Abstract: A flow test unit (1) with a housing (2) which is sealingly closed to the outside at least when coupled to a sample container. At least one test strip (3) is accommodated in the housing (2), and the housing (2) has at least one admission opening (4). The test strip (3) is arranged inside the housing (2) such that, after a liquid connection (22) to a sample container has been produced, a wetting region (5) can be wetted with liquid (6) entering via the at least one admission opening (4).

Abstract: An incubator (1) and its use for cultivating microorganisms and/or for carrying out a chemical reaction are provided. The incubator (1) has a sample vessel holder (3) for insertion of a sample vessel (4), a heating device (5) for changing a temperature in the sample vessel holder (3) and/or in a sample vessel (4) inserted into the sample vessel holder (3), and a sample-inactivating device (6) for inactivation of a sample (7) in a sample vessel (4) that is inserted into the sample vessel holder (3).

Abstract: A sample container (1) with a sample-receiving chamber (2) and with a closure piece (3) for closing the sample-receiving chamber (2) in a sealed manner. The sample container (1) has at least two seals (4, 5, 15, 16) arranged separately from each other, and/or the sample-receiving chamber (2) is subdivided into at least two compartments (6) which are thermally decoupled from each other and are connectable by liquid, and/or the sample container (1) has, on an outer wall (7) of the sample-receiving chamber (2), at least one coupling point (8) for the docking of an auxiliary container (9) via a matching counter-coupling point (10) of the auxiliary container (9). The outer wall (7) has at least one predetermined breaking point (11), which is pierced through upon coupling to the auxiliary container (9).

Abstract: A method (7) for detecting microorganisms (1) in a sample (9), by delivery (10) of specific nucleic acid probes (11) into the individual microorganisms (1), which react (12) with the nucleic acid material present in the microorganisms (1), and subsequent optical detection (16) of the reaction products generated in the individual microorganisms (1), in which fixation (13) of the microorganisms (1) contained in the sample (9) is carried out before the delivery (10) of the nucleic acid probes (11) and a detergent (14) is added to the sample (9) before the fixation step (13) is completed.

Abstract: A detection method (1) for antibiotic-resistant microorganisms (2), in which at least one specific substance (3) which is broken down by an antibiotic resistance-causing enzyme (8) of the microorganism (2) is added to the sample (5), the enzyme (8) present triggers a reaction (4), and the reaction (4) involves generation of an optically detectable reaction product (6) near the resistant microorganism (2) that is subsequently detected in an optical detection method (7).

Abstract: A probe complex (1) is provided for the specific detection of at least one substance (2), wherein the probe complex (1) binds specifically to a target segment (7) of the substance (2) and wherein an interaction with at least one detectable tag (8) can trigger a preferably optically detectable signal. The probe complex (1) includes at least one probe type in the form of a primary probe (6) having a target-specific segment (5) and at least one further probe type in the form of a secondary probe (9) having a target-specific segment (10), wherein the target-specific segments of all probe types of the probe complex (1) are matched to one another in such a way that a chain (3) of at least three probes (4) can be formed.

Abstract: A method (7) for detecting living microorganisms (1) and/or for differentiating between living (12) and dead (13) microorganisms in a sample (9) by in-situ hybridization (14), especially fluorescence in-situ hybridization, and optical analysis (26) of the microorganisms (1) to be detected, wherein at least one substance (10) is added to the sample (9) before the hybridization (14), which substance (10) promotes a differing alteration of the RNA concentration in dead cells and in living cells.

Abstract: A sample container (1) with a sample-receiving chamber (2) and with a closure piece (3) for closing the sample-receiving chamber (2) in a sealed manner. The sample container (1) has at least two seals (4, 5, 15, 16) arranged separately from each other, and/or the sample-receiving chamber (2) is subdivided into at least two compartments (6) which are thermally decoupled from each other and are connectable by liquid, and/or the sample container (1) has, on an outer wall (7) of the sample-receiving chamber (2), at least one coupling point (8) for the docking of an auxiliary container (9) via a matching counter-coupling point (10) of the auxiliary container (9). The outer wall (7) has at least one predetermined breaking point (11), which is pierced through upon coupling to the auxiliary container (9).

Abstract: A flow test unit (1) with a housing (2) which is sealingly closed to the outside at least when coupled to a sample container. At least one test strip (3) is accommodated in the housing (2), and the housing (2) has at least one admission opening (4). The test strip (3) is arranged inside the housing (2) such that, after a liquid connection (22) to a sample container has been produced, a wetting region (5) can be wetted with liquid (6) entering via the at least one admission opening (4).

Abstract: An incubator (1) and its use for cultivating microorganisms and/or for carrying out a chemical reaction are provided. The incubator (1) has a sample vessel holder (3) for insertion of a sample vessel (4), a heating device (5) for changing a temperature in the sample vessel holder (3) and/or in a sample vessel (4) inserted into the sample vessel holder (3), and a sample-inactivating device (6) for inactivation of a sample (7) in a sample vessel (4) that is inserted into the sample vessel holder (3).