Abstract: The invention provides methods and reagents for the enhancement of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based detection assays. The methods and reagents can be used in any molecular recognition assay that uses a solid support. The invention also provides an SPR instrument that operates in imaging mode.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and reagents for the enhancement of surface plasmon resonance (SPR)-based detection assays. The methods and reagents can be used in any molecular recognition assay that uses a solid support. The invention also provides an SPR instrument that operates in imaging mode.

Abstract: An auxiliary apparatus for producing maple syrup from maple sap is adapted to utilize the latent heat of the steam emitted from the flue pan of a maple syrup evaporator which is fitted in sealed relation on top of the flue pan. The auxiliary apparatus is in the form of an upwardly opening pan with upright side walls and a bottom wall having a triangularly grooved inner surface and a correspondingly ridged outer surface. Steam pipes "open" at both ends thereof, extend through the interior of the auxiliary pan from a steam receiving chamber of the auxiliary pan to an upwardly opening exhaust chamber at the opposite end of the pan so that a substantial portion of the steam from the flue pan will flow through the sap in the auxiliary pan to heat the maple sap disposed therein to reduce the water content of the sap utilizing the latent heat from the flue pan. A plurality of air pipes also extend through the evaporator in parallel and closely adjacent relation to and below the steam pipes.