Our group submitted a manuscript examining the relationship between ICC change pre/post and cognitive change pre/post.  We provided information about the ICC technique as noted in the original CONN manuscript, but received the following reviewer query about whether CONN ICC uses a threshold / step function:
 
"The authors described ICC in the supplementary material.  However, a threshold (or step function u(x)) did not specify in the evaluation of ICC.  Without a threshold, both positive and negative connectivity were included in the computation of ICC.  However, according to R. Martuzzi et al. (2011), which developed a measure of ICC for the first time, the connectivity strength was binarized by a step function.  In general, researchers compute degree (including ICC) by using the positive connectivity only."
 
So, does CONN ICC use a step function (positive connectivity only)?  If not, are there other papers/references for ICC being used without one?  Justification for not including it? 

Any recommendations on how best to address this would be most appreciated.
 
Warm regards to all,
Jeff