The January 2019 Issue of The Pathologist

A medical examiner and forensic pathologist in the greater Austin, Texas, area, Danielo Perez has worked for multiple clinical organizations, including the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office in Chicago, Illinois. To supplement his professional activities, Danielo Perez is a member of several industry associations, including the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.
 
Comprised of more than 100,000 pathologists and medical laboratory personnel, the American Society of Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) spearheads professional certification operations through the ASCP Board of Certification. The ASCP also educates and informs pathologists through its official society partnership with the publication The Pathologist.

The January 2019 issue of The Pathologist focuses on cultural diversity in the field of pathology. Key articles in this issue include Valerie Fitzhugh’s story as a black woman in pathology, as well as Angelina Knott’s, Robin Suggs’, and Timothy Craig Allen’s solutions to human resources pipeline problems that have led to a culturally homogenous pathology workforce. The issue also includes an interview with Royal College of Pathologists diagnostic digital pathology lead, Darren Treanor.

Danielo Perez’s Work and Interests

Board-certified forensic pathologist Danielo Perez was educated at Columbia University, the John Jay College of Criminal Justice, and the State University of New York at Downstate College of Medicine. He spent time as an assistant medical examiner with the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office before going on to a career in forensic pathology, performing autopsies and working to determine the cause of a death. One of the most meaningful aspects of Danielo Perez’s work is consulting privately with families who are seeking closure for a loved one’s death.

During his residency at Stony Brook University Medical Center, Mr. Perez participated in interdepartmental conferences on pediatric, colorectal, and head and neck tumors. Over the course of his career he also has presented work on hydrogen sulfide suicides, drowning, alcoholism, and the death of literary figure Edgar Allan Poe. A paper he wrote on examining gunshot wounds was published in the American Journal of Forensic Medicine and Pathology. He is a current member of the National Association of Medical Examiners, the American Academy of Forensic Scientists, and the American Society of Clinical Pathologists.

Mr. Perez has studied Eastern philosophy, meditation, and martial arts - including tai chi and bagua - for many years and taught classes in New York before relocating to Texas. He also enjoys calligraphy and writing, and considers Edgar Allan Poe an influence.

The Mysterious Death of Edgar Allan Poe

Danielo Perez, an Austin resident and a member of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences, enjoys reading in his free time. At his home in Austin, Danielo Perez often reads the classic works of authors such as Edgar Allan Poe.

The circumstances of Edgar Allan Poe's demise remain shrouded in mystery nearly two hundred years after his death. He was found delirious in a gutter in October 1849, and he never recovered sufficient consciousness to explain how he ended up in soiled clothing on a Baltimore street.

Common theories include a beating, an illness, and a poisoning, though these have been discredited due to contrary evidence. While alcohol is often thought to have played a role, possibly as the result of a relapse into alcoholism, modern science has indicated that Poe remained sober in the years leading to his death. 

The attending physician recorded phrenitis (an inflammation of the brain) as the cause of Poe's death, which suggests that encephalitis or meningitis was involved. A more recent theory suggests, however, that Poe's death could have been the result of a brain tumor. 

When moving Poe’s decayed body three decades later, one worker reported a small mass inside Poe's skull that could have been a calcified tumor. With new theories emerging even as old ones are disproved by modern medicine, Poe's death is likely to remain one of literature's great mysteries.

Understanding the Basic Types of Asphyxiation

Based in Austin, Texas, Danielo Perez, MD, is a forensic pathologist who has examined a number of scenes involving unnatural, unexplained, and unattended deaths. Undertaking forensic autopsies, Dr. Danielo Perez focused on the underserved rural areas surrounding Austin. One of the primary pathways to death coroners deal with is asphyxia, which results when oxygen is no longer supplied to the organs or tissues. 

Smothering involves the mouth and nose being obstructed and can occur in accidental situations, such as when a baby’s head becomes caught between a pillow and a wall. Homicidal types of smothering include covering a face fully with a pillow or placing duct tape over the air passages. There are no autopsy findings specific to this means of asphyxiation, although abrasions or contusions around the mouth and face are common in adults. 

Strangulation is another major cause of asphyxiation, and involves a compression of the neck by some force other than the person’s own body weight. Typically homicidal, ligature strangulation usually leaves a horizontal mark across the neck. In addition, signs of struggle such as fingernail marks around the neck, lacerations, and abrasions may be present. Cases of hanging also involve neck compression, but the ligature mark is oblique, as at least some of the body’s weight will have been employed in tightening the ligature.

Spiritual and Moral Benefits of Martial Arts

While Austin resident Danielo Perez has considerable experience in forensic pathology, he also enjoys the practice of martial arts for its health and spiritual benefits. Before moving to Austin, Danielo Perez was an assistant martial arts instructor.

The practice of martial arts has obvious physical benefits for cardiovascular health and coordination, but the spiritual and mental benefits are just as important. Martial arts practice helps to cultivate some virtues in practitioners.

A martial arts practitioner must learn humility to succeed. Martial arts draw strengths and weaknesses into clear focus, so practitioners learn to make honest self-assessments, and, in turn, develop an understanding of how to improve as well as admit imperfection.

Many martial arts also emphasize certain values during teaching. Common core values include respect for others, harmony, and self-protection, among others. Learning to adhere to one's own values and apply them in multiple contexts can lead to success in more than just martial arts.

Finally, martial arts encourage discipline. Martial artists must think before acting, focus on their actions, and regulate them effectively. They must also repeat the same moves or stances several times to master them, which encourages a disciplined, persistent outlook that also applies to other areas of one's life.

About the NAME Foundation

An experienced professional in forensic pathology in the Austin, Texas area, Dr. Danielo Perez has also worked in other areas of the country, including work from 2011 to 2012 in the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office in Chicago, Illinois. In addition to his work in the Austin area, Dr. Danielo Perez engages with his peers and keeps up with new advances in forensic medicine through membership in the National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME).

More than two decades ago, NAME established a charitable arm to act as an advocacy arm for forensic sciences, as well as a vehicle to fund research and professional development. Since then, the NAME Foundation has offered numerous awards and scholarship opportunities to students and working professionals looking to advance their learning in the field. 

There are three main awards distributed at NAME’s annual conference each year: 

-The John Smialek Best Resident Paper and Poster award - worth $500
-The John Pless Best Student Paper and Poster award - a textbook award
-The Mary Fran Ernst Best Affiliate presentation - worth $500

These awards are underwritten solely by contributions to the foundation. As an accredited 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, all monies donated to the organization are completely tax deductible. To learn more, visit www.thename.org/name-foundation.

Tai Chi Offers a Wide Range of Health Benefits

Now working on establishing his own pathology consultancy business in Austin, Texas, Danielo Perez holds board certification in anatomic, clinical, and forensic pathology. Alongside extensive work in these fields in Austin and surrounding areas, Danielo Perez has studied tai chi since his college years.

A martial art with origins in ancient China, tai chi incorporates slow, careful movement with breathing and meditation. As a low-impact, slow-moving martial art, it is often called “moving meditation.” 

While the goal of aerobic exercise is to burn calories, tai chi focuses on physical alignment and balance. It can also help improve energy, circulation, and muscle control. Despite its slow nature, tai chi still works out the muscles of the arms, legs, back, and core. More importantly, it enhances flexibility, which supports proper muscle engagement and decreases injuries.

In conjunction with medical intervention, tai chi has been shown to treat and prevent many conditions associated with aging. Moreover, the practice can be adapted for people of all ages, sizes, and physical abilities.