A cobalt film two atoms thick has a magnetization direction perpendicular to the film plane when grown on ruthenium. Spin-polarized low-energy electron microscopy allows to observe its local magnetization, and follow in real time and real space changes in the magnetic domains of the film. When exposed to minute amounts of hydrogen, the out-of-plane magnetic domains in the film first break into smaller domains and eventually the magnetization direction switches on an in-plane orientation. The effect is understood with theoretical calculations that show that the origin is the change in the electronic structure of the topmost cobalt atoms bonded to hydrogen.
This effect might be used to make gas sensors based on magnetic detection. The hydrogen pressure required for the effect is just one billionth of the atmospheric pressure, for a few minutes. Given the prevalence of hydrogen in ultra-high-vacuum experimental instruments, this effect also points to the risk hydrogen effects can pose for magnetization studies. 
The research group headed by Dr. José M. Mancheño from IQFR (CSIC), in collaboration with researchers from six groups, has analysed at high resolution the structural basis of the sugar-binding mode of the b-trefoil lectin domain from the fungal protein LSLa (LSL-150). The obtained results revealed a critical role played by some water molecules, which can be considered as a functional extension of the protein structure. Conversely, we have shown that LSL-150 exhibits in vitro excellent properties of fusion tag what has permitted us to develop biotechnological applications based on this protein module. 
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Historical notes
The institute of chemical physics "Rocasolano" was created by the " Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas" (CSIC) on the 1st of March 1946.
The building was financed by the International Educational Board of the Rockefeller Foundation. The inauguration of the building took place on the 6th of March 1932 and housed the " Instituto Nacional de Física y Química " (The National Institute for Physics and Chemistry). "Alonso Barba" Institute for chemistry and the "Alonso de Santa Cruz" Institute for physics, both originally situated in the building of the Instituto Nacional de Física y Química.
The Institute for Chemical Physics originates from the chemical physics section of the "Alonso Barba" Institute and assumed the name "Antonio de Gregorio Rocasolano". For practical reasons the Institute became known as the "Rocasolano". The first director of the "Rocasolano" was D. Antonio Rius Miró.
The institute was created with the progress made in the German universities of the day in mind. The institute "Rocasolano" has played a major role in the development of chemical physics in Spain. Scientists trained in the institute have gone on to form various university departments for chemistry and chemical physics. The institute has also given birth to new CSIC institutes; such as that of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, the Structure of Materials, Mathematics and Fundamental Physics.
The chemical physics library situated within the institute can be said to be one of the best in its field. It has many complete collections of scientific journals, some of which were started in the 19th century.
The building was financed by the International Educational Board of the Rockefeller Foundation. The inauguration of the building took place on the 6th of March 1932 and housed the " Instituto Nacional de Física y Química " (The National Institute for Physics and Chemistry). "Alonso Barba" Institute for chemistry and the "Alonso de Santa Cruz" Institute for physics, both originally situated in the building of the Instituto Nacional de Física y Química.
The Institute for Chemical Physics originates from the chemical physics section of the "Alonso Barba" Institute and assumed the name "Antonio de Gregorio Rocasolano". For practical reasons the Institute became known as the "Rocasolano". The first director of the "Rocasolano" was D. Antonio Rius Miró. The institute was created with the progress made in the German universities of the day in mind. The institute "Rocasolano" has played a major role in the development of chemical physics in Spain. Scientists trained in the institute have gone on to form various university departments for chemistry and chemical physics. The institute has also given birth to new CSIC institutes; such as that of Catalysis and Petrochemistry, the Structure of Materials, Mathematics and Fundamental Physics.The chemical physics library situated within the institute can be said to be one of the best in its field. It has many complete collections of scientific journals, some of which were started in the 19th century.
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Departments
Biological Chemical Physics
Crystallography and Structural Biology
Low Dimensional Systems, Surfaces and Condensed Matter
Structure, Energy and Chemical Reactivity
Crystallography and Structural Biology
Low Dimensional Systems, Surfaces and Condensed Matter
Structure, Energy and Chemical Reactivity
Research Groups
Cyclotronic Resonance of Ions Group
Electrochemistry Group
Group of Protein structure, dinamics and interactions by NMR
Lasers Materials and Interactions Group
Lasers, nanostructures and materials processing
Macromolecular Crystallography and BiologicalStructure Group
Nucleic Acids NMR Group
Surface Analysis and Mössbauer Group
Theoretical Chemical Physics Group
Thermochemistry and Thermophysics Group
Electrochemistry Group
Group of Protein structure, dinamics and interactions by NMR
Lasers Materials and Interactions Group
Lasers, nanostructures and materials processing
Macromolecular Crystallography and BiologicalStructure Group
Nucleic Acids NMR Group
Surface Analysis and Mössbauer Group
Theoretical Chemical Physics Group
Thermochemistry and Thermophysics Group
Laboratories
Research fields and methods
Adsorption and surface activity.
Spectroscopic characterization of bulk solids and surfaces. Texture studies and energetics.
Electrochemistry.
Laser technology and spectroscopy.
Polarization, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy.
Inverse and normal gas chromatography.
Structure of crystalline solids and macromolecules.
Structure, thermodynamics and molecular dynamics of macromolecules and biological systems.
Molecular interactions in solution and gas phase.
Statistical Mechanics of disordered systemsMecánica.
Non-linear optics.
Reactivity, chemical stability and photochemistry.
Molecular light probe for proteins and bilayers.
Thermodynamics of dissolved systems, gas phase, solid state, and the gas/solid and liquid/solid interfaces.
Thermodynamics and kinetics for reactions between ions and radicals with gas phase molecules.
Spectroscopic characterization of bulk solids and surfaces. Texture studies and energetics.
Electrochemistry.
Laser technology and spectroscopy.
Polarization, fluorescence and phosphorescence spectroscopy.
Inverse and normal gas chromatography.
Structure of crystalline solids and macromolecules.
Structure, thermodynamics and molecular dynamics of macromolecules and biological systems.
Molecular interactions in solution and gas phase.
Statistical Mechanics of disordered systemsMecánica.
Non-linear optics.
Reactivity, chemical stability and photochemistry.
Molecular light probe for proteins and bilayers.
Thermodynamics of dissolved systems, gas phase, solid state, and the gas/solid and liquid/solid interfaces.
Thermodynamics and kinetics for reactions between ions and radicals with gas phase molecules.
Scientific equipment
Combustion, vaporization and differential scanning calorimetry
Gas and liquid phase chromatography
14C dating
X-ray diffraction
Electrophoresis
Mass spectrometry
Resonant cyclotronic spectrometer for ions with Fourier transform (FTICR)
FTIR, VIS-UV, UUV, Mössbauer, Auger, XPS Spectroscopy
Picosecond fluorescent spectroscopy
Low-angle light scattering
Pulsed molecular beams
Excimer lasers; colored, solid, continuous and pulsed
Micro Calorimetry System for isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)
Microcalorimetry for volumetric adsorption measurements
Fullerene synthesis reactor
Peptide sequencer
Parallel computation service (HIDRA)
Peptide Synthesis
Stopped-flow and Spectrascan methods for following high speed kinetics
pH meters (pKa, pH-stato, Karl-Fisher)
UUV generation techniques
Voltammetry
Gas and liquid phase chromatography
14C dating
X-ray diffraction
Electrophoresis
Mass spectrometry
Resonant cyclotronic spectrometer for ions with Fourier transform (FTICR)
FTIR, VIS-UV, UUV, Mössbauer, Auger, XPS Spectroscopy
Picosecond fluorescent spectroscopy
Low-angle light scattering
Pulsed molecular beams
Excimer lasers; colored, solid, continuous and pulsed
Micro Calorimetry System for isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC) and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)
Microcalorimetry for volumetric adsorption measurements
Fullerene synthesis reactor
Peptide sequencer
Parallel computation service (HIDRA)
Peptide Synthesis
Stopped-flow and Spectrascan methods for following high speed kinetics
pH meters (pKa, pH-stato, Karl-Fisher)
UUV generation techniques
Voltammetry
Technology
Design, selection and
properties of fluorescent materials for technical and biological apps.
Carbohydrate microarrays platform
Chromatography
Protein Crystallography
Interaction Laser-Materials
Materials processing and fabrication of nanostructures by laser
Biological macromolecules
Ion ciclotronic resonance
RMN de Alto Campo
Thermochemistry
Carbohydrate microarrays platform
Chromatography
Protein Crystallography
Interaction Laser-Materials
Materials processing and fabrication of nanostructures by laser
Biological macromolecules
Ion ciclotronic resonance
RMN de Alto Campo
Thermochemistry
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