  In a recent paper, we developed and applied a dilaton-based effective field
theory (EFT) to the analysis of lattice-simulation data for a class of
confining gauge theories with near-conformal infrared behavior. It was employed
there at the classical level to the SU(3) gauge theory with eight Dirac
fermions in the fundamental representation. Here, we explore the structure of
the EFT further. We examine its application to lattice data (newly updated) for
the SU(3) theory with eight Dirac fermions in the fundamental representation,
and the SU(3) theory with two Dirac fermions in the sextet representation. In
each case, we determine additional fit parameters and discuss uncertainties
associated with extrapolation to zero fermion mass. We highlight universal
features, study the EFT at the quantum loop level and discuss the importance of
future lattice simulations.
