Explode

Explode is a function that allows you to expand your search strategy to include additional, more specific terms.

If you are also interested in other types of Sickle Cell Anemia, you can explode the broad term Anemia, Sickle Cell to pick up the more specific types, namely Hemoglobin SC Disease and Sickle Cell Trait which are indented under it in the Tree Display.

When you explode a term the system will automatically retrieve all citations indexed to that term as well as all the citations indexed to the terms indented under it. This is very powerful when there are many more specific terms indented under a Subject Heading. Examples are Penicillius, Antibiotics, Pregnancy, etc.

Tree for Anemia, Sickle Cell
Database: MEDLINE

Select				Subject Heading	Explode	Focus	Scope Note
			Anemia, Sickle Cell (9256)
				Hemoglobin SC Disease (362)
				Sickle Cell Trait (1214)

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Sample retrieval with and without Explode ("exp") :

#	Search History	Results	Display
1	Anemia, Sickle Cell/	9256	Display
2	exp Anemia, Sickle Cell/	9836	Display