  The functional Schrodinger equation (FSE) for QCD gives a unique perspective
on generation of a gluon mass m, as required for center vortices. The FSE,
which yields a special d=3 gauge action, combined with lattice calculations
strictly in d=3 give a value for the dimensionless ratio of d=3 coupling to
mass g_3^2/m. From this we infer a reasonably accurate value for the d=4
running coupling g^2(0) in the region of low momentum where it is nearly
constant. The result, consistent with other estimates, is too low to drive
chiral symmetry breaking (CSB) for quarks in a standard gap equation that has
no explicit confinement effects. We recall and improve on old work showing that
confinement implies CSB for quarks, and consider CSB for test (that is,
quenched) Dirac fermions in the adjoint representation. Here the
previously-found value of $g^2(0)$ is large enough to drive CSB in a gap
equation, which we relate to the presence of center vortices (non-confining,
for the adjoint) and nexuses that drive fermionic zero modes. We discuss the
extension of adjoint CSB to finite temperature.
