def METHOD_NAME(self):
    # compare to alpha_em at m_tau as given on p. 4 of
    # http://pdg.lbl.gov/2015/reviews/rpp2014-rev-standard-model.pdf
    alpha_tau = get_alpha_e(par_pdg, 1.777)
    self.assertAlmostEqual(1/alpha_tau/133.465,1.,places=3)
    # check at thresholds
    mc = config['RGE thresholds']['mc']
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mc),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mc, nf_out=4))
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mc, nf_out=3),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mc, nf_out=4))
    mb = config['RGE thresholds']['mb']
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mb),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mb, nf_out=5))
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mb, nf_out=4),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mb, nf_out=5))
    mt = config['RGE thresholds']['mt']
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mt),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mt, nf_out=6))
    self.assertEqual(get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mt, nf_out=5),
                     get_alpha_e(par_pdg, mt, nf_out=6))