WC 2007 - Opening Ceremony

West Indies legendary all-rounder Sir Garfield Sobers will officially open the World Cup 2007 on Sunday at the culmination of a two-hour, 45-minute ceremony.

The ceremony, which is being held at the Trelawny Multi-Purpose Stadium, comes two days before the first match of the seven-week event takes place. That will see hosts West Indies facing Pakistan at Sabina Park on Tuesday.

The ceremony, which has been called 'West Indian Energy', will feature reggae star Jimmy Cliff as well as a cast and crew of around 2,000 singers, dancers and performers.

World Cup 2007

As many as 16 teams are taking part in 2007 edition of World Cup.

The favorites is again Australia. However, with their recent form dip and losses to England and New Zealand, the gap between 1st and 2nd team has decreased. In fact, according to ICC Cricket Team Ratings, Australia has dropped down in its ranking for the 1st time to 2nd place. South Africa is the 1st placed team.

New Zeland with the number of all-rounders they have in the team look good to go to the semi-finals. West Indies has the home advantage and will be looking to enter the semi-finals.

India, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka and Pakistan - All teams are capable of reaching the semifinals.

Among the other teams, after all the years, Bangladesh looks decent and will be looking to do some upsets in the world cup. Kenya and Zimbabwe can be a handy team too.

Cricket WC 2003

South Africa, Zimbabwe & Kenya 2003 : Winners - Australia

• The most recent World Cup was easily the least memorable; an overdrawn, poorly-organised event that featured too many mismatches among the 14 teams and was dominated by politics and scandal.
  
• After a saga that had dragged on for months, England refused to play in Zimbabwe for political and security reasons while New Zealand also withdrew from a game in Kenya. India almost failed to turn up due to a sponsors' dispute and the game's premier spinner Shane Warne failed a drugs test on the eve of the event.
  
• The presence of Holland, Namibia and Canada was well-intentioned but the group stages became almost interminable and the Super Six format was used again despite past criticism.
  
• Hosts South Africa exited early after misreading their Duckworth/Lewis chart, robbing the tournament of some of its vitality, while Kenya benefited from good fortune and a shock win over Sri Lanka to reach the last four.
  
• Australia, at least, were superb throughout and crushed India by 125 runs in the final after an outstanding 140 from Ricky Ponting

Cricket WC 1999

Great Britain & Holland 1999 : Winners - Australia

• The seventh World Cup is remembered for the brilliance of Australia in coming back from the brink of elimination and the miserable failure of principal hosts England.
  
• England were knocked out before the competition really got going, along with the minnows of Scotland, Bangladesh and Kenya. Australia would have joined them had they not beaten West Indies in their final group match.
  
• Australia's escape led to two superb encounters with South Africa. In the first, in the newly-created Super Six round, Steve Waugh hit a match-winning 120 after being dropped by a prematurely celebrating Herschelle Gibbs on 56. That error came back to haunt the Proteas as they contrived to tie their semi-final against the same opposition. In scenes of complete madness, Allan Donald was run out with just one run required and three balls remaining, allowing Australia to progress on Super Six superiority.
  
• The final was nowhere near as dramatic, with Shane Warne restricting Pakistan to a lowly 132 by claiming four for 33. Australia needed only 20.1 overs to record an eight-wicket win.

Cricket WC 1996

India, Pakistan & Sri Lanka 1996 : Winners - Sri Lanka

• The format was changed again as the World Cup returned to the subcontinent with 12 teams playing in two groups of six. Holland, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates bolstered the numbers.
  
• Sri Lanka took the tournament by the scruff of the neck and thrilled audiences worldwide with an exciting brand of attacking cricket, led by the 'pinch-hitting' of Sanath Jayasuriya.
  
• The refusal of Australia and the West Indies to play in Colombo due to a bomb blast helped Sri Lanka's passage but there was nothing fortuitous about their eventual victory. They humiliated England in the quarter-finals and emphatically took out their frustrations on the Australians that snubbed their country in the final, with Aravinda da Silva hitting a superb century in a seven-wicket win.
  
• The West Indies, despite their Colombo protest and a shock defeat by Kenya, actually went on to reach the semi-finals before being knocked out by the Aussies.

Cricket WC 1992

Australia & New Zealand 1992 : Winners - Pakistan

• The fifth World Cup was a spectacular affair featuring, for the first time, coloured clothing, day/night matches and, after a long period of isolation, South Africa. All nine teams played each other on a round-robin basis and the format, never since repeated, was hailed as a great success.
  
• South Africa were impressive and beat Australia on the way to the semi-finals, only to lose controversially to England when complicated new rain rules ludicrously left them needing 22 off only one ball.
  
• England were the best team throughout but Pakistan, put into the final by a brilliant 37-ball 60 from Inzamam-ul-Haq against New Zealand, were to deny them the trophy. Captain Imran Khan hit 72 and Wasim Akram produced some inspired reverse-swing bowling as Pakistan won by 22 runs in front of 87,000 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Cricket WC 1987

India & Pakistan 1987 : Winners - Australia

• The World Cup was staged outside England for the first time and proved a success despite initial problems with the Indian government threatening to refuse visas to players who had toured South Africa.
  
• Matches were reduced to the now standard 50-overs per side due to shorter daylight hours on the subcontinent and neutral umpires were introduced.
  
• The West Indies failed to reach the final for the first time but Australia were on the rise and overcame Pakistan in the semis despite a brilliant 70 from Javed Miandad.
  
• Graham Gooch hit 115 as England beat India in the other semi-final but they were to fall seven runs short in a tight final. They had seemed well placed at 135 for two chasing 256 but their reply was fatally undermined when Mike Gatting was dismissed attempting a now infamous reverse sweep.

Cricket WC 1983

England 1983 : Winners - India

• With one-day cricket growing in popularity, the World Cup was expanded in 1983 and all teams played each other twice at the group stage. England, West Indies and Sri Lanka were weakened after some players joined rebel tours to South Africa but the tournament proved another success and grossed over £1million for the first time. The number of teams remained at eight, with Sri Lanka now included as of right as a Test nation and international newcomers Zimbabwe added as ICC Trophy winners.

• Zimbabwe provided the first major shock with a Duncan Fletcher-inspired win over Australia while India finally got to grips with the one-day game.

• The Indians started slowly but stunned England in the semi-finals and then repeated the feat with a surprise six-wicket success over West Indies in the final.

Cricket WC 1979

England 1979 : Winners - West Indies

• The cricketing landscape had changed by 1979 due to the establishing of Kerry Packer's rival World Series. A number of players signed up for it in 1977 but a truce was agreed before the World Cup and most countries, with the exception of Australia, were back to full strength.
  
• Canada replaced East Africa but otherwise the tournament followed the same format as in 1975, although unlike four years earlier, the weather was far more of an issue. Attendances fell as a result but the West Indies once again dominated the competition.
  
• England, led by Mike Brearley, reached the final but the West Indies proved too strong with Viv Richards hitting a brilliant 138. England, despite a 127-run opening stand between Brearley and Geoff Boycott, were dismissed for 194 with Joel Garner claiming five for 38.

Cricket WC 1975

England 1975 : Winners - West Indies

• That first tournament was known as the Prudential Cup due to cricket's initial reluctance to embrace the term 'World Cup' but to all intents and purposes that was what it was and would later come to be called. With South Africa excluded, the remaining six Test nations England, Australia, New Zealand, West Indies, India and Pakistan were augmented by Sri Lanka, whose international status was about to be elevated, and East Africa (Kenya, Zambia, Tanzania and Uganda), who made up the numbers.
• The tournament was blessed by good weather and the West Indies proved the class of the field, boasting players such as Clive Lloyd, Gordon Greenidge, Viv Richards and Andy Roberts. Other teams struggled with the new format, notably India, who in one game replied to England's 334 for four with a pedestrian 132 for three with Sunil Gavaskar 36 not out from 60 overs.
• West Indies and Australia served up a thrilling final at Lord's, with Lloyd's team prevailing by 17 runs on a balmy evening

Ulcerative Colitis - Colon Cancer

Is colon cancer a concern?

About 5 percent of people with ulcerative colitis develop colon cancer. The risk of cancer increases with the duration of the disease and how much the colon has been damaged. For example, if only the lower colon and rectum are involved, the risk of cancer is no higher than normal. However, if the entire colon is involved, the risk of cancer may be as much as 32 times the normal rate.

Sometimes precancerous changes occur in the cells lining the colon. These changes are called "dysplasia." People who have dysplasia are more likely to develop cancer than those who do not. Doctors look for signs of dysplasia when doing a colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy and when examining tissue removed during these tests.

According to the 2002 updated guidelines for colon cancer screening, people who have had IBD throughout their colon for at least 8 years and those who have had IBD in only the left colon for 12 to 15 years should have a colonoscopy with biopsies every 1 to 2 years to check for dysplasia. Such screening has not been proven to reduce the risk of colon cancer, but it may help identify cancer early. These guidelines were produced by an independent expert panel and endorsed by numerous organizations, including the American Cancer Society, the American College of Gastroenterology, the American Society of Colon and Rectal Surgeons, and the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America.

Ulcerative Colitis - Treatment

What is the treatment for ulcerative colitis?

Treatment for ulcerative colitis depends on the severity of the disease. Each person experiences ulcerative colitis differently, so treatment is adjusted for each individual.

Drug Therapy

The goal of drug therapy is to induce and maintain remission, and to improve the quality of life for people with ulcerative colitis. Several types of drugs are available.

• Aminosalicylates, drugs that contain 5-aminosalicyclic acid (5-ASA), help control inflammation. Sulfasalazine is a combination of sulfapyridine and 5-ASA. The sulfapyridine component carries the anti-inflammatory 5-ASA to the intestine. However, sulfapyridine may lead to side effects such as nausea, vomiting, heartburn, diarrhea, and headache. Other 5-ASA agents, such as olsalazine, mesalamine, and balsalazide, have a different carrier, fewer side effects, and may be used by people who cannot take sulfasalazine. 5-ASAs are given orally, through an enema, or in a suppository, depending on the location of the inflammation in the colon. Most people with mild or moderate ulcerative colitis are treated with this group of drugs first. This class of drugs is also used in cases of relapse.

• Corticosteroids such as prednisone, methylprednisone, and hydrocortisone also reduce inflammation. They may be used by people who have moderate to severe ulcerative colitis or who do not respond to 5-ASA drugs. Corticosteroids, also known as steroids, can be given orally, intravenously, through an enema, or in a suppository, depending on the location of the inflammation. These drugs can cause side effects such as weight gain, acne, facial hair, hypertension, diabetes, mood swings, bone mass loss, and an increased risk of infection. For this reason, they are not recommended for long-term use, although they are considered very effective when prescribed for short-term use.

• Immunomodulators such as azathioprine and 6-mercapto-purine (6-MP) reduce inflammation by affecting the immune system. These drugs are used for patients who have not responded to 5-ASAs or corticosteroids or who are dependent on corticosteroids. Immunomodulators are administered orally, however, they are slow-acting and it may take up to 6 months before the full benefit. Patients taking these drugs are monitored for complications including pancreatitis, hepatitis, a reduced white blood cell count, and an increased risk of infection. Cyclosporine A may be used with 6-MP or azathioprine to treat active, severe ulcerative colitis in people who do not respond to intravenous corticosteroids.

• Other drugs may be given to relax the patient or to relieve pain, diarrhea, or infection.

Some people have remissions—periods when the symptoms go away—that last for months or even years. However, most patients’ symptoms eventually return.

Hospitalization

Occasionally, symptoms are severe enough that a person must be hospitalized. For example, a person may have severe bleeding or severe diarrhea that causes dehydration. In such cases the doctor will try to stop diarrhea and loss of blood, fluids, and mineral salts. The patient may need a special diet, feeding through a vein, medications, or sometimes surgery.

Surgery

About 25 to 40 percent of ulcerative colitis patients must eventually have their colons removed because of massive bleeding, severe illness, rupture of the colon, or risk of cancer. Sometimes the doctor will recommend removing the colon if medical treatment fails or if the side effects of corticosteroids or other drugs threaten the patient’s health.

Surgery to remove the colon and rectum, known as proctocolectomy, is followed by one of the following:

• Ileostomy, in which the surgeon creates a small opening in the abdomen, called a stoma, and attaches the end of the small intestine, called the ileum, to it. Waste will travel through the small intestine and exit the body through the stoma. The stoma is about the size of a quarter and is usually located in the lower right part of the abdomen near the beltline. A pouch is worn over the opening to collect waste, and the patient empties the pouch as needed.

• Ileoanal anastomosis, or pull-through operation, which allows the patient to have normal bowel movements because it preserves part of the anus. In this operation, the surgeon removes the colon and the inside of the rectum, leaving the outer muscles of the rectum. The surgeon then attaches the ileum to the inside of the rectum and the anus, creating a pouch. Waste is stored in the pouch and passes through the anus in the usual manner. Bowel movements may be more frequent and watery than before the procedure. Inflammation of the pouch (pouchitis) is a possible complication.

• Not every operation is appropriate for every person. Which surgery to have depends on the severity of the disease and the patient’s needs, expectations, and lifestyle. People faced with this decision should get as much information as possible by talking to their doctors, to nurses who work with colon surgery patients (enterostomal therapists), and to other colon surgery patients. Patient advocacy organizations can direct people to support groups and other information resources.

Ulcerative Colitis - Diagnosis

How is ulcerative colitis diagnosed?

Many tests are used to diagnose ulcerative colitis. A physical exam and medical history are usually the first step.

Blood tests may be done to check for anemia, which could indicate bleeding in the colon or rectum, or they may uncover a high white blood cell count, which is a sign of inflammation somewhere in the body.

A stool sample can also reveal white blood cells, whose presence indicates ulcerative colitis or inflammatory disease. In addition, a stool sample allows the doctor to detect bleeding or infection in the colon or rectum caused by bacteria, a virus, or parasites.

A colonoscopy or sigmoidoscopy are the most accurate methods for making a diagnosis of ulcerative colitis and ruling-out other possible conditions, such as Crohn’s disease, diverticular disease, or cancer. For both tests, the doctor inserts an endoscope—a long, flexible, lighted tube connected to a computer and TV monitor—into the anus to see the inside of the colon and rectum. The doctor will be able to see any inflammation, bleeding, or ulcers on the colon wall. During the exam, the doctor may do a biopsy, which involves taking a sample of tissue from the lining of the colon to view with a microscope.

Sometimes x rays such as a barium enema or CT scans are also used to diagnose ulcerative colitis or its complications.

Ulcerative Colitis - Causes

What causes ulcerative colitis?

Many theories exist about what causes ulcerative colitis. People with ulcerative colitis have abnormalities of the immune system, but doctors do not know whether these abnormalities are a cause or a result of the disease. The body’s immune system is believed to react abnormally to the bacteria in the digestive tract.

Ulcerative colitis is not caused by emotional distress or sensitivity to certain foods or food products, but these factors may trigger symptoms in some people. The stress of living with ulcerative colitis may also contribute to a worsening of symptoms.

Ulcerative Colitis - About & Symptoms

What is ulcerative colitis?

Ulcerative colitis is a disease that causes inflammation and sores, called ulcers, in the lining of the rectum and colon. Ulcers form where inflammation has killed the cells that usually line the colon, then bleed and produce pus. Inflammation in the colon also causes the colon to empty frequently, causing diarrhea.

When the inflammation occurs in the rectum and lower part of the colon it is called ulcerative proctitis. If the entire colon is affected it is called pancolitis. If only the left side of the colon is affected it is called limited or distal colitis.

Ulcerative colitis is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), the general name for diseases that cause inflammation in the small intestine and colon. It can be difficult to diagnose because its symptoms are similar to other intestinal disorders and to another type of IBD called Crohn’s disease. Crohn’s disease differs because it causes inflammation deeper within the intestinal wall and can occur in other parts of the digestive system including the small intestine, mouth, esophagus, and stomach.

Ulcerative colitis can occur in people of any age, but it usually starts between the ages of 15 and 30, and less frequently between 50 and 70 years of age. It affects men and women equally and appears to run in families, with reports of up to 20 percent of people with ulcerative colitis having a family member or relative with ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. A higher incidence of ulcerative colitis is seen in Whites and people of Jewish descent.

What are the symptoms of ulcerative colitis?

The most common symptoms of ulcerative colitis are abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea. Patients also may experience

• anemia
• fatigue
• weight loss
• loss of appetite
• rectal bleeding
• loss of body fluids and nutrients
• skin lesions
• joint pain
• growth failure (specifically in children)
  

About half of the people diagnosed with ulcerative colitis have mild symptoms. Others suffer frequent fevers, bloody diarrhea, nausea, and severe abdominal cramps. Ulcerative colitis may also cause problems such as arthritis, inflammation of the eye, liver disease, and osteoporosis. It is not known why these problems occur outside the colon. Scientists think these complications may be the result of inflammation triggered by the immune system. Some of these problems go away when the colitis is treated.