@classmethod
def as_dict_static(cls, state_obj):
    """Method to return a dict representation of the object.
        Static method to be called from outside the class.

        :param state_obj: a namedtuple or an instance of this class

        :rtype: dict
        """
    keys = ['evalue', 'bits', 'global_identity', 'global_positives',
        'query_start', 'query_end', 'target_start', 'target_end',
        'hit_number', 'query_multiplier', 'target_multiplier',
        'query_aligned_length', 'target_aligned_length']
    state = dict().fromkeys(keys)
    for key in keys:
        state[key] = getattr(state_obj, key)
    return state
