def combinedJunctionDist(dist_0, dist_1):
    """Computes the combined genomic distance of two splice junction ends
    from the closest annotated junctions. In essence, it is finding the 
    size indel that could have created the discrepancy between the 
    reference and transcript junctions.    

    Examples ('|' character respresents end of exon):

        Reference:     ----->|          |<-----
        Transcript:      ----->|      |<-----
            dist_0 = -2, dist_1 = +2, combined dist = 4

        Reference:     ----->|          |<-----
        Transcript:    ----->|        |<-----
            dist_0 = 0, dist_1 = +2, combined dist = 2

        Reference:     ----->|          |<-----
        Transcript:   ----->|       |<-----
            dist_0 = +1, dist_1 = +4, combined dist = 3

    """
    # If dist_0 and dist_1 have different signs, the combined distance is
    # the sum of their absolute values
    if dist_0*dist_1 <= 0:
        combined_dist = abs(dist_0) + abs(dist_1)
    else:
        combined_dist = abs(abs(dist_0) - abs(dist_1))
    return combined_dist