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Listeria monocytogenes infection in humans is mostly asymptomatic in immunocompetent patients. It rarely can cause self-limiting febrile gastroenteritis, bacteremia, meningoencephalitis, and maternal-neonatal infections. The latter three manifestations are the most common, especially among immunocompromised patients. We present two cases of Listeria monocytogenes bacteremia in cancer patients, a 79-year-old man and a 70-year-old woman in whom the source of bacteremia was identified to be the implantable venous access port (TIVAP). In both cases, the TIVAP has been removed after “positive control cultures the following readmission to the hospital despite targeted therapy with ampicillin and gentamicin”. Removal of TIVAP was warranted to control the infection.

Pneumomediastinum is a rare complication described following dental extraction, especially of the third molar. 212 case reports were described in the English literature since 1960. We describe a case report of a 19-year-old girl who presented to the emergency department with subcutaneous emphysema. Investigations showed the presence of pneumomediastinum. The patient was admitted for surveillance with no antibiotic therapy given due to the improvement seen the following day.

We examine the impact of fintech start-ups on the performance and default risk of traditional financial institutions. We find a positive relationship between fintech start-up formations and incumbent institutions’ performance for the period 2005–2018 and a large sample of financial institutions from 87 countries. We further analyze the link between fintech start-up formations and the default risk of traditional financial institutions. Fintech start-up formations decrease stock return volatility of incumbent institutions and decrease the systemic risk exposure of financial institutions. The findings indicate that legislators and financial supervisory authorities should closely monitor the development of fintech start-ups, because fintechs not only have a positive effect on the financial sector’s performance but also can improve financial stability relative to the status quo.

We investigate the economic and technological determinants inducing entrepreneurs to establish ventures with the purpose of reinventing financial technology (fintech). We find that countries witness more fintech startup formations when the latest technology is readily available, capital markets are well-developed, and people have more mobile telephone subscriptions. Furthermore, the available labor force has a positive impact on the development of this new market segment. Finally, the more sound the financial system, the lower the number of fintech startups in a country. Overall, the evidence suggests that fintech startup formation need not be left to chance, but active policies can influence the emergence of this new sector.