The authors review the difficulties that Argentina's medical schools, particularly the public ones, are likely to face when implementing a problem-based learning (PBL) curriculum, describe the barriers that were faced by their medical school as it implemented PBL, and point out the implications for medical education in developing countries with conditions and education programs similar to those in Argentina. Specifically, they (1) outline the basic requirements for successful implementation of a PBL curriculum, (2) describe the training contradiction in Argentina between a complex and heterogeneous health care system that forces specialization and medical schools' attempts to train generalists, and (3) review the effects on curriculum change of the size and the training levels of the student population and the availability of human and financial resources. This information indicates the context in which the Rosario University School of Medicine designed a new PBL curriculum and implemented it in 2002. The authors close by suggesting that schools in developing countries that are in circumstances similar to that of Rosario should consider whether a PBL curriculum is even appropriate for them, and should realize the difficulties (discussed in the article) they will have to overcome. Also, uncertainties about the efficacy of PBL create a case for exploring alternatives to PBL, including hybrid curricula. Considering the available research on curricular innovations such as PBL and the particular situations of their countries may help schools anywhere avoid wrong decisions about what curricula to implement.

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eSS rats exhibit a non-insulin-dependent diabetic syndrome, significantly influenced by diet. Long-term effects of intermittent dietary restriction were studied in male eSS rats. Experimental animals were fed ad libitum during 48 h and food-deprived the next 24 h (R) while controls (L) of the same strain were freely fed every day. This schedule was maintained from 21 days of age until all rats were sacrificed. R animals were leaner than L rats at 5, 8 and 13 months of age. Moreover, an improved metabolic profile (i.e., lower levels in blood triglycerides, total blood cholesterol, basal blood glucose and blood glucose after an oral glucose load) was found. Histological examination of nuchal skin specimens showed a significant increase of dermal thickness and epidermal hypotrophy in free-fed animals. Collagenous fibers closely packed were found just beneath the dermo-epidermal junction in L rats. This finding was less pronounced in R rats. The above mentioned results suggest that eSS rats would draw advantage from living in environments where food availability is uncertain. The importance of early dietary restrictions in predisposed genotypes appears to be a valuable preventive measure against diabetic evolution and complications.

El presente trabajo propone de manera aproximativa uno de los tantos modos posibles para llevar a la práctica un proceso integrador, diacrónico, sistemático y progresivamente complejo, de competencias investigativas vinculadas primordialmente al saber-hacer, pasible de aplicación en el grado y, también, al postgrado del área salud. Encuadradas en competencias del saber ser (actitudes, y valores primordialmente), aquéllas son sucesivamente conceptualizadas y detalladas según cada uno de los momentos del proceso de investigación planteados por Carlos Sabino y complementados por Ricardo Rezzónico a modo de pasos previos para su implementación. Ésta se basa en una comunicación previa sobre una experiencia decenal de un Programa optativo y extracurricular de resultados positivos y la continúa con resultados equivalentes, lo que la hace potencialmente extrapolable a los currículos de grado del área salud y a sus postgrados (carreras de especialización, maestrías y doctorados) en los que dable es presuponer mayor madurez etaria y superior cantidad de inclusores previos para más alta eficiencia.