Values smaller than 1 are probably due to minor differences in the detection of the probes during the quantification PCR reaction. A log–plot representing the concentration of small and large amplicons for the entire population of samples with a DI < 1.5 is shown in Fig. 1A. With increasing DI values, the differences between the concentrations of the two probes become significant suggesting degradation in the samples. In Fig. 1B, the values of the small and large amplicon probes for DI
values greater than 4 are shown.