In This Issue...
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January President's Message
Dr. Berl discusses ASN's transition to self-publication of JASN and new journal-related developments.
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Renal Week Highlights
It's not too late to attend "Renal Week Revisited" in Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, DC, Chicago or Seattle!
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2005 ASN Membership Renewal
Stay tuned to your mailbox for your 2005 Membership Renewal Form, so you don't miss out on all of the great benefits the ASN has to offer!
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Grant Deadlines and Details
ASN details upcoming deadlines for grants available in 2005.
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ERAS® is Now Available
The ASN now offers information and a website link for The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) through our website.
Dear ASN members:
Happy New Year! I want to take this opportunity to share with you some developments in an area of great importance for the Society and its members, the area of publications. You may have noticed that the cover of the January issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) has changed. This change symbolizes an important transition that, for you as readers, has seamlessly taken place. This transition involves the Society's move to self-publication.
Since its inception in 1990, JASN, has been published by Lippincott, Williams and Wilkins. Over the last 15 years, the journal has experienced a marked transformation, moving from a small, often overlooked publication to becoming the most highly cited journal in the Kidney/Urology field. This spectacular success is owed to the tireless dedication and uncompromising commitment to quality of the founding editor, Dr. Jared Grantham, his successor Dr. Craig Tisher, and the current editor, Dr. William Couser. The Society is deeply indebted to them as well as to the Managing Editor, Bonnie O'Brien, who has fulfilled this role since the journal began. The transition to self-publication, made with minimal disruption, was made possible under the able direction of Dr. Karen Campbell, Executive Director of the ASN, by the Director of Publications, Joanna Matthews, and by the Publications Committee of the Society, chaired by Dr. Norman Siegel. I want to express to them both my personal gratitude and gratitude on behalf of this Society.
The move to self-publication provides us with a degree of autonomy that was previously limited by contractual agreements. We feel that this new flexibility will allow us to further develop and expand our publications portfolio, which already began some expansion, when we launched Nephrology Self-Assessment (NephSAP). This publication, produced six times a year and edited by Dr. Richard Glassock, with the assistance of Dr. Robert Narins, provides timely updates in nine areas of nephrology. Content is provided by experts who review new developments occurring in their respective areas of nephrology in the intervening 18-24 months. Surveys of readership reveal that NephSAP is highly regarded and widely read. NephSAP not only provides a means of acquiring CME credits but also is viewed as an invaluable resource to practicing nephrologists, providing them the ability to remain current on renal literature and practice. Furthermore, NephSAP is increasingly employed by training programs as a tool for teaching fellows. The success of this publication is due in large part to the tireless efforts of ASN's CME Administrator, Gisela Deuter, BSN, MSA.
Our transition to self-publication will make it easier to launch our latest initiative, a clinical journal. This publication will devote at least half of its pages to review articles, controversies, pro-con debates, and policy issues. The other half will be committed to clinically oriented research and significant case reports. Surveys of our membership indicate that such a publication will complement the current content of JASN. A search committee, under the direction of Dr. William Henrich, is actively recruiting an editor for this periodical. We anticipate its first publication in early 2006.
I believe that JASN, NephSAP, and our future clinical publication are harmonious with the core values of this Society. These journals reflect our commitment to the education of our membership and to the dissemination of the best basic and clinical science in nephrology, as does our decision to assert more authority in this arena. For these reasons, the leaders of the Society and the supporting staff have made our transition to self-publication one of our highest priorities.
Sincerely yours,
Tomas Berl, MD
Thank you for helping to make Renal Week 2004 a huge success! Approximately 11,000 attendees joined us in St. Louis to learn about the latest in renal research and clinical nephrology. If you couldn't attend or if you missed key talks, join us for this year's Regional Meetings: Highlights of '04 Renal Week in January & February of 2005 in Los Angeles, Dallas, New York, DC, Chicago, and Seattle. At these 1 1/2 day meetings expert faculty will summarize, critique, and put into perspective key presentations from the October 2004 Renal Week in St. Louis. These "Renal Week Highlights" programs are perfect not only for those of you who couldn't attend Renal Week but also for those October attendees who missed several key presentations. The Regional Meetings will cover the following major areas of nephrology: Parenchymal Diseases, Transplantation, Hypertension, ESRD, Disorders of Bone and Mineral Metabolism, and Clinical Nephrology. Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner educational programs will be included at all six cities.
Visit the ASN website to learn more about Regional Meetings 2005 ("Renal Week Revisited") or register now!
IMPORTANT NOTE: The Early Registration Deadline has been extended to January 12 for New York, DC, Chicago, and Seattle!
3. 2005 ASN Membership Renewal
Stay tuned to your mailbox for your 2005 ASN Membership Renewal Form. Don't miss out on all of the great benefits the ASN has to offer:
- Printed and online subscriptions to the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (JASN) and Nephrology Self-Assessment Program (NephSAP)
- Eligibility for ASN grant funding
- Free Online Job Placement Service and Membership Directory
- Renal Express and Renal Policy Express
- Discounts on all ASN educational programs
- Eligibility for Fellowship of the American Society of Nephrology (FASN) status
- Voting rights for “Active” members
- AND MORE!
You may also visit the ASN website at www.asn-online.org to renew your 2005 dues.
4. CKD Awareness, Prevalence and Trends in U.S. Adults
Less than one-fourth of people with test results showing chronic kidney disease (CKD) are aware that they have any problem with their kidneys, reports the January Journal of the American Society of Nephrology. Awareness of CKD and reduced kidney function is particularly low among women, according to a study by
Dr. Josef Coresh and colleagues of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, Baltimore.
The researchers analyzed data on nearly 20,000 U.S. adults participating in nationwide health surveys in 1988-94 or 1999-2000. All underwent standard kidney function tests to determine whether they had CKD—a gradual, irreversible loss of kidney function, eventually leading to end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Awareness of CKD was assessed by asking the subjects whether a doctor had ever told them they had "weak or failing kidneys."
Based on kidney function tests, approximately ten percent of subjects had CKD. In contrast, only about two percent were aware of any problem with their kidneys.
Read this study and ASN's corresponding press release.
• ASN-ASP Junior Development Grant in Geriatric Nephrology (Due March 11, 2005)
• ASN-AST John Merrill Grant in Transplantation (Due March 11, 2005)
• Carl W. Gottschalk Research Scholar Grant (Due March 11, 2005)
• KUFA-ASN Research Grant (Due March 11, 2005) New!
• Halpin Foundation-ASN Research Grant (Due March 11, 2005) New!
• New Directions Grant for Established Investigators (Due March 11, 2005)
• Student Scholar Grant (Due February 11, 2005)
• M. James Scherbenske Grant (Due March 15, 2005, June 15, 2005, or November 15, 2005)
The ASN now offers information and a website link for The Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS®) through the Training Program Directors Executive Committee page of our website. Click here for additional information or go directly to the ERAS website.
