Casimir Energy of the Universe and the Dark Energy Problem
  We regard the Casimir energy of the universe as the main contribution to the cosmological constant. Using 5 dimensional models of the universe, the flat model and the warped one, we calculate Casimir energy. Introducing the new regularization, called {\it sphere lattice regularization}, we solve the divergence problem. The regularization utilizes the closed-string configuration. We consider 4 different approaches: 1) restriction of the integral region (Randall-Schwartz), 2) method of 1) using the minimal area surfaces, 3) introducing the weight function, 4) {\it generalized path-integral}. We claim the 5 dimensional field theories are quantized properly and all divergences are renormalized. At present, it is explicitly demonstrated in the numerical way, not in the analytical way. The renormalization-group function ($\be$-function) is explicitly obtained. The renormalization-group flow of the cosmological constant is concretely obtained. 
Shoichi Ichinose
hep-th gr-qc