Abstract: An endoscope apparatus includes: an endoscope having an insertion section; and a sheath attached thereto so as to cover at least the insertion section of the endoscope, wherein the endoscope apparatus is equipped with: a forward end gap portion formed between the inner surface of an edge portion formed in the forward end portion of the sheath and the outer surface of the forward end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope; and a fluid passage which communicates with the forward end gap portion and which is formed between the inner surface of the sheath and the outer surface of the insertion section of the endoscope, and wherein a liquid feeding passage or a suction passage for passing a cleaning fluid or a sucked object is provided in the fluid passage, and a nozzle section for spraying the cleaning fluid onto an observation window portion in the forward end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope is provided in the forward end gap portion.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device comprises a non-volatile memory cell array having a plurality of memory cells, enhancement type load transistors having a threshold voltage, and at least one peripheral circuit, such as level shifters, a column decoder, etc., including enhancement type transistors having a threshold voltage. For increasing the writing speed of the memory cells, the threshold voltage of the enhancement type load transistors is set so that it is different from that of the enhancement type transistors of the peripheral circuit. For example, the threshold voltage of the enhancement type load transistors is lower than that of the enhancement type transistors of the peripheral circuit.

Abstract: A structure for connecting front pillars and a cowl in a vehicle has a cowl assembly including a cowl inner which extends in the lateral direction of the vehicle, a pair of front pillar assemblies provided so as to stand at two lateral ends, respectively, of the vehicle and each including an outer member and an inner member with respect to the lateral direction of the vehicle; and a pair of cowl side panels for connecting the cowl assembly and the pair of front pillar assemblies. A reinforcing means is rigidly secured to the outer and inner members of each of the front pillar assemblies so as to be stretched between these members, thereby partitioning a space with a closed section defined by the two members. The reinforcing member extends from the corresponding front pillar assembly either inwardly in the lateral direction of the vehicle or toward the front end of the vehicle so as to be further connected to the cowl assembly.