With rapid adoption of cloud solutions across industries, energy consumed by server farms continues to rise. There are numerous approaches to reduce energy consumption in data centres, and one of the approaches is to use energy-aware policies, which focus on how servers should be operated in order to achieve energy saving and meet service level agreements (SLA). In this thesis, we focus on studying a single server model with dynamic voltage scaling (DVS), presenting a framework with explicit solutions to solve for performance metrics and energy consumption. Our framework is convenient and in- tuitive, one can easily identify expected response time and expected energy consumption for a given policy. In addition, we also provide insights on how the value of the faster service rate and the choice of when to use speed scaling impact energy consumption and performance metrics. / Thesis / Master of Computer Science (MCS)

In this dissertation, my focus is on understanding distribution channel conflict, its relationship with efficient channel governance and its impact on channel performance. In particular, I will study (1) how the channel conflict can be defined and interpreted, (2) how channel conflict can affect channel governance, (3) what would be the performance outcomes of channel conflict, and (4) how channel conflict can be managed. My theoretical frameworks borrow mainly from transaction cost economics theory (TCE), and strategic marketing. On the empirical side, I employ several methods including meta-analysis (Two-Stage SEM) as well as different econometrics techniques such as Conditional Mixed-Process (CMP) regression estimation. My data comes from diverse sources and are mainly hand collected and created from archival sources. For the meta-analysis study, I extract empirical results of more than 100 studies on channel conflict since the 1960s. For the other empirical efforts, the data comes from various sources. The major data collection undertakings include extracting and integrating data from: (1) Franchise Disclosure Document (FDD) of more than 1000 franchise firms, (2) firms records, and (3) specific franchise rankings such as Entrepreneur and Franchise Times’ rankings spanning from 2004 to 2015. The dissertation comprises following broad inter-related chapters (excluding Introduction and Conclusion chapters): (1) Managing Channel Conflict: Insights from the Current Literature, (2) Conflict and Performance in Channels: A Meta-Analysis, (3) Channel Conflict: Bad for Business?, (4) Adapting to Channel Conflict: An Empirical Study?, and (5) Two Views on Channel Conflict. Chapter 1 is a compendium on channel conflict that not only provides a comprehensive literature review on channel conflict (since the 1960s) but also identifies gaps and provides some managerial perspectives on channel conflict. One of the identified gaps in Chapter 1 revolves around the role of channel conflict and its relationship with other inter-firm constructs. In Chapter 2, I build on this identified gap by conducting a comprehensive meta-analysis study using Two-Stage SEM (TSSEM) method to aggregate the previous findings on channel conflict and its relationship with other inter-firm constructs particularly channel performance. I also investigate the potential moderators of the conflict-performance link. Chapters 1 and 2 set the stage for the next empirical work. One of the enduring debates in the channel domain is about the functionality and dysfunctionality of channel conflict. In Chapter 3, I address this directly by exploring the non-linear (inverted U-shaped) relationship between channel conflict and performance. While Chapter 3 explores the empirical relation between conflict and performance, another understudied but important research question is about how firms react to channel conflict. Such reactions can span the range from relying on relational norms to more explicit adjustment in channel governance. In Chapter 4, I address this by examining the effect of manifest channel conflict on channel governance, controlling for relational norms. In particular, I study how firms adapt their channel governance following litigation. Finally, Chapter 5 is a reflection on the body of knowledge that I have investigated above. This chapter will provide two views on channel conflict by comparing two different channel conflict conceptualizations. I illustrate the differences between these two views by comparing them based on firms’ objectives, conflict characteristics, and managerial approaches toward channel conflict, providing real-world examples of how firms approach and manage channel conflict. / Thesis / Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) / In this dissertation, my focus is on understanding distribution channel conflict, its relationship with efficient channel governance and its impact on channel performance. Channel conflict is an endemic phenomenon. The advent of new technologies (such as Internet-of-Things enabled monitoring systems) and the emergence of the Internet as a primary medium of business transactions have brought big changes to channel management. Use of multiple channels to reach consumers and exchange value with business partners have become much more common with these changes. While channel conflict has always been an important business concern, these have rekindled the interest and attention of researchers and managers to the phenomena. In this dissertation, I investigate the phenomenon of channel conflict and its effect on channel governance and business performance by conducting several independent studies spanning different research methods. The research findings will address gaps in the extant research literature as well as offer both theoretical and practical insights for researchers and practitioners interested in distribution channels strategy and management.

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Today, power consumption costs supercomputer centers millions of dollars annually and the heat produced can reduce system reliability and availability. Achieving high performance while reducing power consumption is challenging since power and performance are inextricably interwoven; reducing power often results in degradation in performance. This thesis aims to address these challenges by providing theories, techniques, and tools to 1) accurately predict performance and improve it in systems with advanced hierarchical memories, 2) understand and evaluate power and its impacts on performance, 3) control power and performance for maximum efficiency. Our theories, techniques, and tools have been applied to high-end computing systems. Our theroetical models can improve algorithm performance by up to 59% and accurately predict the impacts of power on performance. Our techniques can evaluate power consumption of high-end computing systems and their applications with fine granularity and save up to 36% energy with little performance degradation. / Ph. D.

Creatine kinase (CK) primarily serves as an energy buffer assisting in regulating ATP homeostasis through synthesis of ATP from ADP and phosphocreatine (PCr). This enzyme is bound in the sarcomere near sites of ATP consumption via acto-myosin ATPase (A‧M‧ATPase) and research in cardiac muscle has found that PCr can alter contractile performance (maximal isometric force and Ca²⁺ sensitivity). Based on this evidence, CK and A‧M‧ATPase may be coupled in skeletal muscle. Therefore the purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of the CK system on contractile performance and energy utilization in skeletal muscle. When skinned fibers (membrane removed) were provided a limited supply of [ATP] (0.1 mM), this resulted in increased Ca²⁺ sensitivity. The addition of PCr to low ATP solutions restored Ca²⁺ sensitivity and allowed normal isometric force generation across a range of [Ca²⁺] via ATP synthesis by CK. This was also possible with only CK reaction substrates (ADP, PCr) in the absence of ATP. Based on these findings, endogenous CK activity in glycerol skinned skeletal muscle fibers is sufficient to permit normal function of the contractile apparatus. Energy utilization was studied by indirect assessment of ADP production. Decreased net ADP production as measured by NADH fluorescence revealed endogenous CK was able to convert ADP produced by A‧M‧ATPase to ATP in skeletal muscle across a range of both [Ca²⁺] and [ATP]. This was confirmed directly via high-performance liquid chromatography measurements of ATP and ADP by showing that skinned skeletal muscle bundles have sufficient endogenous CK activity to produce ATP from substrates (ADP, PCr) and the ability to maintain low [ADP] in the presence of PCr. This study adds to the evidence for specific compartmentation of CK near sites of ATP utilization and contributes to the body of knowledge on contractile performance in skinned skeletal muscle fibers. By showing how changing demands on skeletal muscle (through increased Ca²⁺) alters force production and Ca²⁺ sensitivity, these findings lend support for the importance of endogenous CK as a pathway of ATP regeneration in skeletal muscle. / Ph. D.

La valeur initiale des différents phénotypes musculaires est prédictive de la performance tant dans le cadre d'une activité physique ponctuelle chez l'individu sédentaire que du degré d'amélioration à la suite d'un programme d'entraînement. Les variations observées sont plus faibles chez les individus ayant des valeurs initiales plus élevées. Toutefois, la notion de valeur initiale s'applique aussi hors du contexte de l'entraînement, ce qui a été démontré dans cette thèse avec deux études chez le rongeur. En général, les améliorations des phénotypes musculaires sont importantes chez les sujets inactifs démontrant des valeurs initiales généralement plus basses. La réponse à l'exercice considérée comme une valeur normale/optimale doit être basée sur les phénotypes musculaires de l'athlète, puisque le muscle squelettique comme d'autres tissus de l'organisme possède une grande plasticité autant dans la réponse à l'entraînement que dans la réponse à un stimulus d'exercice ponctuel, et ce, peut importe l'âge et le sexe. Dans ce contexte, les comparaisons entre les sujets des différentes études de cette thèse ont été effectuées à la fois chez le rongeur et l'humain tant au niveau des substrats énergétiques, de l'activité enzymatique et de la morphométrie musculaires.

Different techniques could be used for improving application performance in parallel systems. Studies have been shown that I/O communication delay is the main reason for different behavior of I/O intensive applications with specific requirements for performance optimization. So, using common strategies, generally defined and effective for computationally intensive applications may not have the same effect on performance improvement for these applications. Moreover, background system configuration effects on the behavior of the application and its performance. Growing use of parallel multi-core systems is an important factor in increasing performance and speeding up the applications. Since changing multi-core systems hardware is not an efficient method in satisfying different expectations of unique application, it is application developer's responsibility to design flexible and scalable code that is compatible with different environments. On the other hand, predicting application behavior and I/O requirements for I/O intensive applications with irregular communication patterns is a complicated and time-consuming task that pushes the problem to runtime impacts. Addressing this issue, we provided an overview on different techniques used for solving this problem. We have studied I/O bound parallel applications that use MPI as the communication method in order to define a general perspective to optimize cost performance ratio. Our designed experiments cover different setups for these applications in order to define various criteria that should be considered in design stage as well as runtime. Moreover, targeting one of the popular I/O intensive applications, we have discussed some possible solutions to speed it up on a multi-core system. / Master of Science

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L’objectif principal de l’étude était la quantification de la performance de skieurs de fond à l’aide de données cinématiques obtenues à partir d’un GPS à fréquence d’acquisition de 4Hz (Ublox Xbee) et des enregistrements vidéo. Onze athlètes canadiens en ski de fond (8 hommes et 3 femmes, âge moyen de 22±4 ans) ont réalisés des contre-la-montres en style libre et en technique double poussée. Des analyses de la vitesse, de la fréquence de cycle, de l’amplitude de cycle, de la fréquence cardiaque et du choix technique furent réalisées afin de déterminer leur relation avec la performance (soit le temps total). L’analyse des patrons de vitesse nous permet d’observer des "signatures techniques" en style libre. Selon les résultats, la capacité à atteindre une vitesse maximale élevée et maintenir une vitesse moyenne élevée est un déterminant majeur de la performance, peu importe le choix technique ou la pente. L’utilisation prolongée de la technique G2 induit directement une diminution de la performance, spécialement dans les sections de montée abrupte. L’utilisation prolongée de la technique G3 améliore la performance, surtout en montée. Il existe une relation entre une bonne puissance/force du haut du corps, la performance en double poussée et l’utilisation de la technique G3. Il n’existe pas de relation entre l’amplitude de cycle et la fréquence de cycle et l’amplitude de cycle et la vitesse pour la technique G3. Au sprint final en technique G3, plus la vitesse est élevée, plus la fréquence de cycle l’est aussi. Un pourcentage élevé d’utilisation de la technique G3 correspond à un faible nombre de transitions et à une meilleure performance. De façon générale, on peut affirmer que les sections de montée ont le plus d’influence sur la performance globale. Finalement, en comparant le ski de fond (sur neige) et le ski à roulettes (sur asphalte) en technique G3 et G4, il existe une différence importante pour la fréquence et la durée des cycles; un athlète performant sur l’asphalte en ski à roulettes doit avoir une fréquence de cycle plus élevée pour parcourir la même distance que sur neige en ski de fond. L’analyse et l’interprétation des résultats de cette recherche ont permis d’établir un standard "médaille d’or" de performance, ainsi qu’un profil pour chacun des skieurs, et fût très pratique pour les entraineurs.