How to halve maximal supergravity
  We work out the truncation from maximal to half-maximal supergravity in four dimensions. In particular, we determine the explicit constraints on the embedding tensors of both theories. These tensors specify the complete theories, including gauge groups and scalar potentials. Firstly, we find the linear constraint on N=8 theories to allow for a truncation to N=4. Secondly, we determine the additional N=4 quadratic constraints following from N=8. Finally, we comment on a brane interpretation as tadpole conditions for the latter. 
Giuseppe Dibitetto, Adolfo Guarino and Diederik Roest
hep-th