BackgroundThe SARS-CoV-2 gold standard detection method is an RT-qPCR with a previous step of viral RNA extraction from the patient sample either by using commercial automatized or manual extraction kits. This RNA extraction step is expensive and time demanding.ObjectiveThe aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical performance of a simple SARS-CoV-2 detection protocol based on a fast and intense sample homogenization followed by direct RT-qPCR.Results388 nasopharyngeal swabs were analyzed in this study. 222 of them tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 by the gold standard RNA extraction and RT-qPCR method, while 166 tested negative. 197 of those 222 positive samples were also positive for the homogenization protocol, yielding a sensitivity of 88.74% (95% IC; 83.83 – 92.58). 166 of those negative samples were also negative for the homogenization protocol, so the specificity obtained was 97% (95% IC; 93.11 – 99.01). For Ct values below 30, meaning a viral load of 103 copies/uL, only 4 SARS-CoV-2 positive samples failed for the RNA extraction free method; for that limit of detection, the homogenizer-based method had a sensitivity of 97.92% (95% CI; 96.01 – 99.83).ConclusionsOur results show that this fast and cheap homogenization method for the SARS-CoV-2 detection by RT-qPCR is a reliable alternative of high sensitivity for potentially infectious SARS-CoV-2 positive patients. This RNA extraction free protocol would help to reduce diagnosis time and cost, and to overcome the RNA extraction kits shortage experienced during COVID-19 pandemic.

BIBLID [1130-2887 (2015) 69, 141-161] Fecha de recepción: 6 de junio del 2013 Fecha de aceptación: 10 de enero del 2015 RESUMEN: La presente investigación analiza el efecto de las remesas en el crecimiento económico de los países de América Latina durante el período 1975-2012, controlando la posible endogeneidad de los regresores a través de estimadores GMM de sistema para modelos dinámicos de datos de panel. Los resultados muestran que no existe relación significativa entre remesas y crecimiento económico en la mayor parte de países de América Latina, aunque su efecto sí es significativo a partir de la crisis financiera internacional de 2008. Por otro lado, el mayor crecimiento de las remesas se produce en aquellos países con un menor nivel de renta per cápita a corto plazo, lo que estaría evidenciando su carácter contracíclico y lo limitado de sus efectos al estar destinadas principalmente hacia el consumo.Palabras clave: remesas; crecimiento económico; América Latina; GMM de sistema.ABSTRACT: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the impact of remittances on Latin American economic growth during the period 1975-2012, focusing on the potential endogeneity of the regressors through the GMM system estimators for dynamic data panel models. The results show that there is only a weak correlation between remittances and economic growth in most Latin American countries. This effect has been, however, positive and significant since the international financial crisis of 2008. On the other hand, the highest remittance growth occurs in countries with

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