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Abstract

I thank my supervisor, Robert Giegerich, for providing me with an interesting research topic and for his support throughout the years, both scientifically, as well as by offering me the chance to continue my work while taking care of my daughter. Thanks also to Jens Stoye for appraising this thesis. I thank Peter Steffen who developed the ADP compiler that is an integral part of the Locomotif system and adapted it for my needs. I thank Jan Krüger for help in installing the system on the webserver and for guidance in XML and Java questions. Nan Zhang gave me a headstart on the XML schema. I appreciate the financial support from the DFG. I enjoyed being part of the GK Bioin-formatik and value travel opportunities and scientific merit of the BREW workshops in Helsinki and Berlin. I thank Jens Reeder for many ideas, discussions, hours spent debugging the Locomotif system and proofreading this thesis, but most of all for his enduring emotional support over all these years. I am deeply grateful for my daughter Emma