Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A bone plate system comprises a bone plate including a first surface and a second surface, the bone plate including at least one threaded aperture, the threaded aperture being tapered between the first surface and the second surface. The bone plate system further comprises at least one fastener including an elongate shaft and a threaded head, the threaded head being tapered between a proximal end of the threaded head and a distal end of the threaded head, wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are formed in the threaded head and define a plurality of threaded tabs. The at least one fastener is configured for insertion within the at least one threaded aperture at a plurality of different insertion angles while achieving a locking engagement between the threaded head and the threaded aperture.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A bone plate system comprises a bone plate including a first surface and a second surface, the bone plate including at least one threaded aperture, the threaded aperture being tapered between the first surface and the second surface. The bone plate system further comprises at least one fastener including an elongate shaft and a threaded head, the threaded head being tapered between a proximal end of the threaded head and a distal end of the threaded head, wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are formed in the threaded head and define a plurality of threaded tabs. The at least one fastener is configured for insertion within the at least one threaded aperture at a plurality of different insertion angles while achieving a locking engagement between the threaded head and the threaded aperture.

Abstract: A bone plate system comprises a bone plate including a first surface and a second surface, the bone plate including at least one threaded aperture, the threaded aperture being tapered between the first surface and the second surface. The bone plate system further comprises at least one fastener including an elongate shaft and a threaded head, the threaded head being tapered between a proximal end of the threaded head and a distal end of the threaded head, wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are formed in the threaded head and define a plurality of threaded tabs. The at least one fastener is configured for insertion within the at least one threaded aperture at a plurality of different insertion angles while achieving a locking engagement between the threaded head and the threaded aperture.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A method for following a topic in an electronic textual conversation, the method includes selecting, by a computing device, one or more primary terms related to a topic, sending, by the computing device, to at least one communication service, a first query containing the at least one primary term, receiving, by the computing device, from the at least one communication service, at least one first set of messages responsive to the first query, for each first set, extracting, by the computing device, from the first set of messages, a first plurality of additional terms, and for each term of the first plurality of additional terms, enumerating, by the computing device, the messages of the first set in which the term appears and adding the term to a list of secondary terms if the enumeration exceeds a threshold amount.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A method for following a topic in an electronic textual conversation, the method includes selecting, by a computing device, one or more primary terms related to a topic, sending, by the computing device, to at least one communication service, a first query containing the at least one primary term, receiving, by the computing device, from the at least one communication service, at least one first set of messages responsive to the first query, for each first set, extracting, by the computing device, from the first set of messages, a first plurality of additional terms, and for each term of the first plurality of additional terms, enumerating, by the computing device, the messages of the first set in which the term appears and adding the term to a list of secondary terms if the enumeration exceeds a threshold amount.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for producing a term association vector space on demand for a client given a document set in electronic form. The method extracts terms from the document set, stripping out words that do not convey meaning and adding important phrases within the context of the document set to the terms. Associations between terms are calculated, subjected to further analytical processes, and collected in a matrix, whose rows are vectors defining the vector space. Additional associational data can be added by matrix arithmetic, and documents can be rendered as further vectors in the space.

Abstract: Disclosed bone screws include a slotted tip. The slotted design of the tip partially obviates the need for precision while implanting the bone screw. Further, the slotted tip reduces the stiffness differential between the tip of the bone screw and the bone. Yet further, the slotted tip reduces stress concentrations imparted to the bone both during insertion and under bending loads. Moreover, the slotted tip conforms to natural formations within the bone when the bone screw is inserted into the bone. Instrumentation for implanting and orienting the bone screws is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: Disclosed bone screws include multiple screw elements engaged together to provide the required strength along a longitudinal direction and the required flexibility in other degrees of freedom. The disclosed bone screws have a low profile. Further, the bone screws allow fine-tuning of the compression to be applied to bones or joints. Instrumentation for implanting and orienting the bone screws is also disclosed herein.

Abstract: A bone plate system comprises a bone plate including a first surface and a second surface, the bone plate including at least one threaded aperture, the threaded aperture being tapered between the first surface and the second surface. The bone plate system further comprises at least one fastener including an elongate shaft and a threaded head, the threaded head being tapered between a proximal end of the threaded head and a distal end of the threaded head, wherein a plurality of circumferentially spaced recesses are formed in the threaded head and define a plurality of threaded tabs. The at least one fastener is configured for insertion within the at least one threaded aperture at a plurality of different insertion angles while achieving a locking engagement between the threaded head and the threaded aperture.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method and system for producing a term association vector space on demand for a client given a document set in electronic form. The method extracts terms from the document set, stripping out words that do not convey meaning and adding important phrases within the context of the document set to the terms. Associations between terms are calculated, subjected to further analytical processes, and collected in a matrix, whose rows are vectors defining the vector space. Additional associational data can be added by matrix arithmetic, and documents can be rendered as further vectors in the space.

Abstract: A system and related method are disclosed for searching a data set made up of a set of documents, a set of terms, and a vector associated with each term and each document. The method involves converting a search query to a vector in the vector space spanned by the term and document vectors, and combining vector-proximity searching and term searching to produce a set of results, which may be ranked according to various measures of relatedness to the query. Excerpts from each document in the result set may be displayed that contain the greatest term importance.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A system for securing bones together across a joint includes a transfixation screw and a plate. The plate includes an elongate spine having a transfixation screw hole disposed along the spine. The transfixation screw hole includes an inner surface configured to direct the transfixation screw through the transfixation screw hole such that the transfixation screw extends alongside the bridge portion at a trajectory configured to pass through a first position on the first bone and a second position on the second bone once the plate is placed across the joint. The transfixation screw includes a head configured to abut the inner surface of the transfixation screw hole and a shaft configured to contiguously extend through the first bone, across the joint, and into the second bone.

Abstract: A plate for securing bones together includes an elongate spine having at least one groove spanning along a length of the spine parallel to a central axis of the spine, and a plurality of arms extending laterally from the spine, the plurality of arms comprising at least one arm on a first side of the spine and at least one arm on a second side of the spine.

Abstract: In one embodiment of the present invention a prosthesis including a mechanism for attaching a first component to a second component is provided. In one example (which example is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive), the first component may be a femoral head component and the second component may be a femoral stem component. In another example (which example is intended to be illustrative and not restrictive), the femoral head component may comprise a ceramic material and the femoral stem component may comprise a metallic material (e.g., any desired orthopedic alloy, such as Cobalt Chromium).