A Proof of Bala's Congruence Conjectures for A158690

Source abstract

Let $a(n)$ be the sequence A158690 in the On-Line Encyclopedia of Integer Sequences (OEIS), defined by the exponential generating function $\sum_{n\ge0} a(n)t^n/n! = 1+\sum_{m\ge1}\prod_{j=1}^m(1-e^{-(2j-1)t})$. We prove two congruence conjectures of Peter Bala. The first states that, for every integer $k\ge1$, the sequence $a(n)$ modulo $k$ is eventually periodic with period dividing $\varphi(k)$. We prove the stronger statement that the Carmichael function $λ(k)$ is an eventual period. The second conjecture asserts the shifted Gauss congruences $a(np^r+i)\equiv a(np^{r-1}+i)\pmod{p^r}$ for every $i\ge0$, every prime $p$, and all $n,r\ge1$. Both results follow from a general theorem for exponential generating functions of the form $G(e^t-1)$ with $G\in\mathbb Z[[y]]$, together with the standard power-sum formula for Stirling numbers of the second kind.