‘U’ researchers use
mice in experiment
on element’s effect
on weight
By KEVIN BIGLIN
For the Daily
The long-term effects of lead
exposure at young ages could
increase the risk of obesity later
in life, a University of Michigan
School of Public Health study
found.
The
study
—
which
researchers noted shows a possible
life-long impact in the state for
Flint residents in particular, due
to the cities water crisis — was a
controlled experiment performed
on young mice from 2012 to 2014
that considered the impacts of lead
on the mice’s weight.
The study was performed by
Dana Dolinoy, associate professor
of environmental health sciences,
along with Chuanwu Xi, associate
professor of environmental health
science.
The mice used in the study
were the offspring of female mice
who were exposed to lead before
breeding, Dolinoy said in an
interview. The female mice were
exposed to lead for a three-week
period of gestation and another
three-week period of lactation
after birth. Then for nine months,
the
newborn
mice
matured
without further lead exposure,
while
their
weight
and
gut
microbiome compositions were
measured.
Unlike other similar studies
about the effects of lead, Xi said
this study focuses on the long-
term effects of short-term lead
exposure.
“It is not immediate,” he said.
“We are particularly interested in
the long-life effects.”
Xi added that the team was
able to show that lead exposure
changes
the
composition
of
bacteria in the gut microbiome.
Specifically, the ratio of anaerobes,
bacteria that can grow without
oxygen, to aerobes, bacteria that
grow with oxygen, indicated links
to obesity in both male and female
mice because of the ratio was at
levels corerlated with obesity. In
the experiment, these microbe
populations each have specific
groups where some populations
of anaerobic bacteria increased,
and others of aerobic bacteria
decreased
since
the
oxygen
concentration became limited due
to lead exposure.
Though both female and male
microbiota changed, only male
mice were found to have body-
weight gain.
“The composition of the gut
microbiome is quite complex,”
Xi said. “So what we found is, we
don’t really see a dramatic change
in terms of complexity of the gut
microbiome. But what we see is
that the abundance of specific
microbe
populations
change.
That’s clearly demonstrating you
have a changing gut microbiome.”
The study used a range of lead
levels on mice, including a level
higher than the current levels to
simulate historic levels from the
1960s and 1970s, Dolinoy said.
Xi added that this is because the
concentration of lead from the past
can still be found today in paint
and old lead pipes, such as those
Owners say they
hope to maintain
old traditions in
new business
By JENNIFER MEER and
BECCA SOLBERG
Daily Staff Reporters
A team of University of
Michigan alumni and athletes
are bringing back the iconic
restaurant Pretzel Bell back to
Ann Arbor.
Open from 1934 to 1984, the
original Pretzel Bell served
as a city hotspot for students,
faculty
and
community
members
to
celebrate
birthdays, spend game days
and enjoy time with friends,
Greg Lobdell, owner of the
new restaurant, said. It’s new
location on Main Street will
open on April 14.
“The spirit of this place was
really celebrating everything
that is good about Ann Arbor
and everything that is great
about
the
University
of
Michigan,” Lobdell said at a
walk-through of the restaraunt
on Monday, which is currently
under construction. “We
thought, ‘Let’s create a new
place that has those traditions
that will live on.’ ”
Jon Carlson and Lobdell,
two of the restaurant’s nine
owners, joined a team of
former University of Michigan
athletes
and
University
alumni, who they said had
great memories at the Pretzel
Bell and are invested in
bringing it back to Ann Arbor,
for a restaurant walk-through.
“Traditionally
we
have
three or four partners at each
restaurant,” Carlson said. “For
this one we formed a team. We
thought that was important. If
we’re going to represent what
the University meant to us, we
can’t do it from two guys who
were here from ‘89 to ‘93. So
we have a team of 22 investors,
some of them fairly prominent
either athletes, or business
people in the United States.”
Steve
Seyferth,
one
of
the
restaurant’s
investors,
graduated from the University
in 1977. He said because his
brother played football for
the University, he quickly
discovered
that
Pretzel
Bell was a popular place on
campus.
“When I came out here
from Connecticut to watch
my brother play, the place to
go was the Pretzel Bell,” he
said. “We quickly learned
that you can get a great
environment, great ambiance,
great tradition. It made you
feel like you were part of the
whole Michigan athletic scene
as well as just the downtown
flavor of Ann Arbor at the
time.”
While Seyfreth said the
CSG party
candidates hold
event ahead of
elections
By NISA KHAN
Daily Staff Reporter
newMICH — a Central Student
Government
party
running
against Your Michigan and the
Defend Affirmative Action Party
in the upcoming election — held
a speak out in the Diag to spread
awareness
about
the
party
Monday.
newMICH co-chair Shamaila
Ashraf, an LSA junior, said the
speak out aimed provide an
opportunity for University of
Michigan students to talk to the
representatives about what they
wished to see in CSG next year.
“A couple of our main initiatives
is putting the student voice back
into
the
administration
and
University in total,” Ashraf said.
“Another thing we want to do is
connect the students back to CSG
and offer them scholarships.”
Representatives spoke about
various topics during the speak
out, including increasing funding
for mental health facilities and
hydration stations during game
days. Speakers also emphasized
they are the only party advocating
for a student representative on
the Board of Regents.
newMICH campaign manager
Anushka
Sarkar,
an
LSA
sophomore, said the speak out
was meant to give students a fun
setting to personally connect
with CSG representatives.
Voting for
representatives,
executives begins
Wednesday
By CAMY METWALLY
Daily Staff Reporter
The 2016 Central Student
Government
elections
are
March
23
and
24.
Here’s
everything you need to know
about the three parties running
for executive offices.
Party: Defend Affirmative
Action Party
Who: LSA junior Keysha Wall
and LSA sophomore Chalse
Okorom
Platform: LSA junior Keysha
Wall
and
LSA
sophomore
Chalse Okorom are running
on DAAP’s executive ticket for
president and vice president,
respectively. The party hasn’t
released a platform for the 2016
elections; however, much of the
DAAP platform fromprevious
years applies to the group’s
current mission. In a recent
debate hosted by The Michigan
Daily, the candidates stressed
the
need
for
increasing
minority enrollment at the
University, pointing to the
Texas 10-percent rule, which
guarantees students in Texas
high schools who graduated in
the top 10 percent of their class
admission to state universities.
They have also proposed several
other initiatives to increase
diversity, equity and inclusion,
such as removing standardized
testing from the admissions
process
and
expanding
financial aid programs. The
party also pushes for creating
a safer, more inclusive campus
atmosphere for all minority
groups,
including
racial
minorities and undocumented
students,
and
has
spoken
about the need for greater
accessibility to mental health
resources.
Body also approves
proposal to rezone
land along Pontiac
Trail
By ISOBEL FUTTER
Daily Staff Reporter
During
their
meeting
Monday
evening,
the
Ann
Arbor City Council approved
measures
regarding
new
housing
developments
and
improvements to Ann Arbor
streets and sidewalks.
The Council approved a
resolution to rezone 31.77 acres
of land on Pontiac Trail from
multiple-family dwellings to
single-family
and
multiple-
family
dwellings
for
the
North Sky Development. This
new housing development is
one of three proposed large
residential housing units in
the area.
Though it passed, many
Council members, such as
Councilmember Jane Lumm
(I–Ward 2), expressed concern
over the potential impact on
the area from a large influx of
new residents
“If
this
were
the
only
residential
housing
development
proposed
in northeast Ann Arbor I
would not have any of the
reservations and concerns I
have,” Lumm said. “We are
talking about almost 1,000
new residential units in this
area — let me pause when I
say that — 1,000 units, that’s
a huge amount of new traffic
volume.”
Transportation
was
also
a central theme during the
evening’s
Council
meeting.
City
Council
approved
a
resolution directing the City
Administrator to prepare a
michigandaily.com
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Tuesday, March 22, 2016
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-FIVE YEARS OF EDITORIAL FREEDOM
CLAIRE ABDO/Daily
Ann Arbor Mayor Chris Taylor presents Tom and Rosanne Bloomer with a proclamation for the Greenbelt 10th Anniversary at a City Council meeting Monday.
See LEAD, Page 3
See COUNCIL, Page 2
See ELECTIONS, Page 3
See SPEAK OUT, Page 3
DEL/Daily
Owners Jon Carlson and Greg Lobdell, who are heading the revival of the Pretzel Bell, explain their vision for the
new restaurant at its location at the corner of Main and Liberty Monday.
See PRETZEL, Page 3
INDEX
Vol. CXXV, No. 93
©2016 The Michigan Daily
michigandaily.com
N E WS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
O PI N I O N . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
CL A S S I F I E DS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
S U D O K U . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
A R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
S P O R T S . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7
NEW ON MICHIGANDAILY.COM
Schlissel visits University of Michigan-Flint campus
MICHIGANDAILY.COM/SECTION/NEWS
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news@michigandaily.com and let us know.
WEATHER
TOMORROW
HI: 51
LO: 41
Election
guide: CSG
platforms
explained
City Council discusses new
street and sidewalk millage
Study suggests
exposure to lead
leads to obesity
#UMICHVOTES
Historic restaurant Pretzel
Bell set to reopen in April
newMICH
rally on Diag
emphasizes
student voice
STUDENT GOVERNMENT
RESEARCH