Podcasting allows audio content from one or more user-selected feeds or channels to be automatically downloaded to one's computer as it becomes available, then later transferred to a portable player for consumption at a convenient time and place. It is enjoying phenomenal growth in mainstream society, alongside other Web 2.0 technologies that enable Internet users to author and distribute rich media content quickly and easily. Instead of using the technology for the mere recording and dissemination of lectures and other instructor-centred information, the project reported on in this article focused on enabling students to create their own podcasts for distribution to their peers. The article describes how engaging in the podcasting exercise promoted collaborative knowledge building among the student-producers, as evidenced through focus-group interviewing and an analysis of the products of their shared dialogue and reflection. The findings suggest that the collaborative development of audio learning objects enabling student conceptualisations of disciplinary content to be shared with peers is a powerful way of stimulating both individual and collective learning, as well as supporting social processes of perspective-taking and negotiation of meaning that underpin knowledge creation.

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Background and Aim: Hypoadiponectinemia and high tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-a) levels are associated with the development of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study aimed to investigate the genetic polymorphisms of adiponectin and TNF-a in Chinese NAFLD patients and their association with disease severity. Methods: Seventy-nine patients with histology-proven NAFLD (61 with simple steatosis and 18 with stage 2-4 fibrosis) and 40 controls were tested for the nucleotide polymorphisms at adiponectin -11 391, -11 377, +45, and +276 and TNF-a promoters -863, -308, and -238. Results: There was no significant deviation in the adiponectin and TNF-a gene polymorphisms between NAFLD patients and controls, or between patients with simple steatosis and those with stage 2-4 fibrosis. NAFLD patients with -11377G and +45G at the adiponectin gene were more likely to have hypertriglyceridemia. On multivariate analysis, older age, higher body mass index, and higher fasting glucose were independent factors associated with stage 2-4 fibrosis in NAFLD patients. Conclusions: Adiponectin and TNF-a gene polymorphisms were not shown to be associated with NAFLD or significant fibrosis in Chinese people. The adiponectin -11377G and +45G alleles were associated with hypertriglyceridemia in NAFLD patients. Since the current study is not adequately powered to detect smaller differences in allele frequencies, larger-sized studies in different ethnic groups are required.

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