Background: We conducted a systematic literature review to identify key trends associated with remote patient monitoring (RPM) via noninvasive digital technologies over the last decade. Materials and Methods: A search was conducted in EMBASE and Ovid MEDLINE. Citations were screened for relevance against predefined selection criteria based on the PICOTS (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes, Timeframe, and Study Design) format. We included studies published between January 1, 2005 and September 15, 2015 that used RPM via noninvasive digital technology (smartphones/personal digital assistants [PDAs], wearables, biosensors, computerized systems, or multiple components of the formerly mentioned) in evaluating health outcomes compared to standard of care or another technology. Studies were quality appraised according to Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. Results: Of 347 articles identified, 62 met the selection criteria. Most studies were randomized control trials with older adult populations, small sample sizes, and limited follow-up. There was a trend toward multicomponent interventions (n = 26), followed by smartphones/PDAs (n = 12), wearables (n = 11), biosensor devices (n = 7), and computerized systems (n = 6). Another key trend was the monitoring of chronic conditions, including respiratory (23%), weight management (17%), metabolic (18%), and cardiovascular diseases (16%). Although substantial diversity in health-related outcomes was noted, studies predominantly reported positive findings. Conclusions: This review will help decision makers develop a better understanding of the current landscape of peer-reviewed literature, demonstrating the utility of noninvasive RPM in various patient populations. Future research is needed to determine the effectiveness of RPM via noninvasive digital technologies in delivering patient healthcare benefits and the feasibility of large-scale implementation.

One of the main problems in the database area is to define query languages characterized by both high expressive power and ease of use. In this paper, we propose a system to query databases, using diagrams as a standard user interface.The system, called Query by Diagram * (QBD * ), makes use of a conceptual data model, a query language on this model and a graphical user interface. The conceptual model is the Entity-Relationship Model; the query language, whose expressive power allows recursive queries, supports visual interaction. The main characteristics of the interface are the ease of use, and the availability of a rich set of primitives for schema selection and query formulation. Furthermore, we compare the expressive power of QBD * and G + , which are the only languages allowing recursive queries to be expressed graphically.

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