests participate in these courts is of great importance. The present study analyzes interest group involvement as amicus curiae in all state courts of last resort from 1995-1999 to examine what factors motivate organized interests to turn to the courts. The results indicate that interest groups are primarily motivated by their policy goals in deciding which cases to file amicus briefs in, but that they are limited in their ability to file by institutional constraints unique to state courts of last resort. This research provides insight into interest group behavior, state courts and the role organized interests play in influencing legal outcomes in the American states.

Bakgrund: Ett problem med sista mil leveranser är att kunderna sätter höga krav på snabba och bekväma leveranser vilket har bidragit till en ökning av sista mil leveranser under de senaste åren. Införandet av energisnåla och utsläppsfria fordon som el- lastcyklar kan leda till att minska negativa externaliteter i trafiken. En annan logistisklösning som är smidig samt miljövänlig är paketskåp. Användning av paketskåp gör det att transporter, leveranser och upphämtning av paket går snabbt och effektivt.  Syfte: Syftet med studien är att analysera logistiklösningar genom leveransprocessen och de logistiklösningar som behandlas är: cykelleveranser och paketskåp.  Metod:Examensarbetet grundas i en kvalitativ forskningsmetod med en abduktiv ansats. Fyra intervjuer genomfördes med två olika transportföretag i Malmö. Utgångspunkten i studien är den teoretiska referensramen som byggs på tidigare forskning i form av vetenskapliga artiklar. Resultatet av intervjuerna har byggt upp det empiriska kapitlet.  Resultat:Analysen tyder på att sista milen leder generellt till högre kostnader för transportföretag samt orsakar föroreningar och trängsel. Effektivisering av logistiklösningar bidrar till högre produktivitet samt förbättrad hållbarhet i staden. Resultatet redogör även att effektivisering av leveransprocessen genom aspekter som leveranssäkerhet, korta leveranstider samt leveranspålitlighet skapar kundlojalitet och ökar företagets attraktivitet. De slutsatserna som kan dras är att cykelleveranser och paketskåp kan bidra till effektiva sista mil leveranser. Vidare visar studien att effektivisering av logistiklösningar medför till en högre produktivitet och förbättrad leveransservice. Kundernas krav på hög leveransservice med korta leveranstider, god flexibilitet och leveranssäkerhet leder till att företag anpassar sina leveransprocesser för att kunna uppfylla kraven. / Background: A problem that exists in The Last Mile Delivery is customer’s high demands on fast and efficient deliveries which has led to the reason that last mile has increased significantly in recent years. The introduction of energy efficiency and emission- free vehicles as electric cargo bikes can reduce the negative externalities in traffic. Another logistics solution that is flexible and helps to preserve the environment is parcel lockers. The use of parcel lockers means that transport, deliveries, and collection of parcels are fast and efficient.  Purpose: The purpose of this study is to analyze logistics solutions within the delivery process and these solutions are bike delivery and parcel lockers.  Method: This paper is based on a qualitative research method and an abductive approach. Four different interviews were carried out with two different transport companies in Malmo, which led to the results being used for the empirical research and analysis. The focus for this study is to build upon the theoretical work of scientific research articles.  Result: The analysis indicates that the last mile leads to high cost for transport companies and contributes to pollution and congestion. This has led to new efficient transport system with purpose to efficient logistics solution that brings higher productivity and improved sustainability in the city. The result shows that delivery process efficiency has different aspect that increases the company’s attractiveness and creates loyal customers. These aspects are delivery security, short delivery time and reliability. This study concludes that bike deliveries and parcel lockers can contribute to effective last mile deliveries. The conclusion also shows that the relationship between the company and customer plays a big part if the communication is not good that customer would not buy more goods.

Syfte:​ Syftet med studien har varit att undersöka pandemins påverkan på sista års gymnasieelever från Sverige och Serbien. I undersökningen studeras faktorer som elevernas vardagsrutiner, distansstudier, framtidssikter, sociala faktorer, tillhörighet samt tillit. Utifrån detta har det genomförts en jämförelse mellan Sverige och Serbien. ​Teori:​ De teoretiska perspektiven som i studien behandlas är begreppen Tillit, Fara & Risk utifrån Anthony Giddens (1996) samt begreppet Tillhörighet utifrån Vanessa May (2013). ​Metod:​ En kvantitativ metod har i studien tillämpats med enkäter som insamlingsmetod för empiriskt material. Datan har analyserats genom Univariat- och Bivariat analys. Studien är inte generaliserbar eftersom det i hänvisats ett snöbollsurval. ​Resultat:​ Resultatet är omfattande och har visat att vissa faktorer påverkat eleverna från Sverige i större utsträckning och andra faktorer eleverna från Serbien i större utsträckning. ​Slutsats:​ Det har genom studien påvisats att eleverna från respektive land har påverkats i varierande grad. Sista års gymnasieelever från Sverige och Serbien har påverkats negativt vid majoriteten faktorer som undersökts i studien till följd av pandemin COVID-19. Eleverna från Sverige har i större utsträckning påverkats negativt när det gäller deras framtidsplaner, men även har deras vardag i större utsträckning påverkats negativt. Studien visar även att de har mindre tillförlitlighet för myndigheterna. Däremot har eleverna från Serbien i större utsträckning påverkats negativt vid sociala faktorer. / Objective:​ The aim of the study was to investigate the pandemic effects on last year's high school students from Sweden and Serbia. In the study, I studied factors such as student’s everyday routines, distance studies, future prospects, social factors, belonging and trust. Based on this, it has done a comparison of Sweden and Serbia. ​Theory:​ The theoretical perspectives covered in the study are the concepts of Trust, Danger & Risk from Anthony Giddens (1996) and the concept of Belonging from Vanessa May (2013). ​Method:​ A quantitative method was used in the study with surveys as a collection method for the empirical material. The data has been analyzed through Univariate- and Bivariate analysis. The study is not generalizable because a snowball selection was used. ​Results:​ The results are comprehensive and have shown that some factors have affected the students from Sweden to a greater extent and other factors the students from Serbia to a greater extent. ​Conclusion: The study has shown that the students from each country have been affected to varying degrees. Last year's high school students from Sweden and Serbia were negatively affected by the majority of factors examined in the study as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The students from Sweden have been negatively affected to a greater extent with regard to their future plans, and their everyday lives have also been negatively affected to a greater extent. The study also shows that they have less trust for the authorities in Sweden. On the other hand, students from Serbia have been negatively affected to a greater extent by social factors as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Art of Jesuit Chapels of the Deceased The theme of this work is presentation of Jesuit Chapel of the Deceased in Bohemia in the Baroque period. The main idea of these chapels are the last idea of man and reminder to purgatory. The presence of purgatory was unquestionable for Baroque society and very often presentation in art. Purgatory was place, which gives hope to the Catholics for salvation and it was great occasional for using special symbols and emblems, it is a way how the remind a believer to the idea of the Last Judgment.

Analyses of suicide notes have been conducted from varied perspectives in both linguistics and psychology. Not only have these studies added considerable value to the study of suicide, but they have also enriched the field of forensic linguistics. By analysing suicide notes, researchers are able to speculate about the state of mind of a suicidal individual from a psychological perspective, as well as gain insights into the characteristics of this genre from a linguistic perspective. Studies of suicide notes that are most relevant to forensic linguistics are those that compare authentic and fabricated suicide notes to determine whether these types of suicide notes may be distinguished from one another. Although the literature on suicide notes includes multiple studies that consider the differences between authentic and fabricated suicide notes, none seems to consider the fact that there might not be distinct differences between these types of suicide notes. Past studies also do not seem to consider that it might not be possible to determine whether a single suicide note is authentic or not. The present study fills this gap by considering authentic and fabricated suicide notes as indistinguishable texts. In this study, appraisal theory is used as the main theory of linguistic analysis to prove that authentic and fabricated suicide notes do not have distinct linguistic characteristics that can be used to differentiate them and that aiming to authenticate suicide notes might be a very risky and problematic undertaking. The results indicate that based on the theories and methods discussed in this thesis, it is not possible to successfully distinguish between authentic and fabricated suicide notes. It appears that, overall, the suicide notes included here would be more suited to analyses aimed at determining authorship identification or verification than analyses aimed at authenticating suicide notes. Accordingly, the study contributes not only to research concerned with the analysis of suicide notes but also to that concerned with forensic linguistics. Furthermore, the study includes analyses of South African suicide notes, and specifically Afrikaans suicide notes, which has not been attempted in previous research. / Tshekatsheko ya mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya e dirilwe go tswa mahlakoreng ao a fapanego ka go bobedi dithutapolelo le dithutamahlale tsa menagano. Dinyakisiso tse ga se tsa oketsa boleng bjo bogolo fela go dinyakisiso ka ga ditiragalo tsa go ipolaya, eupsa di humisitse gape lekala la dithutapolelo tsa mabapi le batho bao ba ipolailego. Ka go sekaseka mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya, banyakisisi gape ba kgona go akanya mabapi le seemo sa monagano sa motho yo a ipolailego ka lehlakoreng la tsa menagano, gammogo le go hwetsa tsebo mabapi le dipharologantshi tsa mohuta wo wa sengwalwa ka lehlakoreng la dithutapolelo. Dinyakisiso tsa mabapi le mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya tseo di nyalelanago kudu le dithutapolelo tsa mabapi le batho ba go ipolaya ke tseo di bapetsago mangwalo a go ipolaya a makgonthe le a bofora go tseba ge eba mehuta ye ya mangwalo a batho ba go ipolaya a ka faralogantshwa le a mangwe. Le ge e le gore dingwalwa tsa mabapi le mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya di akaretsa dinyakisiso tse ntsi tseo di hlokometsego go fapana magareng ga mangwalo a batho ba go ipolaya a makgonthe le a bofora, ga go seo se hlokometsego ntlha ya gore go ka no se be le diphapano magareng ga mehuta ye ya mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya. Dinyakisiso tse di dirilwego mo nakong ye e fetilego le tsona di bonala di sa hlokomele ntlha ya gore go ka no se kgonagale go tseba ge eba lengwalo le tee leo le ngwadilwego ke motho wa go ipolaya ke la makgonthe goba aowa. Dinyakisiso tse di tlatsa sekgoba se ka go bona mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya a makgonthe le a bofora bjalo ka dingwalwa tseo di ka farologanywago. Ka mo dinyakisisong tse, teori ya go utolla tshekatsheko ya maikutlo e a somiswa bjalo ka teori ye kgolo ya go sekaseka polelo ka nepo ya go laetsa gore mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya a makgonthe le a bofora ga a na le dipharologantshi tse di bonagalago tse di ka somiswago go a farologanya le gore go ikemisetsa go dira gore mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya ke a makgonthe go ka ba mosomo o kotsi kudu le wo o nago le mathata. Dipoelo di laetsa gore go ya ka diteori le mekgwa ye e ahlaahlwago ka mo thesesing ye, ga go kgonagale go farologanya ka katlego phapano magareng ga mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya a makgonthe le a bofora. Go bonala gore, ka kakaretso, mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya ao a akareditswego ka mo a tla lokela kudu go tshekatsheko ye e ikemiseditsego go tseba motho yo a ngwadilego lengwalo la go ipolaya goba tiisetso go feta tshekatsheko ye e ikemiseditsego go tiisetsa gore mangwalo ao a mabapi le go ipolaya a ngwadilwe ke bomang. Ka se, dinyakisiso ga di tsenye letsogo fela go dinyakisiso tsa mabapi le tshekatsheko ya mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya, eupsa gape mabapi le dithutapolelo tsa mabapi le batho bao ba ipolailego. Godimo ga fao, dinyakisiso di akaretsa tshekatsheko ya mangwalo ao a ngwadilwego ke batho ba go ipolaya ka mo Afrika Borwa, gomme kudukudu mangwalo a go ngwalwa ka Seafrikantshe a batho bao ba ipolailego, e lego seo se sego sa dirwa ka dinyakisisong tse di fetilego. / Ukuhlaziywa kwamanothi ezehlakalo zokuzikhunga/zokuzibulala kudala kwenziwa ngokwemiqondo eyehlukahlukene ngezindlela ezimbili ngokwelingwistiki nangokwengqondo. Izifundo zocwaningo azikhulisanga kuphela ukubaluleka kocwaningo olumayelana nokuzikhunga kuphela, kodwa ziphinde zanothisa umkhakha weforensiki yelingwistiki. Ngokuhlaziya amanothi amayelana nocwaningo, abacwaningi bayakwazi ukwenza umhlahlo ngesimo somqondo womuntu ozikhungayo ngokomqondo wezengqondo, kanye nangokuzuza ulwazi olumayelana nezimpawu zalo mkhakha ngokomqondo welingwistiki. Izimfundo ezimayelana namanothi ashiywa ngabantu abazibulalayo ahlobene kakhulu neforensiki yelingwistiki yilawo aqhathanisa amanothi okuzibulala oqobo nalawo angamanothimbumbulu, ukucacisa kahle ukuthi mhlawumbe lezi zinhlobo zamanothi angahlukaniswa kwamanye. Yize umbhalo wobuciko omayelana namanothi okuzibulala axuba izimfundo zocwaningo eziningi ezigxile kwimehluko ephakathi kwamanothi okuzibulala oqobo nalawo okuzakhela/ambumbulu, akhekho obheka udaba lokuthi kungahle kungabi khona umehluko ogqamile phakathi kwalezi zinhlobo zamanothi okuzibulala. Izimfundo zocwaningo zesikhathi esedlule nazo azilubheki udaba lokuthi angekhe kwenzeka ukuthi kutholakale ukuthi mhlawumbe inothi lokuzibulala ngabe elangempela noma yinothimbumbulu. Isifundo samanje sivala lesi sikhala ngokuthatha amanothi angempela namanothimbumbulu njengemibhalo engahlukaniseki. Kulesi sifundo socwaningo, ithiyori yokuhlola isetshenziswe njengethiyori eyinsika yokuhlaziya ilingwistiki ukukhombisa ukuthi amanothi okuzibulala angempela nalawo okuzakhela akanazo izimpawu ezibaphawulekayo ezingasetshenziswa ukuwehlukanisa kanti lokho kuqonde ukuqinisekisa ukuthi amanothi okuzibulala kungenzeka abe wumsebenzi onobungozi obukhulu kanye nenkinga enkulu. Imiphumela ikhombisa ukuthi ngokwamathiyori nangezindlela ezixoxwe kule thiyori, kunzima ukuphumelela uthole umehluko phakathi mwamanothi angempela nalawo ambumbulu. Ngaphezu kwalokho, kuyakhombisa ukuthi, amanothi okuzibulala aqukethwe lapha azohambisana kakhulu nolwazi oluhlaziyiwe oluqonde ukuthola umnini wenothi noma ukuqinisekisa kunolwazi oluhlaziyiwe oluhlose ukuqinisekisa umbhali wamanothi okuzibulala. Ngokosiko lwakhona, isifundo asifakanga kuphela igalelo kucwaningo kuphela ngokuhlaziya amanothi okuzibulala, kanti lokho futhi kumayelana neforensiki yelingwistiki. Ngaphezu kwalokho, ucwaningo luqukethe ulwazi oluhlaziyiwe lwamanothi okuzibulala eNingizimu Afrika, ikakhulu amanothi okuzibulala abhalwe ngesiBhunu, angakazwe alokothwe kucwaningo lwesikhathi esedlule. / Linguistics and Modern Languages / Ph. D. (Forensic Linguistics)

The interest in autonomous surveillance has increased due to advances in autonomous systems and sensor theory. This thesis is a preliminary study of the cooperation between UGVs and stationary sensors when monitoring a dedicated area. The primary focus is the path planning of a UGV for different initial intrusion alarms. Cell decomposition, i.e., spatial partitioning, of the area of surveillance was utilized, and the objective function is based on the probability of a present intruder in each cell. These probabilities were modeled through two different methods: ExpPlanner, utilizing an exponential decay function. Markov planner, utilizing a Markov chain to propagate the probabilities. The performance of both methods improves when a confident alarm system is utilized. By prioritizing the direction of the planned paths, the performances improved further. The Markov planner outperforms the ExpPlanner in finding a randomly walking intruder. The ExpPlanner is suitable for passive surveillance, and the Markov planner is suitable for ”aggressive target hunting”.

Background: In recent times, last mile deliveries have become critical as these deliveries are generally considered to be the most expensive, least efficient and most polluted part of the entire logistics chain (De Kervenoael, Schwob & Chandra 2020; McKinnon & Edwards 2009). Consumer demands for fast and flexible deliveries are not very easy to combine with the highest possible sustainability focus (PostNord 2018). By informing about different transport alternatives and vehicle types, the consumer gets the opportunity to influence their own environmental impact when making a purchase (Buldeo Rai, Verlinde & Macharis 2019). Despite the fact that companies today have better possibilities to share data about their environmental practices with the end customer, there is still a lack of such information on the website. Few companies adopt effective web-based communications that inform their stakeholders about their sustainable behaviors (Da Giau, Macchion, Caniato, Caridi, Danese, Rinaldi & Vinelli 2016).  Theory: A theoretical research model “Green web communication” has been developed based on the theories 3’C and OSEC. The theory ten signs of greenwash has also been applied to identify signs of greenwash.  Purpose and research question: The purpose of the study is to map out various alternatives for green marketing within the last mile, to increase the understanding of how ecommerce companies can influence consumers to a more conscious delivery choice. Furthermore, the paper aims to study how the web communication should be developed to avoid greenwashing. In order to answer the purpose, the following research questions have been formulated: How do e-commerce companies communicate green deliveries on the website? In what way can green web communication show signs of greenwashing? How is web communication presented in relation to what is expressed internally?  Methodology: To answer the research question a qualitative method was conducted with a constructivism approach. First a qualitative content analysis was performed on the website of sixteen e-commerce companies, divided into four different industries. The second method involved three semi-structured interviews with representatives of the selected companies Skincity, CDON and Ellos.  Conclusion: Communication about green deliveries appeared frequently at the e-commerce companies’ check-out compared with the information page, home page and group’s website. The representation of green commitments appeared in varying degrees in the form of eco-labels, symbols or information text. Furthermore, the green sustainability commitments were expressed in different ways where the content could be found in various green statements: climate compensation, CO2 emissions or green policy. The web communication also showed that transparency was lacking in far too many aspects as the communication could be identified as greenwashing in several cases. Greenwashing was identified when analyzing the green web communication in aspects of no proof and fluffy language. The internal communication from representatives of the e-commerce companies differed from the communication on the websites. This indicates a discrepancy between the internal and the external communication which neglects the e-companies sustainability commitments. / Bakgrund: På senare tid har last mile leveranser blivit ett kritiskt område då leveranserna iallmänhet anses vara de dyraste, minst effektiva och mest förorenade delen i hela logistikkedjan(De Kervenoael, Schwob & Chandra 2020; McKinnon & Edwards 2009). Konsumentens kravpå snabba och flexibla leveranser är inte särskilt enkla att förena med högsta möjligahållbarhetsfokus (PostNord 2018). Genom att informera om olika transportalternativ ochfordonstyper får konsumenten möjlighet att påverka sin egna miljöpåverkan vid ett köp (BuldeoRai, Verlinde & Macharis 2019). Trots det faktum att företag har större möjligheter att deladata om sin miljömässiga praxis med slutkunden finns de fortfarande en brist av sådaninformation på webbplatsen. Få företag antar effektiv webbaserad kommunikation sominformerar sina intressenter om deras hållbara beteenden (Da Giau, Macchion, Caniato, Caridi,Danese, Rinaldi & Vinelli 2016).  Teori: En teoretisk undersökningsmodell “Grön webbkommunikation” har utvecklats baseratpå teorierna 3’C och OSEC. Teorin ten signs of greenwash har vidare tillämpats för attidentifiera tecken på greenwash.  Syfte och forskningsfråga: Syftet med studien är att kartlägga olika alternativ för grönmarknadsföring av last mile, samt att bidra med en ökad förståelse kring hur e-handelsföretagenkan påverka konsumenten till ett medvetet leveransval. Vidare ska även studien beröra hurkommunikationen på webbplatsen bör utformas för att undvika greenwashing. För att besvarasyftet har följande forskningsfrågor utformats: Hur kommunicerar företag gröna leveranser påwebbplatsen? På vilket sätt kan den gröna webbkommunikationen visa tecken pågreenwashing? Hur framställs webbkommunikationen gentemot resonemang som uttrycksinternt?  Metod: Denna studie genomfördes med en kvalitativ metod som är av konstruktivistiskkaraktär. Först utfördes en kvalitativ innehållsanalys på webbplatsen av sexton e-handelsföretagsom delades in i fyra olika branscher. Den andra metoden innefattar tre semistruktureradeintervjuer med företrädare från de utvalda företagen Skincity, CDON och Ellos.  Slutsats: Kommunikation om gröna leveranser framkom frekvent på e-handelsaktörernascheck-out jämfört med webbplatsens informationssida, startsida samt koncernens webbplats.Framställningen av gröna åtaganden förekom i miljömärkning, symbol eller informationstext ivarierande grad. Vidare uttrycktes de gröna hållbarhetsåtaganden på olika sätt där innehålletgick att härleda till olika gröna påståenden: klimatkompensera, CO2-utsläpp eller grön policy.Webbkommunikationen uppvisade en låg grad av transparens och flertalet brister i allt förmånga avseenden då man ofta kunde härleda kommunikationen till greenwashing.Greenwashing identifierades vid granskning av fallförtagens gröna kommunikation som gickatt härleda till no proof och fluffy language. Den interna kommunikationen skiljer sig mot denkommunikation som fanns att tillgå webbplatsen. Det råder således en diskrepans mellan deninterna och externa kommunikationen vilket försummar aktörens hållbarhetåtaganden.

Present thesis aims at revealing both touching points and different points of departure in Nietzsche's and Dostoevsky's concept of superman by using so called philosophical- anthropological approach to the questions matter. It takes into account not only complete context of oeuvre of both authors but also wider cultural and historical context of their time. Basic point of departure of this thesis is expectation of crucial position of man in the oeuvre of Nietzsche and Dostoevsky as well, both understanding man as essentially defined as free to choice. Analysis of characteristics defining essence of man leads after to elaboration of idea of superman - conclusion of final judgement of human beings' essential characteristics and visions of future principle of man. Having closely analysed particular landmarks on the way from man to superman in the form of particular types of relations to each person's being and freedom - last man, upper man and superman (or common and exceptional man) - we are arriving to systematic comparison of motif of superman in the thinking of both authors, to associated concepts (negative and positive freedom, suppression of nihilism and so on) and finally to its general meaning. KEY WORDS F. Nietzsche, F. M. Dostoevsky, superman, freedom, nihilism, upper man, last man, will to...

In this thesis, phylogenomic and comparative structural analyses of several widespread energy converting enzymes were performed. The focus was on the major subfamilies of the enzymes that process nucleoside triphosphates (ATP and GTP) and on some key enzymes of the electron transfer chains. First, we analyzed the P-loop GTPases, RadA/RecA recombinases, chaperone GroEL, branched-chain α-ketoacid dehydrogenase kinases, chaperone Hsc70, actins, and membrane pyrophosphatases. In the each inspected family we could identify (1) members which were potassium-dependent and/or contained K+ ions in the active site, and (2) potassium-independent enzymes with lysine or arginine residues as catalytic groups that occupy the positions of potassium ions in the homologous, K+-dependent enzymes. Based on the results of our analyses, we suggest that the appearance of the K+-binding sites could precede in evolution the recruitment of positively charged residues (lysine or arginine "fingers") with the latter providing more possibilities to control the enzyme reactions. Second, we have described the distinctive features of a phylogenetically separated subfamily of rotary membrane ATPases which we named N-ATPases. The N-ATPases have a specific operon organization with two additional subunits, absent in other rotary ATPases, and a complete set of Na+-binding ligands in the membrane c-subunits. We made a prediction, which was later confirmed, that these enzymes are capable of Na+ translocation across the membrane and may confer salt tolerance on marine prokaryotes. Third, phylogenomic analysis of the cytochrome bc complexes suggests that these enzyme complexes initially emerged within the bacteria and were then transferred to archaea via lateral gene transfer on several independent occasions. Our analysis indicates that the ancestral form of the cytochrome bc complex was a b6f-type complex; the fusion of the cytochrome b6 and the subunit IV to a "long" cytochrome b of the cytochrome bc1 complexes could have happened in different lineages independently. Fourth, our phylogenomic and comparative structural analyses of the cytochrome bc1 complex and of cytochrome c allowed us to trace how these enzymes became involved in triggering of apoptosis in Metazoa. We could trace the emergence of a specific cardiolipin-binding site within the cytochrome bc complex and the evolution of structural traits that account for the involvement of the cytochrome c as a trigger of apoptosis in vertebrates.

Geomorphic features have been one of the major tools for sea-level change studies. The present work shows an example of sea-level change study on karst terrain in the tropics. Sea-level notches as well as flank margin caves were identified in the research area and their elevation measured. The time of formation of the sea-level indicators was constrained by lithology study and dating methods such as facies comparison and U-Th dating. Denudation and uplift were also studied for the same purpose. From this study it can be concluded that sea-level stands within the glacial cycle can cause the formation of flank margin caves and that the position of these sea-level stands can be determined. The research area was estimated to have cumulatively uplifted ~22 m in the past 125 ka years (~0.18 mm/yr) while the surface has been denuded some 8 m in the same span of time (~0.064 mm/yr).