diff --git a/.classpath b/.classpath
index b710ac4..ee1b4ce 100644
--- a/.classpath
+++ b/.classpath
@@ -1,12 +1,12 @@
 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
 <classpath>
-	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/notifications-2.1.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
+	<classpathentry kind="src" output="target/notifications-2.2.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/java">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="optional" value="true"/>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry excluding="**" kind="src" output="target/notifications-2.1.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/resources">
+	<classpathentry excluding="**" kind="src" output="target/notifications-2.2.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes" path="src/main/resources">
 		<attributes>
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
@@ -38,5 +38,5 @@
 			<attribute name="maven.pomderived" value="true"/>
 		</attributes>
 	</classpathentry>
-	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/notifications-2.1.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
+	<classpathentry kind="output" path="target/notifications-2.2.0-SNAPSHOT/WEB-INF/classes"/>
 </classpath>
diff --git a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
index c95bedc..28b72ad 100644
--- a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
+++ b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
@@ -4,8 +4,7 @@
     <wb-resource deploy-path="/" source-path="/src/main/webapp" tag="defaultRootSource"/>
     <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/main/java"/>
         <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/main/resources"/>
-        <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/test/resources"/>
-        <dependent-module archiveName="gcube-widgets-2.0.0-SNAPSHOT.jar" deploy-path="/WEB-INF/lib" handle="module:/resource/gcube-widgets/gcube-widgets">
+        <dependent-module archiveName="gcube-widgets-2.1.0-SNAPSHOT.jar" deploy-path="/WEB-INF/lib" handle="module:/resource/gcube-widgets/gcube-widgets">
             <dependency-type>uses</dependency-type>
         </dependent-module>
     <property name="java-output-path" value="/${module}/target/www/WEB-INF/classes"/>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d14246d..316d9b5 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<groupId>org.gcube.portlets.user</groupId>
 	<artifactId>notifications</artifactId>
 	<packaging>war</packaging>
-	<version>2.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>2.2.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>gCube Notifications Portlet</name>
 
 	<properties>
@@ -74,16 +74,6 @@
 			<artifactId>social-networking-library</artifactId>
 			<scope>provided</scope>
 		</dependency>
-		<dependency>
-			<groupId>org.gcube.portal</groupId>
-			<artifactId>custom-portal-handler</artifactId>
-			<scope>provided</scope>
-		</dependency>
-		<dependency>
-			<groupId>org.gcube.applicationsupportlayer</groupId>
-			<artifactId>aslcore</artifactId>
-			<scope>provided</scope>
-		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.common.portal</groupId>
 			<artifactId>portal-manager</artifactId>
@@ -96,16 +86,20 @@
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.core</groupId>
 			<artifactId>common-scope-maps</artifactId>
-			<scope>compile</scope>
-		</dependency>
-		<dependency>
-			<groupId>org.gcube.applicationsupportlayer</groupId>
-			<artifactId>accesslogger</artifactId>
+			<scope>provided</scope>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.dvos</groupId>
 			<artifactId>usermanagement-core</artifactId>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+			<artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
+		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+			<artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
+		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>com.liferay.portal</groupId>
 			<artifactId>portal-service</artifactId>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/NotificationsServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/NotificationsServiceImpl.java
index 8cb8f77..12b36a8 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/NotificationsServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/NotificationsServiceImpl.java
@@ -15,9 +15,7 @@ import java.util.TreeMap;
 
 import javax.servlet.ServletContext;
 
-import org.gcube.application.framework.core.session.ASLSession;
-import org.gcube.application.framework.core.session.SessionManager;
-import org.gcube.portal.custom.scopemanager.scopehelper.ScopeHelper;
+import org.gcube.common.portal.PortalContext;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.server.DBCassandraAstyanaxImpl;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.server.DatabookStore;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.shared.Notification;
@@ -27,7 +25,6 @@ import org.gcube.portal.databook.shared.UserInfo;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.client.NotificationsService;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.shared.NotificationConstants;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.shared.NotificationPreference;
-import org.gcube.vomanagement.usermanagement.impl.LiferayUserManager;
 import org.gcube.vomanagement.usermanagement.model.GCubeUser;
 import org.slf4j.Logger;
 import org.slf4j.LoggerFactory;
@@ -45,6 +42,8 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 	private final static String TYPE_CATEGORIES_FILENAME = "categorybytype.properties"; 
 	private final static String TYPE_LABELS_FILENAME = "labelbytype.properties"; 
 	private final static String TYPE_DESCRIPTIONS_FILENAME = "descbytype.properties"; 
+
+	private PortalContext context = PortalContext.getConfiguration();
 	/**
 	 * The store interface
 	 */
@@ -59,63 +58,16 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 	public void destroy() {
 		store.closeConnection();
 	}
-
-	/**
-	 * the current ASLSession
-	 * @return the session
-	 */
-	private ASLSession getASLSession() {
-		String sessionID = this.getThreadLocalRequest().getSession().getId();
-		String user = (String) this.getThreadLocalRequest().getSession().getAttribute(ScopeHelper.USERNAME_ATTRIBUTE);
-		if (user == null) {
-			user = getDevelopmentUser();
-			_log.warn("USER IS NULL setting "+user+" and Running OUTSIDE PORTAL");
-		}
-		_log.debug("SessionID = " + sessionID);
-		return SessionManager.getInstance().getASLSession(sessionID, user);
-	}
-	/**
-	 * 
-	 * @return true if you're running into the portal, false if in development
-	 */
-	private boolean isWithinPortal() {
-		try {
-			UserLocalServiceUtil.getService();
-			return true;
-		} catch (com.liferay.portal.kernel.bean.BeanLocatorException ex) {			
-			_log.trace("Development Mode ON");
-			return false;
-		}			
-	}
-	/**
-	 * set the user in development mode
-	 * @return
-	 */
-	public String getDevelopmentUser() {
-		String user = "test.user";
-//		user = "andrea.rossi";
-		return user;
-	}
+	
 	public UserInfo getUserInfo() {
 		try {
-			String username = getASLSession().getUsername();
-			String email = username+"@isti.cnr.it";
-			String fullName = username+" FULL";
-			String thumbnailURL = "images/Avatar_default.png";
-
-			if (isWithinPortal()) {
-				GCubeUser user = new LiferayUserManager().getUserByUsername(username);
-
-				thumbnailURL = user.getUserAvatarURL();
-				fullName = user.getFullname();
-				email = user.getEmail();
-				UserInfo toReturn = new UserInfo(username, fullName, thumbnailURL, email, null, true, false, null);
-				return toReturn;
-			}
-			else {
-				_log.info("Returning test USER");
-				return new UserInfo(getASLSession().getUsername(), fullName, thumbnailURL, email, "fakeAccountUrl", true, false, null);
-			}
+			GCubeUser currUser = context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest());
+			String username = currUser.getUsername();
+			String email = currUser.getEmail();
+			String fullName = currUser.getFullname();
+			String thumbnailURL = currUser.getUserAvatarURL();
+			UserInfo toReturn = new UserInfo(username, fullName, thumbnailURL, email, null, true, false, null);
+			return toReturn;
 
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			e.printStackTrace();
@@ -129,7 +81,7 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 	public HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>> getUserNotifications() {
 		HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>> toReturn = new HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>>();
 		try {
-			for (Notification notification : store.getAllNotificationByUser(getASLSession().getUsername(), NotificationConstants.NOTIFICATION_NUMBER_PRE)) {
+			for (Notification notification : store.getAllNotificationByUser(context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername(), NotificationConstants.NOTIFICATION_NUMBER_PRE)) {
 				Date dateWithoutTime = removeTimePart(notification.getTime());
 				notification.setDescription(replaceAmpersand(notification.getDescription()));
 				if (! toReturn.containsKey(dateWithoutTime)) {
@@ -154,7 +106,7 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 	public HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>> getUserNotificationsByRange(int from, int quantity) {
 		HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>> toReturn = new HashMap<Date, ArrayList<Notification>>();
 		try {
-			for (Notification notification : store.getRangeNotificationsByUser(getASLSession().getUsername(), from, quantity)) {
+			for (Notification notification : store.getRangeNotificationsByUser(context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername(), from, quantity)) {
 				Date dateWithoutTime = removeTimePart(notification.getTime());
 				if (! toReturn.containsKey(dateWithoutTime)) {
 					ArrayList<Notification> nots = new ArrayList<Notification>();
@@ -194,7 +146,7 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 	 */
 	public boolean setAllUserNotificationsRead() {
 		try {
-			store.setAllNotificationReadByUser(getASLSession().getUsername());
+			store.setAllNotificationReadByUser(context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername());
 		} catch (Exception e) {
 			_log.error("While trying to set User notifications Read");
 			e.printStackTrace();
@@ -204,7 +156,7 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 
 	@Override
 	public LinkedHashMap<String, ArrayList<NotificationPreference>> getUserNotificationPreferences() {
-		String userid = getASLSession().getUsername();
+		String userid = context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername();
 		//load the 3 prop files
 		Properties categories = getCategoriesByType();
 		Properties labels = getLabelsByType();
@@ -253,7 +205,7 @@ public class NotificationsServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements No
 
 	@Override
 	public boolean setUserNotificationPreferences(Map<NotificationType, NotificationChannelType[]> enabledChannels) {
-		return store.setUserNotificationPreferences(getASLSession().getUsername(), enabledChannels);
+		return store.setUserNotificationPreferences(context.getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername(), enabledChannels);
 	}
 	/**
 	 * 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/portlet/NotificationsPortlet.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/portlet/NotificationsPortlet.java
index c48e076..fa49c12 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/portlet/NotificationsPortlet.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/server/portlet/NotificationsPortlet.java
@@ -13,8 +13,6 @@ import javax.portlet.PortletRequestDispatcher;
 import javax.portlet.RenderRequest;
 import javax.portlet.RenderResponse;
 
-import org.gcube.portal.custom.scopemanager.scopehelper.ScopeHelper;
-
 /**
  * NotificationsPortlet Portlet Class
  * @author Massimiliano Assante - ISTI CNR
@@ -27,8 +25,7 @@ public class NotificationsPortlet extends GenericPortlet {
 
 	public void doView(RenderRequest request, RenderResponse response)	throws PortletException, IOException {
 		response.setContentType("text/html");
-		ScopeHelper.setContext(request);
-	    PortletRequestDispatcher dispatcher = getPortletContext().getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/jsp/Notifications_view.jsp");
+		PortletRequestDispatcher dispatcher = getPortletContext().getRequestDispatcher("/WEB-INF/jsp/Notifications_view.jsp");
 	    dispatcher.include(request, response);		
 	}
 
diff --git a/src/main/resources/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/Notifications.gwt.xml b/src/main/resources/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/Notifications.gwt.xml
index 4cd2133..0d12253 100644
--- a/src/main/resources/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/Notifications.gwt.xml
+++ b/src/main/resources/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/Notifications.gwt.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<inherits name='org.gcube.portlets.widgets.switchbutton.SwitchButton' />
 	<inherits name='org.gcube.portal.databook.GCubeSocialNetworking' />
 	<!-- Specify the app entry point class. -->
-	<set-property name="bootstrap.responsiveDesign" value="true"/>
+	<set-property name="bootstrap.responsiveDesign" value="true" />
 	<entry-point
 		class='org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.client.Notifications' />
 
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/test/TestForDeploy.java b/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/test/TestForDeploy.java
index b0b01fb..f5917c5 100644
--- a/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/test/TestForDeploy.java
+++ b/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/notifications/test/TestForDeploy.java
@@ -1,19 +1,6 @@
 package org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.test;
 
-import static org.junit.Assert.assertTrue;
-
-import org.gcube.portlets.user.notifications.server.NotificationsServiceImpl;
-import org.junit.Test;
-
 public class TestForDeploy {
 
-	@Test
-	public void testUserIsTestUser() {
-		NotificationsServiceImpl serviceImpl = new NotificationsServiceImpl();
-		String username = serviceImpl.getDevelopmentUser();
-		System.out.println("username for deploy is: " + username);
-		assertTrue(username.compareTo("test.user") == 0);
-		System.out.println("Test OK!");
-	}
 	
 }