This Information Sheet deals primarily with the "International Symposium on Isotopic Tools for Monitoring Nutrional Status in Nutrition and Development Programmes" which is being held as part of the 17^th International Congress of Nutrition. For information on the Congress please refer to the Congress Announcement attached to this Information Sheet or directly to the organizers as indicated in Section 11 of this Sheet.

1. INTRODUCTION

   Nuclear and isotopic techniques are being increasingly used to improve nutrition monitoring techniques and to identify effective strategies in nutrition intervention schemes, particularly among vulnerable groups, in developing regions around the world. Many applications of isotopic techniques have been established to assess human energy requirements, body composition, and the metabolism of important nutrients such as protein, fat, vitamins and minerals. The information acquired has led directly to many improvements in nutrition and health. These techniques have just begun to be applied in many developing countries where they not only benefit populations for improving nutrition, but also serve as indicators of broader social and economic advances. The Symposia sessions are structured to capture the developments that are taking place in applying nuclear and isotopic based techniques to human health, and also to present the achievements of numerous Agency supported nutrition projects in the global context.

2. LIST OF TOPICS
   • Advances in isotopic and nuclear related methods for nutrition research

   • Isotopic methods for measurement of micronutrient availability in foods and nutritional status

   • Tracer techniques in nutrient metabolism

   • Tracer techniques as tools to measure the impact of nutritional interventions.

    

3. PARTICIPATION

   All persons wishing to participate in the Symposium are requested to complete a Participation Form and send it as soon as possible to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs or national atomic energy authority) for subsequent transmission to the Agency.
   
   Participants whose designations have been received by the Agency will be placed on the Congress mailing list and will automatically receive information pertaining to the Congress on inter alia registration, submission of abstracts for the Congress and accommodation. Please bear in mind that the Symposium is part of the 17^th International Congress of Nutrition and that there is a registration fee for attending the Congress. Information on the Congress is available directly from the Congress website:
   http://www.univie.ac.at/iuns2001.

4. SYMPOSIUM PAPERS AND POSTERS

   Contributed papers on issues falling within the topics under Section 2 may be submitted. All papers - apart from invited review papers - must present original work; they should not have been published elsewhere. The abstract of the paper should be prepared on the attached Abstract Form according to the instructions and sent to the address indicated on the form. Alternatively the abstract may be prepared and submitted electronically on the elctronic form available from the Congress Website at: http://www.univie.ac.at/iuns2001. The deadline for submission is 15 January 2001.

   The abstract should give enough information on the contents of the proposed paper to enable its evaluation by the selection committee. Introductory and general matters should not be included. The abstract - if accepted - will be reproduced in unedited form in the Book of Abstracts; therefore, the original must be submitted in camera-ready form.
   
   Paper/poster acceptance
   
   In order to provide ample time for discussion, the number of papers that can be accepted for oral presentation is limited. If the number of relevant and high quality papers submitted for selection exceeds the acceptable number, poster sessions will be arranged.
   
   Authors will be informed whether their papers have been accepted, and if accepted, whether for oral presentation at the Symposium or as a poster. Details concerning the preparation of the oral/poster presentation will be sent to authors at the same time.The IAEA, however, reserves the right to refuse the presentation or publication of any paper that does not meet the expectations based on the information given in the abstract.
   
   

5. PROCEEDINGS

   The full papers presented at the Symposium will be published in camera-ready (unedited) form as a CD ROM by the IAEA as soon as possible after the meeting. All Symposium participants will receive a free copy of the proceedings. Every effort will also be made to publish contributed papers in a peer reviewed journal.

   The Congress proceedings, consisting of a selection of key papers presented at the Congress, will be produced after the Congress and may be ordered at Registration.

6. WORKING LANGUAGE
   
   

   The working language of the meeting will be English. All communications sent to the Agency should be in English.

7. DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS

   A final Congress programme will be sent to participants before the Congress.

   All participants will receive a Book of Abstracts at the beginning of the Congress.

8. VISA

   Designated participants who require a visa to enter Austria should submit the necessary application to the nearest diplomatic or consular representative of Austria as soon as possible. Please note that Austria is a Schengen State and therefore persons who require a visa will have to apply for a "Schengen visa" at least 14 days before entry into Austria. In States where Austria has no diplomatic mission visas can be obtained from the consular authority of a Schengen Partner State representing Austria in the country in question. [The Schengen States are as of September 1999; Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Luxemburg, Netherlands, Portugal and Spain.]

9. IAEA SYMPOSIUM SECRETARIAT

   The address of the Secretariat is:

   International Atomic Energy Agency
   IAEA-SM-364
   Vienna International Centre
   Wagramer Strasse 5
   P.O. Box 100
   A-1400 Vienna, Austria

   Telephone No.: +43-1-2600(0) plus extension
   Telex No.: +43-1-12645
   Telefax No.: +43-1-26007
   Electronic mail: official.mail@iaea.org

   The Scientific Secretary of the Symposium is Mr. G.V. Iyengar, Division of Human Health (telephone extension 21657 or 21674, e-mail address: V.Iyengar@iaea.org). Symposium organization is provided by Ms. K. Morrison, Conference Service Section, Division of Conference and Document Services (telephone extensions 21317 or 2l3ll, e-mail address: k.morrison@iaea.org).

10. CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

    The Participation Form Form should be sent to the competent official authority (Ministry of Foreign Affairs, national atomic energy authority) for transmission to the International Atomic Energy Agency.

    Subsequent correspondence relating to the Symposium on scientific matters should be sent to the Scientific Secretary and correspondence on administrative matters to the IAEA Conference Service Section.
    
    Information on the Symposium is also available at the IAEA website:
    http://www.iaea.org/worldatom/Meetings/.

11. CONGRESS SECRETARIAT

    Enquiries concerning the Congress such as abstracts for the Congress programme, hotel accommodation, advance registration, should be sent to the organizers of the Congress as follows:
    
    

    Prof. Dr. I. Elmadfa
    Institute of Nutrional Sciences, University of Vienna
    Vienna International Centre
    Althanstrasse 14 (Pharmaziezentrum)
    A-1900 Vienna
    Austria

    Telephone No.: (++43 1) 4277-54901
    Telefax No.: (++43 1) 4277-9549
    Electronic mail: ibrahim.elmadfa@unvie.ac.at

    Further information on the Congress is also available at the website:
    http://www.univie.ac.at/iuns2001/.