Poly-Bernoulli numbers (Q1382103)

For every integer \(k\), the poly-Bernoulli number \(B_n^{(k)}\), \(n=0,1,2\), is defined by \[ {1\over z} \text{Li}_k(z) \mid_{z=1 -e^{-x}} =\sum^\infty_{n=0} B_n^{(k)} {x^n\over n!}, \] where \(\text{Li}_k(z)\) denotes the formal power series \(\sum^\infty_{m=1} z^m/m^k\). When \(k=1\), \(B^{(1)}_n\) is the usual Bernoulli number. In the note under review the author gives an explicit formula for \(B_n^{(k)}\) using the Stirling numbers of the second kind and shows the nice symmetric expression \[ B_n^{(-k)} =B_k^{(-n)}. \] As an application, he proves a von Staudt-type theorem in case of \(k=2\) and a theorem of Vandiver on congruences for \(B_n^{(1)}\).