Linked-list visualization for debugging

Recent extensions to the VIPS debugger are described. In the original version of VIPS, visualization of linked structures was limited to very small lists or to selected portions of larger structures. The newer version of VIPS extends the original work by adding multiple levels of browsers, letting users interactively identify sublists of interest. Animation facilities support the visualization of dynamic list operations simultaneously among the various views. A preliminary evaluation shows that VIPS helps users find bugs about 30% faster using about 25% fewer debugging commands than Dbxtool, and it can display even a large linked list within about one second     

VIPS: A Visual Debugger

Testing Ada programs is easier with this visual debugger that graphically depicts what the program as doing—and how it is being done.     

Preparation of composite spherical Al-Y2O3 powders by the mechanical shock method and their plasma spray application

Composite spherical powders made of aluminium and yttria were prepared by the mechanical shock method. This unique idea for composite powder products, without the use of heat, and making use of the ductility of the metal and the brittleness of ceramics, has a preparation time of only 3 min. For analysis of the cross-sections of an Al-Y₂O₃ composite particle, electron probe microanalysis was used. In the composite particle, a diffused layer is formed at the interface between Al and Y₂O₃; and the boundary between these components is thought to be quite strong. These composite spherical powders are excellent regarding fluidity and their spray capability. The Al-Y₃O₃ composite powder was initially plasma sprayed on to an aluminium alloy substrate, and then coated with partially stabilized zirconia. The tensile strength of these test pieces was studied as a function of compositional changes in the Al-Y₂O₃ system. For 0.2 to 1 mol% Y₂O₃, the tensile strength is much higher, values up to 75.5 M Pa being attainable. The heat-cycle number of test pieces with the above composition range at the present time has been measured at over 2000.     

Formation of self-assembled glycolipid nanotubes with bilayer sheets

Rolled-up morphology of bilayer sheets in a self-assembled glycolipid nanotube (LNT) in water was carefully examined by using a cryogenic transmission electron microscope (cryo-TEM) with a rapid-freezing specimen-preparation technique. The LNTs were obtained under a series of self-assembly conditions: boiling of an aqueous dispersion of glycolipid N-(11-cis-octadecenoyl)-beta-D-glucopyranosylamine, subsequent gradual cooling, and incubation at room temperature for several days. Cryo-TEM images revealed that the LNT walls consist of a multilayer structure with interlayer distance of about 4.7 nm. These layers correspond to constituent lipid bilayers. From the result of precise cryo-TEM observations and analyses, we confirmed the rolled-up morphology of the lipid bilayer sheets in a complete self-assembled glycolipid nanotube.     

Lymphatic Absorption and Deposition of Various Plant Sterols in Stroke-Prone Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats,a Strain Having a Mutation in ATP binding cassette transporter G5

ATP binding cassette transporter G5 (ABCG5) and ATP binding cassette transporter G8 (ABCG8) have been suggested to transport absorbed plant sterols and cholesterol from enterocytes to the intestinal lumen and from hepatocytes to bile. It has been thought that mutations of ABCG5 or ABCG8 cause the deposition of plant sterols in the body. In the present study, lymphatic absorption of various plant sterols and their deposition in various tissues was investigated in stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRSP), having a mutation in Abcg5 and depositing plant sterols in the body. The order of lymphatic 24-h recovery of plant sterols was as follows: campesterol > sitosterol > brassicasterol > stigmasterol = sitostanol. When SHRSP were fed a diet containing one of the plant sterols, the depositions of campesterol and sitosterol were comparatively higher than those of brassicasterol, stigmasterol and sitostanol. Highly positive correlations were obtained between lymphatic recovery of plant sterols and their levels in plasma, liver, adipose tissue and heart. The tendency of differential absorption of plant sterols to the lymph in SHRSP was similar to that in normal Wistar rats previously reported by us (Hamada et al. Lipids 41:551–556, 2006). These observations suggest that differential absorption of various plant sterols is kept in SHRSP in spite of a mutation in Abcg5.     

Direct analytical method for aromatic compounds in water by steam carrier gas chromatography

Conditions for direct analyses of various aromatic compounds in water by steam carrier gas chromatography (SCGC) were studied by using a hydrogen flame ionization detector and acid washed Chromosorb P modified with 3.5 ± 0.3 wt% of phosphoric acid as a stationary solid in 2 mm i.d. × 2 m glass column. A flowrate of approx. 60 ml min⁻¹ of carrier steam and a column temperature of 150–180°C were considered to be the optimum conditions for analyses of water samples containing several groups of aromatic compounds. Under constant conditions, aromatic compounds were generally eluted in order of their boiling points. The relationship between the retention time and the boiling point was obtained for two groups of substitutes of benzene and naphthalene. The retention time of a substitute of benzene or naphthalene can, therefore, be predicted from its boiling point, and conversely, the aromatic compounds in an unknown water sample can be characterized for identification from their retention times. By SCGC, various aromatic compounds in water at concentrations higher than approx. 30 μg l⁻¹ can be analysed directly without complicated pre-treatment.     

Visualization of Gluten,Starch, and Butter in Pie Pastry by Fluorescence Fingerprint Imaging

Food and Bioprocess Technology - The distribution of starches, proteins, and fat in baked foods determine their texture and palatability, and there is a great demand for techniques to visualize the...