The Geological discontinuities such as joint are the most common discontinuities present in the rock mass. A model scale study was carried out to evaluate the effect of the joints on rock blasting. Single hole tests at three selected burdens (optimum, less than optimum and more than optimum) were done on six different joint orientations. The joint orientation angles were 0°, 30°, 60°, 90°, 120° and 150° rotating in anticlockwise direction from the floor of the bench in a plane perpendicular to the free face. Bench models of dimensions 515x335x215 mm with a bench height of 50 mm were prepared by binding sandstone slabs of 25 mm thickness with an adhesive. The models were blasted by n°6 electric detonators. The dynamic and static properties of sandstone are given. The bench crater formed and the fragmentation produced were predominantly influenced by the position of charge with respect to the joint orientation. Severe toes were noticed in models with vertical joints and with joints dipping away from the face. Over breaks were observed in horizontally bedded models and in models with joints dipping towards the free face. Over breaks were observed in horizontally bedded models and in models with joints dipping towards the free face. The size of the broken fragments at 20 mm burden was found to be finer than the fragments obtained at 30 mm and 40 mm burdens for all joint orientations except vertical.

Introduction The cardiac localization of hydatid cyst (HC) is rare and little known. It is exceptionally primary and isolated. Myocardial ischemia remains an exceptional and unusual manifestation of this localization. We report the original observation of cardiac HC revealed by acute myocardial ischemia in a young subject. Observation A 35-year-old patient with no notable pathological history was admitted to our department via the emergency room for acute anterior chest pain. The somatic examination was without abnormalities as well as the baseline biological tests. The electrocardiogram demonstrated epicardial ischemia in the infero-lateral territory without other abnormalities. The cardiac troponin I was slightly elevated (32ng/l, N<19ng/l). Subsequent controls after 30min, 60min and 180min did not show significant variations. Subsequent investigations (CT, coro-CT, coronary angiography) led to the diagnosis of intramyocardial HC of the left ventricle, with no abnormalities of the coronary arteries. After surgical excision, the evolution was favorable with normalization of the electrocardiogram and the troponin Ic. Conclusion Cardiac localization of this parasitosis is exceptional and characterized by an important clinical polymorphism making its diagnosis a real challenge. It seems useful to discuss the diagnosis of cardiac HC in front of any unexplained electrocardiogram abnormality occurring in endemic zone.

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Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is a rare hereditary auto-inflammatory disease that can be exceptionally associated with many other dys-immune disorders; the most reported associations were with systemic vasculitis, spondyloarthropathies, inflammatory bowel diseases, systemic lupus erythematous, multiple sclerosis, and juvenile chronic arthritis. The association of FMF with primary inflammatory myopathy remains exceptional and unusual; it has only been noted once before with adult polymyositis. We report an original observation of FMF associated with juvenile dermatomyositis in an eight-year-old boy, which, to our knowledge, has not been reported previously.

We report an original observation of isolated hypertyrosinemia simulating acute hepatitis as an inaugural presentation of Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT).

Introduction Psychiatric manifestations are exceptional during hypothyroidism and are not always easy to diagnose, especially since the clinical signs of hypothyroidism can be confused with those of the depressive syndrome. We report an original observation of depression of the elderly revealing an isolated primary hypothyroidism. Observation A 78-year-old patient, followed for essential hypertension, well-balanced under monotherapy with calcium channel blockers, and without degenerative complications, was referred by her family doctor for depressive syndrome not improved by the specific treatment prescribed and correctly taken for six months. The clinical examination noted in particular macroglossia with dental impressions and dry and cracked skin. The biological assessment showed hypothyroidism with TSH at 28µmol/l. Thyroid ultrasound showed atrophy of the thyroid gland. The thyroid autoimmunity (anti-thyroglobulin and anti-thyroperoxidase antibodies) was negative. The rest of the biological tests were in the normal range. The diagnosis of Riedel's thyroiditis was retained and the patient was treated with levothyroxine in progressive doses until TSH normalization was achieved. The evolution on the psychiatric level was also favorable with disappearance of the signs of the depression and the anti-depressive treatment was discontinued. Conclusion Depression is rare, complicating only 4% of overt hypothyroidism and its diagnosis is not always easy, especially in the elderly. Hormone replacement therapy significantly improves the depressive syndrome and protects against cognitive decline. Thus, hypothyroidism screening seems appropriate for any depressive syndrome in the elderly.

Several research works have been done to assess the effect of the cutting depth on the cutting forces when using picks. In this case, the cutting tests need im-portant equipment to cut rocks, to register the cutting force and to determine the cutting force value. The purpose of this research work is to simulate the laboratory rock cutting tests to determine the cutting force, using commercial software; and to compare the cutting force values to those obtained in the la-boratory. In the simulation, we took a gypsum rock sample as the specimen,. We simulated the separation of the rock chips from the specimen and the sub-sequent breakage into multiple fragments. In the simulations, a cutting pick was compared with a stationary rock sample. The simulations were conducted at a same constant velocity for different cutting depths. The simulations showed that the depth of cut has a significant effect on the cutting force, and the values of the cutting force in the simulation are very close to those obtained in the laboratory.

Introduction: Gastrointestinal symptoms are common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are often difficult to interpret. Specific lupus involvement (lupus enteritis) typically affects the jejunum and ileum, whereas colonic and rectal involvement remains rare. Lymphocytic colitis (LC) associated with SLE remains exceptional and unusual. We report an original observation of LC occurring in a 35-year-old patient with SLE. Case report: 35-year-old woman, having in her medical history a Hashimoto thyroiditis diagnosed for four years and a SLE diagnosed for three years, consulted for chronic fluid diarrhea, not improved by symptomatic treatment, and associated for two weeks with rectorrhagia. Somatic examination, basic biological tests, stool culture and parasitological stool examination were without abnormalities. Colonoscopy revealed a diffuse minimal inflammatory colitis interesting the entire colon, and the pathological examination of multiple biopsies led to the diagnosis of isolated LC. She was treated with 5-amino-salicylate with good evolution. Conclusion: Our observation is, to our knowledge the third reporting the association of LC with SLE; it is characterized in addition by the young age of occurrence. This association once again comforts the hypothesis of a common pathophysiology to these two diseases mainly involving genetic predisposition, HLA susceptibility, immune disorders, and environmental factors.