Let $K$ denote a compact real symmetric subset of $\mathbb{C}$ and let $A_{\mathbb R}(K)$ denote the real Banach algebra of all real symmetric continuous functions on $K$ that are analytic in the interior $K^\circ$ of $K$, endowed with the supremum norm. We characterize all unimodular pairs $(f,g)$ in $A_{\mathbb R}(K)^2$ which are reducible. In addition, for an arbitrary compact $K$ in $\mathbb C$, we give a new proof (not relying on Banach algebra theory or elementary stable rank techniques) of the fact that the Bass stable rank of $A(K)$ is $1$. Finally, we also characterize all compact real symmetric sets $K$ such that $A_{\mathbb R}(K)$, respectively $C_{\mathbb R}(K)$, has Bass stable rank $1$.

Let $T$ be a sectorial operator. It is known that the existence of a bounded (suitably scaled) $H^\infty$ calculus for $T$, on every sector containing the positive half-line, is equivalent to the existence of a bounded functional calculus on the Besov algebra $\Lambda_{\infty,1}^\alpha(\R^+)$. Such an algebra includes functions defined by Mikhlin-type conditions and so the Besov calculus can be seen as a result on multipliers for $T$. In this paper, we use fractional derivation to analyse in detail the relationship between $\Lambda_{\infty,1}^\alpha$ and Banach algebras of Mikhlin-type. As a result, we obtain a new version of the quoted equivalence.

We study complex commutative Banach algebras (and, more generally, continuous inverse algebras) in which the holomorphic functions of a fixed $n$-tuple of elements are dense. In particular, we characterize the compact subsets of~$\C^n$ which appear as joint spectra of such $n$-tuples. The characterization is compared with several established notions of holomorphic convexity by means of approximation conditions.