Damagnetization cooling of a gas

We demonstrate demagnetization cooling of a gas of ultracold $^{52}$Cr atoms. Demagnetization is driven by inelastic dipolar collisions which couple the motional degrees of freedom to the spin degree. By that kinetic energy is converted into magnetic work with a consequent temperature reduction of the gas. Optical pumping is used to magnetize the system and drive continuous demagnetization cooling. Applying this technique, we can increase the phase space density of our sample by one order of magnitude, with nearly no atom loss. This method can be in principle extended to every dipolar system and could be used to achieve quantum degeneracy via optical means.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Nafcillin enhances innate immune-mediated killing of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Based on in vitro synergy studies, the addition of nafcillin to daptomycin was used to treat refractory methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia. Daptomycin is a de facto cationic antimicrobial peptide in vivo, with antistaphylococcal mechanisms reminiscent of innate host defense peptides (HDPs). In this study, the effects of nafcillin on HDP activity against MRSA were examined in vitro and in vivo. Exposures to β-lactam antimicrobials in general, and nafcillin in particular, significantly increased killing of S. aureus by selected HDPs from, keratinocytes, neutrophils and platelets. This finding correlated with enhanced killing of MRSA by whole blood, neutrophils and keratinocytes after growth in nafcillin. Finally, nafcillin pretreatment ex vivo reduced MRSA virulence in a murine subcutaneous infection model. Despite the lack of direct activity against MRSA, these studies show potent, consistent, and generalized nafcillin-mediated ‘sensitization’ to increased killing of MRSA by various components of the innate host response. The use of nafcillin as adjunctive therapy in MRSA bacteremia merits further study and should be considered in cases refractory to standard therapy