PubMed Query Optimizer

This project is a tool to optimize complex PubMed search queries by automatically removing redundant OR keywords. It uses a combination of query parsing and Selenium automation to streamline searches and ensure the query returns the desired results.

Overview

The tool:

• Parses a PubMed search query into its nested components.
• Identifies minimal operator groups (those containing AND/OR).
• Reconstructs the query by wrapping each keyword in parentheses.
• Uses Selenium to automate the PubMed search and verify result counts.
• Iteratively removes redundant keywords to optimize the query.

Requirements

• Python 3.7+
• Selenium
• ChromeDriver (Ensure it is installed and available in your system's PATH)

Installation

1. Clone the Repository:

   git clone https://github.com/yourusername/pubmed-query-optimizer.git
   cd pubmed-query-optimizer

2. Create a Virtual Environment (Optional but Recommended):

   python3 -m venv venv
   source venv/bin/activate  # On Windows: venv\Scripts\activate

3. Install Dependencies:

   pip install selenium

4. Download ChromeDriver:

   • Visit ChromeDriver Downloads and download the version that matches your Chrome browser.
   • Make sure the chromedriver executable is in your PATH or in the project directory.

Usage

Run the main script with your PubMed query as a command-line argument:

python main.py --query "YOUR_QUERY_HERE"