Support : Dialog Search Aids : Successful Searching : Using the Explode Feature

EXPAND (continued)

Using the Explode Feature

The Explode feature, available in selected files, provides an easy and convenient way to search narrower Related Terms. In a SELECT statement using descriptor terms, add an exclamation point (!) as a truncation mark to activate the EXPLODE feature. The "EXPLODEd" descriptor term will retrieve all records assigned that descriptor, plus automatically all narrower Related Terms (listed as "N" under the Type column in the EXPAND display).

In the MEDLINE^® Files, the Explode feature is used with Medical Subject Headings (MeSH^®) Tree Structure (subject headings and unique codes) and provides the same results as searching truncated descriptor codes.

• To use the Explode feature to search Narrower Related Terms:

?e (eating disorders)
Ref   Items Type  RT  Index-term
R1     4478        9 *EATING DISORDERS
R2     4478   X       DC=F3.375. (EATING DISORDERS)
R3        0   X    1  APPETITE DISORDERS
R4    73576   R   19  OBESITY
R5     1812   R    9  THINNESS
R6     4592   N    3  ANOREXIA NERVOSA
R7      452   N    4  BULIMIA NERVOSA
R8       74   N    5  COPROPHAGIA
R9       16   N    6  FEMALE ATHLETE TRIAD SYNDROME
R10     919   N    5  PICA

?s eating disorders!
      S1    9295  EATING DISORDERS!

?s dc=F3.375?
      S2    9295  DC=F3.375?

(File 154: MEDLINE^®)

In databases that have a thesaurus similar to the MEDLINE files, where all narrower terms for all hierarchies are listed under the EXPANDed term, the Explode feature makes it possible to retrieve the term as a descriptor plus all the narrower terms assigned to that descriptor term.

?e plant extracts
Ref   Items   RT  Index-term
E1        1       PLANT EXTRACT,ZINIBER OFFICINALE,ETHANOL
E2        1       PLANT EXTRACT,ZIZIPHUS JUJUBA BARK,BOILING
E3    12052   16 *PLANT EXTRACTS
E4     1685       PLANT EXTRACTS --ADMINISTRATION AND DOSAGE
E5      955       PLANT EXTRACTS --ADVERSE EFFECTS --AE
E6        1       PLANT EXTRACTS --AGONISTS --AG
E7      488       PLANT EXTRACTS --ANALYSIS --AN
E8       21       PLANT EXTRACTS --ANTAGONISTS AND INHIBITOR
E9       13       PLANT EXTRACTS --BIOSYNTHESIS --BI
E10      29       PLANT EXTRACTS --BLOOD --BL
E11       2       PLANT EXTRACTS --CEREBROSPINAL FLUID --CF
E12      12       PLANT EXTRACTS --CHEMICAL SYNTHESIS --CS
E13    1783       PLANT EXTRACTS --CHEMISTRY --CH
E14      16       PLANT EXTRACTS --CLASSIFICATION --CL
E15       3       PLANT EXTRACTS --CONTRAINDICATIONS --CT
E16       1       PLANT EXTRACTS --DEFICIENCY --DF
E17      14       PLANT EXTRACTS --DIAGNOSTIC USE --DU
E18       6       PLANT EXTRACTS --ECONOMICS --EC
E19       7       PLANT EXTRACTS --GENETICS --GE
E20      15       PLANT EXTRACTS --HISTORY --HI
E21     126       PLANT EXTRACTS --IMMUNOLOGY --IM
E22     760       PLANT EXTRACTS --ISOLATION AND PURIFICATI
E23     261       PLANT EXTRACTS --METABOLISM --ME
E24      96       PLANT EXTRACTS --PHARMACOKINETICS --PK
E25    6448       PLANT EXTRACTS --PHARMACOLOGY --PD

?e (plant extracts)
Ref   Items Type  RT  Index-term
R1    12052       16 *PLANT EXTRACTS
R2    11802   X       DC=D20.215.784.500. (PLANT EXTRACTS)
R3    12024   X       DC=D26.667. (PLANT EXTRACTS)
R4      141   R    7  MATERIA MEDICA
R5     5219   R   14  PHYTOTHERAPY
R6    10502   R   11  PLANTS, MEDICINAL
R7     1220   B   29  PLANT PREPARATIONS
R8       29   N   10  CASCARA
R9      581   N    9  CURARE
R10    3361   N    8  DRUGS, CHINESE HERBAL
R11     583   N    8  IPECAC
R12     102   N    6  LECITHINS
R13    1227   N   15  OPIUM
R14     380   N    8  PECTINS
R15     916   N    7  PODOPHYLLIN
R16     128   N    6  PSYLLIUM
R17      91   N    5  SENNA EXTRACT


?s (r1,r8:r17)/df
           12024  PLANT EXTRACTS/DF
            6258  CASCARA:SENNA EXTRACT
      S2   17953  (R1,R8:R17)/DF

?s plant extracts!
      S3   17953  PLANT EXTRACTS!

(File 156: ToxFile^®)

In databases that include multiple hierarchical levels in their online thesaurus, the Explode feature retrieves only the narrower terms for the level that is displayed under the desired descriptor term. The Explode feature does not retrieve multiple levels of narrower related terms.

?e (engines)
Ref   Items Type  RT  Index-term
R1    37315        9 *ENGINES (January 1973)
R2     2622   N    9  AEROSPACE ENGINES (January 1973)
R3     2494   N    8  HEAT ENGINES (January 1971)
R4     6802   N   14  INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES (January
R5      720   N    6  ION ENGINES (January 1969)
R6    19757   R    7  IGNITION (January 1969)
R7     5460   R   14  MARINE SYSTEMS (January 1969)
R8    15560   R   10  PROPULSION (January 1969)
R9    50300   R   28  THERMODYNAMICS (January 1969)
R10   19049   R   19  CC=B8230 Thermal power stations & pla

?s r1:r5
      S1   37315  R1:R5

?s r1:r5/df
      S2   13572  R1:R5/DF

?s engines!
      S3   13572  ENGINES!  (January 1973)

(File 2: INSPEC)

(EXPAND Numbers in SELECT Statements) 

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