MULTI-DIMENSIONAL MODELING FOR ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT AT INTERSECTIONS OF THE FOOD-ENERGY-WATER NEXUS

This dissertation uses multi-dimensional modeling for environmental impact assessment at intersections of the Food-Energy-Water (FEW) Nexus, including life cycle assessment (LCA) modeling for quantification of environmental impacts due to household FEW consumption, a linear regression framework for quantification of water-use impacts of marginal electricity generation, and a multi-objective optimization model to assess monetization of water withdrawals for electricity generation and impacts to water stress due to electricity dispatch schemes. Chapter 2 of this dissertation summarizes the development of an LCA model that quantifies the direct and indirect environmental impacts of household FEW consumption. The model is executed through a novel household consumption tracker called the HomeTracker. The result of this work is an open-source software application that has been used to support experimental research taking place in suburban households in the midwestern United States for identification of effective interventions to inform household consumption behavior change. Chapter 3 addresses the need to quantify the water-use impacts of marginal electricity generation. A linear regression methodology is used to quantify water withdrawal and consumption impacts due to marginal generation, and a case study is presented to demonstrate how the framework can be applied to generate marginal water factors (MWFs) at multiple temporal resolutions. Results illustrate that MWFs vary in space and time and are lower when renewables are deployed on the margin. Chapter 4 investigates the effect of implementing a dispatch cost per unit water withdrawals for electricity generation on water stress at the watershed scale. Impacts to water stress are assessed using a freshwater withdrawal to availability ratio, which quantifies water stress at the watershed level. Adding a dispatch cost per unit water withdrawal decreases water withdrawals up to 92% with a 45% increase in generation cost. The key contribution of this work is an advancement of knowledge of FEW Nexus systems at multiple spatial and temporal scales through life cycle assessment modeling, statistical modeling, and optimization modeling. Future work will include spatial and temporal improvements to models including expansion of geographic coverage and increased temporal resolution as data becomes available

A household-scale life cycle assessment model for understanding the food-energy-water nexus

The household is an important locus of decision-making regarding food, energy, and water (FEW) consumption. Changes in household FEW consumption behaviors can lead to significant reductions in environmental impacts, but it can be difficult for consumers to compare the relative impacts of their consumption quantitatively, or to recognize the indirect impacts of their household consumption patterns. We describe two novel tools designed to address this problem: A hybrid life cycle assessment (LCA) framework to translate household consumption of food, energy, and water into key environmental impacts including greenhouse gas emissions, energy use, and water use; and a novel software application called HomeTracker that implements the framework by collecting household FEW data and providing environmental impact feedback to households. We explore the question: How can a life cycle assessment-based software application facilitate collection and translation of household consumption data to meaningful environmental impact metrics? A case study in Lake County, Illinois is presented to illustrate use of the HomeTracker application. Output data describing environmental impacts attributable to household FEW consumption in the study area are shown in order to illustrate key features and trends observed in the case study population. The framework and its associated output data can be used to support experimental research at the household scale, allowing for examination of what users purchase and consume over an extended period of time as well as increased understanding of household behavior trends and environmental impacts, and as future work

The impact of BRAF mutation status on clinical outcomes with anti- PD- 1 monotherapy versus combination ipilimumab/nivolumab in treatment- naïve advanced stage melanoma

Nearly half of all metastatic melanoma patients possess the BRAF V600 mutation. Several therapies are approved for advanced stage melanoma, but it is unclear if there is a differential outcome to various immunotherapy regimens based on BRAF mutation status. We retrospectively analyzed a cohort of metastatic or unresectable melanoma patients who were treated with combination ipilimumab/nivolumab (ipi/nivo) or anti- PD- 1 monotherapy, nivolumab, or pembrolizumab, as first- line treatment. 235 previously untreated patients were identified in our study. Our univariate analysis showed no statistical difference in progression- free survival (PFS) or overall survival (OS) with ipi/nivo versus anti- PD- 1 monotherapy in the BRAF V600 mutant cohort, but there was improved PFS [HR: 0.48, 95% CI, 0.28- 0.80] and OS [HR: 0.50, 95% CI, 0.26- 0.96] with ipi/nivo compared to anti- PD- 1 monotherapy in the BRAF WT group. After adjusting for known prognostic variables in our multivariable analysis, the BRAF WT cohort continued to show PFS and OS benefit with ipi/nivo compared to anti- PD- 1 monotherapy. Our single- institution analysis suggests ipi/nivo should be considered over anti- PD- 1 monotherapy as the initial immunotherapy regimen for metastatic melanoma patients regardless of BRAF mutation status, but possibly with greater benefit in BRAF WT.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167487/1/pcmr12944_am.pdfhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/167487/2/pcmr12944.pd