Abstract: An apparatus for baking resists on semiconductor wafers, which is capable of preventing cold air from entering the interior of the baking chamber while a baking process is carried out, by controlling the temperature of ambient air surrounding the baking chamber to equal the internal temperature of the baking chamber. This control is achieved by providing a hot air supply unit and nozzles. The hot air supply unit generates hot air heated to a desired temperature and supplies the generated hot air to the nozzles. The nozzles are connected to the hot air supply unit and arranged near the baking chamber. The nozzles inject the hot air onto the outer surface of the baking chamber. The nozzles may be arranged around the entrance of the baking chamber where a wafer to be baked is loaded. In this case, the nozzles inject heated air onto opposite surfaces of the wafer being loaded or unloaded. The baking apparatus may have a configuration including a cooling chamber, a feeding chamber and a baking chamber.

Abstract: Detection of variable nucleotide(s) is based on primer extension and incorporation of detectable nucleoside triphosphates. By selecting the detection step primers from the region immediately adjacent to the variable nucleotide, this variation can be detected after incorporation of as few as one nucleoside triphosphate. Labelled nucleoside triphosphates matching the variable nucleotide are added and the incorporation of a label into the detection step primer is measured. The selection of the detection step primer is important to the method according to this invention and is dependent on the nucleotide sequence of interest. The detection step primers are preferably selected so as to span the region immediately toward the 3' end from the variable nucleotide to be detected. The detection step primers can also be complementary to a sequence beginning several nucleotides removed from the variable nucleotide.

Abstract: The invention provides methods for stabilizing amino-substituted steroid therapeutic agents in topical ophthalmic and other pharmaceutical formulations using effective stabilizing amounts of lightly cross-linked carboxy-containing polymers; and methods for stabilizing and solubilizing amino-substituted steroid therapeutic agents in such pharmaceutical formulations using effective stabilizing amounts of lightly cross-linked carboxy-containing polymers and amounts of selected cyclodextrin derivatives sufficient to at least partially solubilize the therapeutic agents. The cyclodextrin derivatives are selected from the group consisting of the hydroxypropyl, hydroxyethyl, glucosyl, maltosyl and maltotriosyl derivatives of .beta.- and .gamma.-cyclodextrin. Stabilized and stabilized/solubilized pharmaceutical compositions adapted for various routes of administration are also described.