Let $mathcal{M}$ be a semifinite von Neumann algebra. We equip the associated noncommutative $L_p$-spaces with their natural operator space structure introduced by Pisier via complex interpolation. On the other hand, for $1<p<infty$ let $$L_{p,p}(mathcal{M})=big(L_{infty}(mathcal{M}),,L_{1}(mathcal{M})big)_{frac1p,,p}$$ be equipped with the operator space structure via real interpolation as defined by the second named author ({em J. Funct. Anal}. 139 (1996), 500--539). We show that $L_{p,p}(mathcal{M})=L_{p}(mathcal{M})$ completely isomorphically if and only if $mathcal{M}$ is finite dimensional. This solves in the negative the three problems left open in the quoted work of the second author. We also show that for $1<p<infty$ and $1le qleinfty$ with $p eq q$ $$big(L_{infty}(mathcal{M};ell_q),,L_{1}(mathcal{M};ell_q)big)_{frac1p,,p}=L_p(mathcal{M}; ell_q)$$ with equivalent norms, i.e., at the Banach space level if and only if $mathcal{M}$ is isomorphic, as a Banach space, to a commutative von Neumann algebra. Our third result concerns the following inequality: $$ big|big(sum_ix_i^qbig)^{frac1q}big|_{L_p(mathcal{M})}lebig|big(sum_ix_i^rbig)^{frac1r}big|_{L_p(mathcal{M})} $$ for any finite sequence $(x_i)subset L_p^+(mathcal{M})$, where $0<r<q<infty$ and $0<pleinfty$. If $mathcal{M}$ is not isomorphic, as a Banach space, to a commutative von Meumann algebra, then this inequality holds if and only if $pge r$.
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