Supersymmetric AdS6 via T duality.

We present a new supersymmetric AdS(6) solution of type IIB supergravity with SU(2) isometry. Through the AdS/CFT correspondence, this has potentially very interesting implications for 5D fixed point theories. This solution is the result of a non-Abelian T duality on the known supersymmetric AdS(6) solution of massive IIA.

Lymphocyte imbalance in vitiligo patients indicated by elevated CD4+/CD8+ T-cell ratio.

Vitiligo is a disorder of pigmentation associated with an autoimmune-mediated loss of melanocytes from the epidermis. Humoral immunity and the involvement of cellular immunity have been investigated in the pathogenesis of vitiligo. We evaluated the role of pro-inflammatory cytokines and lymphocyte fractions in peripheral blood in a cohort of Austrian patients with vitiligo.

Vitiligo patients present lower plasma levels of alpha-melanotropin immunoreactivities.

Vitiligo is a depigmenting disorder characterized by the development of white patches with evidence in favour of an autoimmune mechanism. We investigated the role of melanotropins and the plasma levels of alpha-melanotropin and ACTH-like immunoreactivities in 40 vitiligo patients with the aim of detecting a possible influence of neuropeptide regulation of immunity. Twenty-one patients had active and 19 had stable vitiligo disease, 16 persons presented with an additional autoimmune thyroid disease.

Plasma levels of alpha-melanotropin and ACTH-like immunoreactivities do not vary by season or skin type in women from southern and central Europe.

Melanotropins (MSH) are involved in tanning by stimulating melanocytes via the activation of the melanocortin-1 receptor to melanin production. Its main site of production is the pituitary gland, but alpha-MSH and related ACTH peptides are produced at other sites, including the skin. It has been hypothesized that systemic levels of alpha-MSH are controlled by a varying UV radiation (UVR) exposure.