Microfluidics is an interdisciplinary field that encompasses both science and engineering, which aims to design and fabricate devices capable of manipulating extremely low volumes of fluids on a microscale level. The central objective of microfluidics is to provide high precision and accuracy while using minimal reagents and equipment. The benefits of this approach include greater control over experimental conditions, faster analysis, and improved experimental reproducibility. Microfluidic devices, also known as labs-on-a-chip (LOCs), have emerged as potential instruments for optimizing operations and decreasing costs in various of industries, including pharmaceutical, medical, food, and cosmetics. However, the high price of conventional prototypes for LOCs devices, generated in clean room facilities, has increased the demand for inexpensive alternatives. Polymers, paper, and hydrogels are some of the materials that can be utilized to create the inexpensive microfluidic devices covered in this article. In addition, we highlighted different manufacturing techniques, such as soft lithography, laser plotting, and 3D printing, that are suitable for creating LOCs. The selection of materials and fabrication techniques will depend on the specific requirements and applications of each individual LOC. This article aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the numerous alternatives for the development of low-cost LOCs to service industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, food, and biomedicine.

Las mucormicosis son infecciones que muestran un comportamiento agresivo y alta mortalidad producidas por hongos filamentosos aseptados que afectan principalmente a las personas inmunocomprometidas. La puerta de entrada al organismo se corresponde con las diferentes formas de presentación clínica. Se requiere de la sospecha diagnóstica temprana e iniciar rápidamente el tratamiento para mejorar el pronóstico. Reportamos el caso de una mujer de 59 años, sin enfermedades asociadas, quien después de sufrir un traumatismo contuso presentó una extensa zona de necrosis localizada en la región frontal, con posterior diseminación por el compromiso ocular y sistémico que derivó en desenlace fatal. El diagnóstico se basó en los hallazgos clínicos, el examen directo con KOH tomado por aspiración del tejido ocular y la biopsia de piel, en los cuales se reconocieron hifas hialinas gruesas con extensa necrosis supurativa. A partir de este caso, se discuten las características más importantes de esta enfermedad.

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