A vacuum cleaning appliance comprises a lower efficiency cyclone unit and a high efficiency cyclone unit connected in series. This enables both large and fine dirt particles to be dealt with.
A computer network-based service provides search capabilities and mechanisms for connecting potential patients with emergency, urgent, and convenient care facilities. Patients make informed decisions regarding their treatment options by reviewing search results regarding facility wait times, geographic proximities of facilities, quality ratings of facilities for particular specialties, etc. Upon selecting a facility, patients may electronically transmit a notification to the facility indicating their medical condition(s) and estimated arrival time. The facility may approve or deny the treatment request by sending an electronic response. The facility may also request further information to triage the patient before his/her actual arrival and/or may provide instructions to assist the patient while en route. Navigation satellite systems may identify the patient's location for processing search requests and determining the proximity of facilities. Further, contact mechanisms, e.g., phone numbers, for contacting facilities directly may be accessed from the search service and tracked
An apparatus and method for monitoring the conductivity of a semiconductor wafer during the course of a polishing process. A polishing pad that contacts the wafer has an active electrode and at least one passive electrode, both of which are embedded in the polishing pad. A detecting device is connected to the active and passive electrodes for monitoring the current between the electrodes as the wafer is lapped by the polishing pad. The etch endpoint of the wafer is determined as a function of the magnitude of the current flow.