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Water accumulation in permafrost regions causes a heavy thermal impact on the frozen layer, thereby leading to its degeneration. First, based on the real heat transfer process, this study proposes relevant hypotheses and governing equations for heat calculation models involving completely melted water, ice-bearing water, water–soil interface, and soil under water. The models consider the water surface as a thermal boundary on account of the natural buoyancy convection mechanism in water and the phase transition process. Second, this study verifies the accuracy of the calculation models regarding the measured water and permafrost temperatures. The four seasonal vertical temperature changes in the water according to this model are found to be consistent with the actual temperature-change trend, and the permafrost temperature under water is also consistent with the actual temperature field. This study thus provides theoretical support for the thermal impact analysis of water in permafrost regions.

Trust influences the stability and development of the global supply chain and is a unique phenomenon across different cultures. This study aimed to investigate how culture influences trust and the consequential global supply chain through the computerized supply chain management experiment, which was conducted with a two-echelon supply chain involving retailers and wholesalers. In the experiment, forty-two participants with supply chain management background from seventeen countries were asked to take the role of wholesalers in the supply chain and to develop ordering strategies in response to the quantity forecast generated by a computer. The uncertainty avoidance index proposed by Hofstede was applied to quantify the definition of culture in this study. Results indicated that participants from countries with low uncertainty avoidance index present a higher trust level than those with a high uncertainty avoidance index. This study can offer managers a theoretical backup on how to best utilize cultural information to develop and maintain successful global supply chain relationships.