Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart (TNH2H): building a community-based participatory data system.

Background: Healthy People 2020 calls for increased monitoring of local health and health disparities, but successful models of designing and implementing data collection systems for this purpose are lacking.

Community Context: We describe the process, methods, and outcomes of a community-based participatory research initiative, Taking Neighborhood Health to Heart, designed to collect and disseminate comprehensive health data from 5 diverse urban neighborhoods in Denver, Colorado.

Methods: Since its beginning in 2006, this initiative has involved community members in collection of individual health surveys from 1,146 households; audits of sidewalks, buildings, and other built environment features in 412 neighborhood blocks; audits of availability, price, and quality of fresh produce in 69 local stores; and audits of conditions and amenities in 20 local parks.

Developmental neurotoxicity of toluene: in vivo and in vitro effects on astroglial cells.

Toluene, an inexpensive and available industrial solvent, has become increasingly popular as a drug of abuse. Inhaling toluene leads to a feeling of euphoria and several reports have shown that children born to women who had abused toluene during pregnancy present a syndrome (toluene embryopathy or fetal solvent syndrome) that is characterized by CNS effects (e.g.