Problem: You are evaluating a 46 year old patient with complaints of abdominal pain and frequent bloody diarrhea. You suspect ulcerative colitis (UC). Which of the following mechanisms best explains the occurrence of bloody diarrhea in patients with UC? Need Assignment Help? Question Select one: a. Impaired gastric acid secretion allowing increased bacterial colonization of the intestine. b. Chronic inflammation leading to ulceration and friability of the colonic mucosa. c. The primary lesions of UC are deep, involving the transmural layer of the bowel d. UC lesions can be found anywhere in the bowel, resulting in increased colonic transit time