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We study the internal dynamics, the quantum thermalization and the entanglementof elementary quantum systems (one or two atoms) placed close to a body held at atemperature different from that of the surrounding radiation.Concerning the single atom dynamics [1,2], we derive general expressions for lifetimeand density matrix valid for bodies of arbitrary geometry and dielectric permittivity.Out of equilibrium, the thermalization process and steady states become both qualitativelyand quantitatively significantly different from the case of radiation at thermalequilibrium. For the case of a three-level atom close to a slab of finite thickness, wepredict the occurrence of population inversion and an efficient cooling mechanism forthe quantum system, whose effective internal temperature can be driven to values muchlower than both involved temperatures. Our results show that non-equilibrium configurationsprovide new promising ways to control the state of an atomic system.We also consider two two-level atomic quantum systems (qubits) [3]. While at thermalequilibrium the two-qubit dynamics is characterized by not entangled steady thermalstates, we show that absence of thermal equilibrium may bring to the generationof entangled steady states. Remarkably, this entanglement emerges from the two-qubitdissipative dynamic itself, without any further external action on the two qubits, suggestinga new protocol to produce and protect entanglement which is intrinsically robustto environmental effects.======================[1] Bruno Bellomo, Riccardo Messina, and Mauro Antezza, Europhys. Lett. 100, 20006(2012).[2] Bruno Bellomo, Riccardo Messina, Didier Felbacq, and Mauro Antezza, Phys. Rev.A 87, 012101 (2013).[3] Bruno Bellomo, and Mauro Antezza, arXiv:1304.2864 (2013).