Sequence Logos and its variants are the most commonly used method for visualization of multiple sequence alignments (MSAs) and sequence motifs. They provide consensus-based summaries of the sequences in the alignment. Consequently, individual sequences cannot be identified in the visualization and covariant sites are not easily discernible. We recently proposed Sequence Bundles, a motif visualization technique that maintains a one-to-one relationship between sequences and their graphical representation and visualizes covariant sites. We here present Alvis, an open-source platform for the joint explorative analysis of MSAs and phylogenetic trees, employing Sequence Bundles as its main visualization method. Alvis combines the power of the visualization method with an interactive toolkit allowing detection of covariant sites, annotation of trees with synapomorphies and homoplasies, and motif detection. It also offers numerical analysis functionality, such as dimension reduction and classification. Alvis is user-friendly, highly customizable and can export results in publication-quality figures. It is available as a full-featured standalone version (http://www.bitbucket.org/rfs/alvis) and its Sequence Bundles visualization module is further available as a web application (http://science-practice.com/projects/sequence-bundles).

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Pictorial mnemonic devices represent a promising approach to improving the efficiency and efficacy of procedural training in comparison to traditional, text-based materials. In this paper, we described the application of pictorial mnemonic-based approaches to the development of procedural training materials for battlefield first aid. This effort builds upon prior work both by addressing a novel training domain and by presenting a method for leveraging the spatial layout of task symbols within the mnemonic devices to convey branching and conditional task flows for complex procedures. Examples from the novel task symbology and pictorial mnemonic set developed under this effort are presented, and potential applications of these training tools are described. This work sets the stage for follow-on efforts to evaluate the performance benefits of pictorial mnemonic-based materials in support of first-aid training. We believe these examples will aid practitioners to develop pictorial mnemonic training materials for other complex procedural skill domains.

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