  We consider the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky (KS) equation in one spatial dimension
with periodic boundary conditions. We apply a Lyapunov function argument
similar to the one first introduced by Nicolaenko, Scheurer, and Temam, and
later improved by Collet, Eckmann, Epstein and Stubbe, and Goodman, to prove
that ||u||_2 < C L^1.5. This result is slightly weaker than that recently
announced by Giacomelli and Otto, but applies in the presence of an additional
linear destabilizing term. We further show that for a large class of Lyapunov
functions \phi the exponent 1.5 is the best possible from this line of
argument. Further, this result together with a result of Molinet gives an
improved estimate for L_2 boundedness of the Kuramoto-Sivashinsky equation in
thin rectangular domains in two spatial dimensions.
