Descent Failure and Unbounded Secant Ratios in a Modified Dai-Liao Conjugate Gradient Method

This independent technical note examines the AZHS formula in Jaradat et al., Nonlinear Dynamics and Systems Theory 25(3) (2025), 266-287. The printed algorithm contains a step-length indexing inconsistency. For the explicitly defined previous-step interpretation, the note gives an interval-certified ascent direction on a positive definite quadratic after six valid strong-Wolfe steps, an exact negative coefficient, and an admissible quartic run with unbounded secant ratios. The conclusions are limited to the specified update; divergence of every implementation is not claimed. This is an independent technical note, not a journal-issued corrigendum. The supplementary archive contains the LaTeX source, PDF, executable verifier and complete interval log. AI assistance, including language improvements, numerical verification and development and checking of mathematical arguments, is disclosed in the manuscript; the author takes full responsibility for the final content.