my @fractions = unpack('A5'x$nt, substr($record, 0, 5*$nt));
  my @exps = unpack('A2'x$nt, substr($record, 5*$nt, 2*$nt));
##</code><code>##

Benchmark: running Alba_1, Alba_2, rbi_fortran, each for at least 5 CPU seconds...
    Alba_1:  6 wallclock secs ( 5.31 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.31 CPU) @ 3994.16/s (n=21217)
    Alba_2:  6 wallclock secs ( 5.41 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.41 CPU) @ 4789.68/s (n=25893)
rbi_fortran:  5 wallclock secs ( 5.26 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.26 CPU) @ 5211.78/s (n=28266)

##</code><code>##

Benchmark: running Alba_1, Alba_2, rbi_fortran, each for at least 5 CPU seconds...
    Alba_1:  5 wallclock secs ( 5.39 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.39 CPU) @ 1214.06/s (n=6545)
    Alba_2:  6 wallclock secs ( 5.41 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.41 CPU) @ 1425.64/s (n=7707)
rbi_fortran:  5 wallclock secs ( 5.37 usr +  0.00 sys =  5.37 CPU) @ 1540.09/s (n=8278)