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[Logjam]

In a few research papers I've been reading, I see this dosage notation:

 

Mice were randomized to receive vehicle (saline) or 10 mg kg⁻¹ SUBSTANCE by injection.

 

There is no "/" between the "mg" and "kg."  I presume kg⁻¹ just means tenth of a kg, but now I'm wondering when the slash is missing.

 

Apologies if this is in the wrong place.  That notation is alien to me.  I read CS papers in college, not this stuff.

 

Does this just mean 10mg per tenth of a kg?  Why is there no slash and is kg^-1  just a hectogram (I think that's kg^-1)?

 

A mouse is ~0.02kg

 

So is that 1 mg * 0.02kg -or- 100mg * 0.02kg?  1mg would be a very small dosage, but it's how I read it first, and possibly naively.

Edited by Logjam, 05 May 2016 - 02:51 AM.

[Logjam]

It turns out all kg^-1 really means is "/ kg" -- or "per kg."  I have no idea why anyone would choose to write it this way, but they do.