Application of diffuse optical back reflection spectroscopy for determining articular cartilage thickness in a clinical setting.

Purpose: Develop a spectroscopic method to assess cartilage thickness during the arthroscopic examination.

Methods: Currently, arthroscopy assesses cartilage damage visually; outcomes are based on the surgeon's subjective experience. Light reflection spectroscopy is a promising method for measuring cartilage thickness based on the absorption of light by the subchondral bone.

Lactobacillus acidophilus regulates abnormal serotonin availability in experimental ulcerative colitis.

Objectives: Probiotics are known to play a beneficial role in curing irritable bowel syndrome such as ulcerative colitis. Commensal Lactobacillus species are thought to play a protective role against ulcerative colitis, as they restore homeostasis in intestinal disorders. Abnormal serotonin availability has been described in ulcerative colitis, but the underlying mechanism is still unclear.