piece in (2.13) as \_[n]{}&lt;H\_n&gt; & = & -[13ł96]{}\^2 - [13ł48]{}m\^2 a\^2 -[116]{}M\^2 ln a\
& & - [132]{}d\_1 M\^2() [K]{}(- \_1)M\^2(\_1) when the boundary conditions on the wave function are appropriate for the $\Psi_n$’s to be in a conformal “in" vacuum state. [^6]

Since equation (2.17) is the “effective" Wheeler- DeWitt equation for the minisuperspace sector within our approximation scheme, the condition for validity of this approximation can be stated as \_[n]{}&lt;H\_n&gt; V\_0 where by the left hand side we mean the regularized value given by (2.18). It was shown that the term in equation (2.18) involving the nonlocal kernel is related to dissipative behavior in closely related models (Calzetta and Hu 1989). This dissipative behavior in turn has been related to particle production by the dynamical background geometry in semiclassical gravity models (Hu, 1989). In our case this can be interpreted as scalar particles in the higher modes being produced as a result of the dynamical evolution of the minisuperspace degrees of freedom generating a backreaction that modifies the minisuperspace evolution. We can therefore think of this term as introducing dissipation in the minisuperspace sector due to interaction with the higher modes that are integrated out. One can 