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Meaningful work is an important concept at both the individual and organisational levels. Researchers have studied how the concept manifests in established organisations and how it impacts the individual's performance. However, little is known about meaningful work in the context of emerging and dynamic organisations such as start-ups. In this study, we test whether individuals on a start-up team show a higher level of meaningful work than individuals in established organisations. Furthermore, we investigate whether meaningful work differences at the team level are related to the founding role. Our results show that meaningful work is more prevalent in entrepreneurial teams and that (co)founders experience a significantly higher of meaningful work than employees of entrepreneurial teams. This study opens up promising research opportunities to better understand the drivers, characteristics, and consequences of meaningful work in start-ups.

Background:Cardiac shock wave therapy (CSWT) delivered to the myocardium increases capillary density and regional myocardial blood flow in animal experiments. In addition, nonenzymatic nitric oxide production and the upregulation of vascular growth factor's mRNA by CSWT have been described. The aim of the study was therefore to test its potential to relieve symptoms in patients with chronic stable angina pectoris. Methods:Twenty‐one patients (mean age 68.2 ± 8.3 years, 19 males) with chronic refractory angina pectoris and evidence of inducible myocardial ischemia during MIBI‐SPECT imaging, were randomized into a treatment (n = 11) and a placebo arm (n = 10). The region of exercise‐induced ischemia was treated with echocardiographic guidance during nine sessions over a period of 3 months. One session of CSWT consisted of 200 shots/spot (9‐‐12 spots/session) with an energy intensity of 0.09 mJ/mm2. In the control group acoustic simulation was performed without energy application. Medication was kept unchanged during the whole treatment period. Results:In the treatment group, symptoms improved in 9/11 patients, and the ischemic threshold, determined by cardiopulmonary exercise stress testing, increased from 80 ± 28 to 95 ± 28 W (P= 0.036). In the placebo arm, only 2/10 patients reported an improvement and the ischemic threshold remained unchanged (98 ± 23 to 107 ± 23 W; P= 0.141). The items “physical functioning” (P= 0.043), “general health perception” (P= 0.046), and “vitality” (P= 0.035) of the SF‐36 questionnaire significantly improved in the treatment arm, whereas in the placebo arm, no significant change was noted. Neither arrhythmias, troponin rise nor complications were observed during treatment. Conclusions:This placebo controlled trial shows a significant improvement in symptoms, quality of life parameters and ischemic threshold during exercise in patients with chronic refractory angina pectoris treated with CSWT. Thus, CSWT represents a new option for the treatment of patients with refractory AP.

Studies with very long follow-up are scarce in patients with cryptogenic stroke and patent foramen ovale (PFO). Little is known about the etiology of recurrent cerebrovascular events (CVE) in PFO patients.

Contrast between blood and myocardium in standard turbo gradient echo MR techniques (TFE) used routinely in clinical practice is mainly caused by unsaturated inflowing blood. Steady‐state free precession (SSFP) has excellent contrast even in the absence of inflow effects. In 45 subjects cardiac cine loops in two long axis projections were acquired using TFE and compared with SSFP. A visual score (range 0 worst – 3 best) was assigned for endocardial border delineation for six myocardial segments in two long axis views. Endocardial border delineation score for TFE was 1.3 ± 0.3 per segment and 2.4 ± 0.3 for SSFP (P< 0.0001). Signal intensity blood/signal intensity myocardium was 1.5 ± 0.4 at enddiastole and 1.4 ± 0.3 at systole for TFE and 3.5 ± 1.1 and 3.2 ± 1.3 for SSFP, respectively (P< 0.0001). SSFP increases contrast between blood and myocardium more than twofold, resulting in an improved endocardial border definition. This may reduce variability for the determination of cardiac volumes and ejection fraction. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2001;14:362–367. ©2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) and atrial septal aneurysm (ASA) have been associated with stroke in young adults. Patients with PFO suffering from paradoxical embolism are at increased risk for recurrent events. Percutaneous PFO closure is a new treatment modality aimed at secondary prevention. Methods and Results: Since April 1994, 132 consecutive patients, aged 51 ± 12 years with PFO and with at least one paradoxical embolic event, underwent percutaneous PFO closure using six different device types. The embolic index event was an ischemic stroke in 62% of patients, a transient ischemic attack (TIA) in 33% of patients, and a peripheral embolism in 5% of patients. Thirty‐six (27%) patients had PFO associated with ASA, whereas 96 (73%) patients had PFO only. The implantation procedure was successful in 130 (98%) patients. During and up to 6 years of follow‐up (mean 1.8 ± 1.6 years, 231 patient years), a total of eight recurrent embolic events were observed, with six TIAs, two peripheral emboli, and no ischemic stroke. The actuarial freedom from recurrence of the combined end point of TIA, ischemic stroke, and peripheral embolism was 95.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 91.0%–96.4%) at 1 year and 90.5% (95% CI, 83.6%–97.2%) at 6 years. Conclusions: Percutaneous PFO closure can be performed with a high success rate. The procedure appears a promising therapeutic modality for secondary prevention of recurrent embolism in patients with PFO. Randomized trials must define its therapeutic value. (J Interven Cardiol 2001;14:203–210)