‘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 GOT A NEWS TIP? Call 734-418-4115 or e-mail 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