The Gauge/Gravity Theory of Blown up Four Cycles
  We present an explicit supersymmetric deformation of supergravity backgrounds describing D3-branes on Calabi-Yau cones. From the geometrical point of view, it corresponds to blowing up a 4-cycle in the Calabi-Yau and can be done universally. In the field theory, we identify this deformation with motion on non-mesonic directions in the full moduli space of vacua. For the case of a Z_2 orbifold of the conifold, we discuss an explicit gravity solution with two deformation parameters: one corresponding to blowing up a 2-cycle and one corresponding to blowing up a 4-cycle. The generic case where the Calabi-Yau is toric is also discussed in detail. Quite generally, the order parameter of these 4-cycle deformations is a dimension six operator. We also consider probe strings which show linear confinement and probe D7 branes which help in understanding the behavior far in the infrared. 
S. Benvenuti, M. Mahato, L. A. Pando Zayas and Y. Tachikawa