Correlation between UV and IR cutoffs in quantum field theory and large extra dimensions

A recently conjectured relationship between UV and IR cutoffs in an effecti ve field theory without quantum gravity is generalized in the presence of l arge extra dimensions. Estimates for the corrections to the usual calculati on of observables within quantum field theory are used to put very stringen t limits, in some cases, on the characteristic scale of the additional comp actified dimensions. Implications for the cosmological constant problem are also discussed. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.