36 our current initiatives to execute this strategy include the following : provide products that can compete effectively in the healthcare market where cost and quality are important ; complete the integration of the triage and bnp businesses acquired in late 2017 ; strengthen and leverage our international infrastructure to support the integration of the triage and bnp businesses and enhance our global footprint to support our international operations and future growth ; focus our research and development efforts on three areas : new proprietary product platform development ; the creation of improved products and new products for existing markets and unmet clinical needs ; and pursuit of collaborations with , or acquisitions of , other companies for new and existing products and markets that advance our strategy to develop differentiated technologies and products ; strengthen our market and brand leadership in current markets by acquiring and or developing and introducing clinically superior diagnostic solutions ; strengthen our direct sales force to enhance relationships with integrated delivery networks , laboratories and hospitals , with a goal of driving growth through improved physician and laboratorian satisfaction ; leverage our wireless connectivity and data management systems , including cloud-based tools ; support payer evaluation of diagnostic tests and establishment of favorable reimbursement rates ; provide clinicians with validated studies that encompass the clinical efficacy and economic efficiency of our diagnostic tests for the professional market ; create strong global alliances to support our efforts to achieve leadership in key markets and expand our presence in emerging markets ; further refine our manufacturing efficiencies and productivity improvements to increase profit ; and focus on innovative products and markets and leverage our core competency in new product development . product development activities are inherently uncertain , and there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain regulatory body clearance to market any of our products , or if we obtain clearances , that we will successfully commercialize any of our products . in addition , we may terminate our development efforts with respect to one or more of our products under development at any time , including before or during clinical trials . outlook we anticipate revenue growth over the next year and a related positive impact on gross margin and earnings , assuming relatively normal respiratory seasons . this growth is expected to be driven primarily by increased sales of our cardiology assays , sofia assays and molecular products . in addition , we expect continued and significant investment in research and development activities as we invest in our next generation immunoassay and molecular platforms . we will continue our focus on prudently managing our business and delivering solid financial results , while at the same time striving to continue to introduce new products to the market and maintaining our emphasis on research and development investments for longer term growth . finally , we will continue to evaluate opportunities to acquire new product lines , technologies and companies . 37 results of operations comparison of years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 total revenues the following table compares total revenues for the years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 ( in thousands , except percentages ) : replace_table_token_5_th for the year ended december 31 , 2018 , total revenues increased 88 % to $ 522.3 million . the increase in total revenues was driven primarily by cardiac immunoassay full year impact of revenue from the acquisition of the triage and bnp businesses . the company also realized increases in rapid immunoassay revenues due primarily to growth in influenza products , bolstered by a robust cold and flu season in the first quarter of 2018. molecular products were up 42 % over prior year driven by continued revenue growth on the solana platform . gross profit gross profit increased by 102 % over prior year , to $ 315.7 million , or 60 % of revenue for the year ended december 31 , 2018 , compared to $ 156.1 million , or 56 % of revenue for the year ended december 31 , 2017 . the increased gross profit was mainly driven by the full year impact of the cardiac immunoassay products from the acquisition of the triage and bnp businesses and increased influenza sales in the current year . gross margins increased by 420 basis points during 2018 due to higher volumes with the addition of cardiac immunoassay products , lower inventory step-up amortization and improved product mix in the current year . operating expenses the following table compares operating expenses for the years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 ( in thousands , except percentages ) : replace_table_token_6_th research and development expense research and development expense for the year ended december 31 , 2018 increased from $ 33.6 million to $ 51.6 million due primarily to additional expenses associated with the triage business and investments in the savanna molecular diagnostic platform . research and development expenses include direct external costs such as fees paid to third-party contractors and consultants and internal direct and indirect costs such as compensation and other expenses for research and development personnel , supplies and materials , clinical trials and studies , facility costs and depreciation . 38 due to the risks inherent in the product development process and given the early-stage of development of certain projects , we are unable to estimate with meaningful certainty the costs we will incur in the continued development of our product candidates for commercialization . we expect our research and development costs to be substantial as we move other product candidates into preclinical and clinical trials and advance our existing product candidates into later stages of development . story_separator_special_tag ( 6 ) reflects our $ 9.1 million of non-cancelable commitments for planned inventory purchases under contractual arrangements . we have entered into various licensing agreements , which largely require payments based on specified product sales as well as the achievement of specific milestones . royalty and license expenses under these various royalty and licensing agreements collectively totaled $ 0.4 million , $ 0.6 million and $ 0.8 million for the years ended december 31 , 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively . we exclude liabilities pertaining to uncertain tax positions from our table of contractual obligations as we can not make a reliable estimate of the period of cash settlement with the respective taxing authorities , nor the amount of the final cash settlement . as of december 31 , 2018 , we had approximately $ 3.2 million of liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions . see note 4 in the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for further discussion of uncertain tax positions . the table also excludes $ 19.1 million in potential contingent consideration payments primarily related to the acquisition of the bnp business and achievement of certain revenue targets under other acquisition agreements . we have not included amounts in the table because we can not make a reasonably reliable estimate regarding the probability of the annual payments for the bnp business or whether and when the milestones required for the other acquisition payments will be 44 achieved . see note 10 in the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for further discussion of our contingent consideration . recent accounting standards for summary of recent accounting pronouncements applicable to our consolidated financial statements see “ company operations and summary of significant accounting policies ” in note 1 to our consolidated financial statements in part ii , item 8 , which is incorporated herein by reference . critical accounting policies and estimates our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements , which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the u.s. the preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets , liabilities , revenues and expenses , and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities . on an on-going basis , we evaluate our estimates , including those related to revenue recognition , stock-based compensation , goodwill and intangibles , business combinations , income taxes and convertible debt . we base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances , the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources . actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions . we believe the following critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements : reserve for contractual rebates and discounts the company records revenues primarily from product sales . these revenues are recorded net of rebates and other discounts that are estimated at the time of sale , and are largely driven by various customer program offerings , including special pricing agreements , promotions and other volume-based incentives . rebates and discounts are recorded as a reduction of sales and trade accounts receivable , based up on historical experience , estimated discounting levels and estimated distributor inventory balances . stock-based compensation compensation expense related to stock options granted is recognized ratably over the service vesting period for the entire option . the total number of stock options expected to vest is adjusted by estimated forfeiture rates . we determine the estimated fair value of each stock option on the date of grant using the black-scholes option valuation model . the computation of the expected option life is based on a weighted-average calculation combining the average life of options that have already been exercised and post-vest cancellations with the estimated life of the remaining vested and unexercised options . the expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our stock . the risk-free interest rate is based on the u.s treasury yield curve over the expected term of the option . historically , we have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock , and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future . the estimated forfeiture rate is based on our historical experience and future expectations . compensation expense for time-based restricted stock units are measured at the grant date and recognized ratably over the vesting period . we determine the fair value of time-based and performance-based restricted stock units based on the closing market price of our common stock on the grant date . the recognition of compensation expense associated with performance-based restricted stock units requires judgment in assessing the probability of meeting the performance goals , as well as defined criteria for assessing achievement of the performance-related goals . this may result in significant expense recognition in the period in which the performance goals are met or when achievement of the goals is deemed probable or may result in the reversal of previously recognized stock-based compensation expense if the performance criteria are deemed not probable of being met . for purposes of measuring compensation expense , the number of shares ultimately expected to vest is estimated at each reporting date based on management 's expectations regarding the relevant performance criteria . the grant date of the performance-based restricted stock units takes place when the grant is authorized and the specific achievement goals are communicated . the communication date of the performance goals can impact the valuation and associated expense of the restricted stock units . 45 goodwill and intangible assets the effective life and related amortization of intangible assets with definite lives will be based on the higher

cash provided by operating activities of $ 27.7 million during the year ended december 31 , 2017 reflects net loss of $ 8.2 million for the year ended december 31 , 2017 and non-cash charges of $ 59.7 million primarily related to depreciation , amortization of intangible assets , amortization of the inventory step-up to fair value related to the triage and bnp businesses acquired in 2017 , stock-based compensation , amortization of debt discount and deferred issuance costs and accretion of interest on deferred consideration related to the acquired bnp business . partially offsetting these cash inflows was a net working capital use of cash of $ 30.7 million . cash provided by operating activities of $ 11.8 million during the year ended december 31 , 2016 reflects net loss of $ 13.8 million for the year ended december 31 , 2016 and non-cash charges of $ 33.2 million primarily related to depreciation , amortization and stock-based compensation . partially offsetting these cash inflows was net working capital use of cash of $ 1.9 million . our investing activities provided $ 115.0 million during the year ended december 31 , 2018 primarily from the sale of the summers ridge property for $ 146.6 million . in addition , we used $ 31.7 million to acquire production equipment , building improvements and sofia , solana and triage instruments available for sale or lease .


 Write a concise suspicious activity report of the following text delimited by triple backquotes. Return your response as a formal report which covers the key points highlighting the location,dates,entity names and account holder information in chronological order of the text.
     ```cash provided by operating activities of $ 27.7 million during the year ended december 31 , 2017 reflects net loss of $ 8.2 million for the year ended december 31 , 2017 and non-cash charges of $ 59.7 million primarily related to depreciation , amortization of intangible assets , amortization of the inventory step-up to fair value related to the triage and bnp businesses acquired in 2017 , stock-based compensation , amortization of debt discount and deferred issuance costs and accretion of interest on deferred consideration related to the acquired bnp business . partially offsetting these cash inflows was a net working capital use of cash of $ 30.7 million . cash provided by operating activities of $ 11.8 million during the year ended december 31 , 2016 reflects net loss of $ 13.8 million for the year ended december 31 , 2016 and non-cash charges of $ 33.2 million primarily related to depreciation , amortization and stock-based compensation . partially offsetting these cash inflows was net working capital use of cash of $ 1.9 million . our investing activities provided $ 115.0 million during the year ended december 31 , 2018 primarily from the sale of the summers ridge property for $ 146.6 million . in addition , we used $ 31.7 million to acquire production equipment , building improvements and sofia , solana and triage instruments available for sale or lease .
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 Suspicious Activity Report : 36 our current initiatives to execute this strategy include the following : provide products that can compete effectively in the healthcare market where cost and quality are important ; complete the integration of the triage and bnp businesses acquired in late 2017 ; strengthen and leverage our international infrastructure to support the integration of the triage and bnp businesses and enhance our global footprint to support our international operations and future growth ; focus our research and development efforts on three areas : new proprietary product platform development ; the creation of improved products and new products for existing markets and unmet clinical needs ; and pursuit of collaborations with , or acquisitions of , other companies for new and existing products and markets that advance our strategy to develop differentiated technologies and products ; strengthen our market and brand leadership in current markets by acquiring and or developing and introducing clinically superior diagnostic solutions ; strengthen our direct sales force to enhance relationships with integrated delivery networks , laboratories and hospitals , with a goal of driving growth through improved physician and laboratorian satisfaction ; leverage our wireless connectivity and data management systems , including cloud-based tools ; support payer evaluation of diagnostic tests and establishment of favorable reimbursement rates ; provide clinicians with validated studies that encompass the clinical efficacy and economic efficiency of our diagnostic tests for the professional market ; create strong global alliances to support our efforts to achieve leadership in key markets and expand our presence in emerging markets ; further refine our manufacturing efficiencies and productivity improvements to increase profit ; and focus on innovative products and markets and leverage our core competency in new product development . product development activities are inherently uncertain , and there can be no assurance that we will be able to obtain regulatory body clearance to market any of our products , or if we obtain clearances , that we will successfully commercialize any of our products . in addition , we may terminate our development efforts with respect to one or more of our products under development at any time , including before or during clinical trials . outlook we anticipate revenue growth over the next year and a related positive impact on gross margin and earnings , assuming relatively normal respiratory seasons . this growth is expected to be driven primarily by increased sales of our cardiology assays , sofia assays and molecular products . in addition , we expect continued and significant investment in research and development activities as we invest in our next generation immunoassay and molecular platforms . we will continue our focus on prudently managing our business and delivering solid financial results , while at the same time striving to continue to introduce new products to the market and maintaining our emphasis on research and development investments for longer term growth . finally , we will continue to evaluate opportunities to acquire new product lines , technologies and companies . 37 results of operations comparison of years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 total revenues the following table compares total revenues for the years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 ( in thousands , except percentages ) : replace_table_token_5_th for the year ended december 31 , 2018 , total revenues increased 88 % to $ 522.3 million . the increase in total revenues was driven primarily by cardiac immunoassay full year impact of revenue from the acquisition of the triage and bnp businesses . the company also realized increases in rapid immunoassay revenues due primarily to growth in influenza products , bolstered by a robust cold and flu season in the first quarter of 2018. molecular products were up 42 % over prior year driven by continued revenue growth on the solana platform . gross profit gross profit increased by 102 % over prior year , to $ 315.7 million , or 60 % of revenue for the year ended december 31 , 2018 , compared to $ 156.1 million , or 56 % of revenue for the year ended december 31 , 2017 . the increased gross profit was mainly driven by the full year impact of the cardiac immunoassay products from the acquisition of the triage and bnp businesses and increased influenza sales in the current year . gross margins increased by 420 basis points during 2018 due to higher volumes with the addition of cardiac immunoassay products , lower inventory step-up amortization and improved product mix in the current year . operating expenses the following table compares operating expenses for the years ended december 31 , 2018 and 2017 ( in thousands , except percentages ) : replace_table_token_6_th research and development expense research and development expense for the year ended december 31 , 2018 increased from $ 33.6 million to $ 51.6 million due primarily to additional expenses associated with the triage business and investments in the savanna molecular diagnostic platform . research and development expenses include direct external costs such as fees paid to third-party contractors and consultants and internal direct and indirect costs such as compensation and other expenses for research and development personnel , supplies and materials , clinical trials and studies , facility costs and depreciation . 38 due to the risks inherent in the product development process and given the early-stage of development of certain projects , we are unable to estimate with meaningful certainty the costs we will incur in the continued development of our product candidates for commercialization . we expect our research and development costs to be substantial as we move other product candidates into preclinical and clinical trials and advance our existing product candidates into later stages of development . story_separator_special_tag ( 6 ) reflects our $ 9.1 million of non-cancelable commitments for planned inventory purchases under contractual arrangements . we have entered into various licensing agreements , which largely require payments based on specified product sales as well as the achievement of specific milestones . royalty and license expenses under these various royalty and licensing agreements collectively totaled $ 0.4 million , $ 0.6 million and $ 0.8 million for the years ended december 31 , 2018 , 2017 and 2016 , respectively . we exclude liabilities pertaining to uncertain tax positions from our table of contractual obligations as we can not make a reliable estimate of the period of cash settlement with the respective taxing authorities , nor the amount of the final cash settlement . as of december 31 , 2018 , we had approximately $ 3.2 million of liabilities associated with uncertain tax positions . see note 4 in the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for further discussion of uncertain tax positions . the table also excludes $ 19.1 million in potential contingent consideration payments primarily related to the acquisition of the bnp business and achievement of certain revenue targets under other acquisition agreements . we have not included amounts in the table because we can not make a reasonably reliable estimate regarding the probability of the annual payments for the bnp business or whether and when the milestones required for the other acquisition payments will be 44 achieved . see note 10 in the consolidated financial statements included in this annual report for further discussion of our contingent consideration . recent accounting standards for summary of recent accounting pronouncements applicable to our consolidated financial statements see “ company operations and summary of significant accounting policies ” in note 1 to our consolidated financial statements in part ii , item 8 , which is incorporated herein by reference . critical accounting policies and estimates our discussion and analysis of our financial condition and results of operations are based on our consolidated financial statements , which have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the u.s. the preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments that affect the reported amounts of assets , liabilities , revenues and expenses , and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities . on an on-going basis , we evaluate our estimates , including those related to revenue recognition , stock-based compensation , goodwill and intangibles , business combinations , income taxes and convertible debt . we base our estimates on historical experience and on various other assumptions that we believe are reasonable under the circumstances , the results of which form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities that are not readily apparent from other sources . actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions . we believe the following critical accounting policies affect our more significant judgments and estimates used in the preparation of our consolidated financial statements : reserve for contractual rebates and discounts the company records revenues primarily from product sales . these revenues are recorded net of rebates and other discounts that are estimated at the time of sale , and are largely driven by various customer program offerings , including special pricing agreements , promotions and other volume-based incentives . rebates and discounts are recorded as a reduction of sales and trade accounts receivable , based up on historical experience , estimated discounting levels and estimated distributor inventory balances . stock-based compensation compensation expense related to stock options granted is recognized ratably over the service vesting period for the entire option . the total number of stock options expected to vest is adjusted by estimated forfeiture rates . we determine the estimated fair value of each stock option on the date of grant using the black-scholes option valuation model . the computation of the expected option life is based on a weighted-average calculation combining the average life of options that have already been exercised and post-vest cancellations with the estimated life of the remaining vested and unexercised options . the expected volatility is based on the historical volatility of our stock . the risk-free interest rate is based on the u.s treasury yield curve over the expected term of the option . historically , we have not paid any cash dividends on our common stock , and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends in the foreseeable future . the estimated forfeiture rate is based on our historical experience and future expectations . compensation expense for time-based restricted stock units are measured at the grant date and recognized ratably over the vesting period . we determine the fair value of time-based and performance-based restricted stock units based on the closing market price of our common stock on the grant date . the recognition of compensation expense associated with performance-based restricted stock units requires judgment in assessing the probability of meeting the performance goals , as well as defined criteria for assessing achievement of the performance-related goals . this may result in significant expense recognition in the period in which the performance goals are met or when achievement of the goals is deemed probable or may result in the reversal of previously recognized stock-based compensation expense if the performance criteria are deemed not probable of being met . for purposes of measuring compensation expense , the number of shares ultimately expected to vest is estimated at each reporting date based on management 's expectations regarding the relevant performance criteria . the grant date of the performance-based restricted stock units takes place when the grant is authorized and the specific achievement goals are communicated . the communication date of the performance goals can impact the valuation and associated expense of the restricted stock units . 45 goodwill and intangible assets the effective life and related amortization of intangible assets with definite lives will be based on the higher

