TABLE 2.

Cycle threshold values (Ct values) were estimated for all Vβ-Jβ combinations for each RNA template and mean Ct values were calculated. Ninety-five percent confidence intervals (CI) are shown. Diversities of expressed Vβ-Jβ pairs were calculated with Shannon entropy [15]. An estimate of scaled entropy (H) was calculated for each Vβ-Jβ matrix by the equation H=Σ (p log 2 p)/log 2 (1/240) where p was the probability of abundance calculated for each Vβ-Jβ combination by the equation p=2–y/Σ2–y where y was the Ct value for the Vβ-Jβ primer pair and p=0 when Ct>40 cycles. Scaled entropy ranges from zero to one with one representing maximal diversity

Sample	Entropy	Mean Ct	95% CI
C-spleen #1	0.85	17.4	17.1-17.4
C-spleen #2	0.84	18.1	17.8-18.4
S-spleen #1	0.83	18.0	17.7-18.4
S-spleen #2	0.84	17.8	17.4-18.2
T-spleen #1	0.84	18.8	18.4-19.1
T-spleen #2	0.85	18.5	18.2-18.8

T=athymic mice, S=sham-operated mice, C=non-manipulated mice