DISCUSSION

    Technology. While these methods were quantitatively similar, NaBr isopycnography was deemed more desirable both because of its 8-minute simplicity and its greater precision, which is felt to be due to the fact that it relied on an equilibrium technique where a datum point taken one moment will be the same as ones taken at other moments. The ONPG-method on the other hand is a kinetic assay that results in a trend of increasing values to which a certain degree of skill is need to draw best-fit lines. Furthermore, the ONPG method requires that the test organism possess an inducible lac-operon. Of course, it might be true that other assayable operons would work similarly. Nevertheless, kinetic assays would require higher levels of technical skill for proficient operation than are necessary for the centrifugation technique.

    Homogeneity within a culture. A closer look at the isopycnography result of the narrowness of the bands indicates that our presupposition regarding bacterial cultures is pleasantly correct - namely, that that variance about the mythically statistically average cell is very narrow. What other method can produce such an observation so quickly?-! Even though the individual cells are in random states of the division cycles, they nonetheless are very much the same in overall constitution, and thus would be expected to be much the same in their relative states of vigor, or - in anthropomorphic terms - healthiness. Thus we can quickly ascertain the degree of malnurishment in a culture.

    Applicability. This type of quantification of the health of a culture should be invaluable in assessing the vigor of industrial cultures, as well as the impacts of various anti-bacterial products - both singularly and in synergistic concoctions.