diff --git a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
index 41720ef..83b8f2a 100644
--- a/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
+++ b/.settings/org.eclipse.wst.common.component
@@ -5,6 +5,10 @@
     <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"/>
+        <wb-resource deploy-path="/WEB-INF/classes" source-path="/src/test/java"/>
+        <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="/${module}/target/www/WEB-INF/classes"/>
         <property name="context-root" value="top-topics"/>
   </wb-module>
diff --git a/pom.xml b/pom.xml
index d8bf2de..d861aad 100644
--- a/pom.xml
+++ b/pom.xml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 	<groupId>org.gcube.portlets.user</groupId>
 	<artifactId>top-topics</artifactId>
 	<packaging>war</packaging>
-	<version>2.0.2-SNAPSHOT</version>
+	<version>2.1.0-SNAPSHOT</version>
 	<name>Top Topics Portlet</name>
 	<description>
 		Top Topics Portlet shows the top topics in the scope where is deployed.
@@ -61,6 +61,11 @@
 			<version>${gwtVersion}</version>
 			<scope>provided</scope>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.gcube.common.portal</groupId>
+			<artifactId>portal-manager</artifactId>
+			<scope>provided</scope>
+		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>com.google.gwt</groupId>
 			<artifactId>gwt-dev</artifactId>
@@ -70,19 +75,8 @@
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.portlets.user</groupId>
 			<artifactId>gcube-widgets</artifactId>
-			<version>[2.0.0-SNAPSHOT, 3.0.0-SNAPSHOT)</version>
 			<scope>compile</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.portal</groupId>
 			<artifactId>social-networking-library</artifactId>
@@ -91,7 +85,6 @@
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>org.gcube.dvos</groupId>
 			<artifactId>usermanagement-core</artifactId>
-			<version>[2.0.0-SNAPSHOT, 3.0.0-SNAPSHOT)</version>
 			<scope>provided</scope>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
@@ -103,15 +96,14 @@
 			<artifactId>commons-codec</artifactId>
 			<scope>compile</scope>
 		</dependency>
-		<!-- <dependency> -->
-		<!-- <groupId>org.gcube.core</groupId> -->
-		<!-- <artifactId>common-scope-maps</artifactId> -->
-		<!-- <scope>compile</scope> -->
-		<!-- </dependency> -->
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.gcube.core</groupId>
+			<artifactId>common-scope-maps</artifactId>
+			<scope>compile</scope>
+		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
 			<groupId>com.liferay.portal</groupId>
 			<artifactId>portal-service</artifactId>
-			<version>${liferayVersion}</version>
 			<scope>provided</scope>
 		</dependency>
 		<dependency>
@@ -123,6 +115,14 @@
 			<groupId>com.github.gwtbootstrap</groupId>
 			<artifactId>gwt-bootstrap</artifactId>
 		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+			<artifactId>slf4j-log4j12</artifactId>
+		</dependency>
+		<dependency>
+			<groupId>org.slf4j</groupId>
+			<artifactId>slf4j-api</artifactId>
+		</dependency>
 	</dependencies>
 
 	<build>
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/client/TopTopics.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/client/TopTopics.java
index c36fdc0..f8ad430 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/client/TopTopics.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/client/TopTopics.java
@@ -1,11 +1,8 @@
 package org.gcube.portlets.user.topics.client;
 
-import org.gcube.portlets.user.gcubewidgets.client.ClientScopeHelper;
 import org.gcube.portlets.user.topics.client.panel.TopicsPanel;
 
 import com.google.gwt.core.client.EntryPoint;
-import com.google.gwt.user.client.Window.Location;
-import com.google.gwt.user.client.rpc.AsyncCallback;
 import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.RootPanel;
 /**
  * 
@@ -15,15 +12,7 @@ import com.google.gwt.user.client.ui.RootPanel;
 public class TopTopics implements EntryPoint {
 
   public void onModuleLoad() {
-	  ClientScopeHelper.getService().setScope(Location.getHref(), new AsyncCallback<Boolean>() {
-			@Override
-			public void onSuccess(Boolean result) {
-				 RootPanel.get("Trending-Topics-Container").add(new TopicsPanel());	
-			}				
-			@Override
-			public void onFailure(Throwable caught) {					
-			}
-		});
+	  RootPanel.get("Trending-Topics-Container").add(new TopicsPanel());	
 	 		
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
index fc1902e..6c1dade 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/TopicServiceImpl.java
@@ -11,9 +11,7 @@ import java.util.Map.Entry;
 import java.util.Set;
 
 import org.apache.commons.codec.binary.Base64;
-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.client.GCubeSocialNetworking;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.server.DBCassandraAstyanaxImpl;
 import org.gcube.portal.databook.server.DatabookStore;
@@ -41,8 +39,6 @@ import com.google.gwt.user.server.rpc.RemoteServiceServlet;
 public class TopicServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements TopicService {
 	private static final Logger logger = LoggerFactory.getLogger(TopicServiceImpl.class);
 
-	public static final String TEST_USER = "test.user";
-	private static final String TEST_SCOPE = "/gcube/devsec/devVRE";
 	private static final int WINDOW_SIZE_IN_MONTHS = 6; // it must not exceed 12
 	private static final double FRESHNESS_FACTOR = 0.4;
 	private static final double NORMALIZED_SCORE_FACTOR = 0.6;
@@ -66,30 +62,7 @@ public class TopicServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements TopicServi
 	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) {
-			logger.warn("USER IS NULL setting test.user and Running OUTSIDE PORTAL");
-			user = getDevelopmentUser();
-			SessionManager.getInstance().getASLSession(sessionID, user).setScope(TEST_SCOPE);
-		}		
-		return SessionManager.getInstance().getASLSession(sessionID, user);
-	}
 
-	/**
-	 * when packaging test will fail if the user is not set to test.user
-	 * @return .
-	 */
-	public String getDevelopmentUser() {
-		String user = TEST_USER;
-		//		user = "massimiliano.assante";
-		return user;
-	}
 
 	/**
 	 * return trending hashtags
@@ -97,15 +70,8 @@ public class TopicServiceImpl extends RemoteServiceServlet implements TopicServi
 	@Override
 	public HashtagsWrapper getHashtags() {
 
-		ASLSession session = getASLSession();
-		String userName = session.getUsername();
-
-		if (userName.compareTo(TEST_USER) == 0) {
-			logger.debug("Found " + userName + " returning nothing");
-			return null;
-		}
-
-		String currentScope = session.getScope();
+		String userName = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getCurrentUser(getThreadLocalRequest()).getUsername();
+		String currentScope = PortalContext.getConfiguration().getCurrentScope(getThreadLocalRequest());
 		boolean isInfrastructure = isInfrastructureScope(currentScope);
 
 		// get the reference time 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/portlet/TopicsPortlet.java b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/portlet/TopicsPortlet.java
index c648107..db7ec17 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/portlet/TopicsPortlet.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/server/portlet/TopicsPortlet.java
@@ -10,12 +10,9 @@ import javax.portlet.PortletRequestDispatcher;
 import javax.portlet.RenderRequest;
 import javax.portlet.RenderResponse;
 
-import org.gcube.portal.custom.scopemanager.scopehelper.ScopeHelper;
-
 public class TopicsPortlet  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/Topics_view.jsp");
 	    dispatcher.include(request, response);		
 	}
diff --git a/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/test/TestForDeploy.java b/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/test/TestForDeploy.java
deleted file mode 100644
index 9749c88..0000000
--- a/src/test/java/org/gcube/portlets/user/topics/test/TestForDeploy.java
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,19 +0,0 @@
-package org.gcube.portlets.user.topics.test;
-
-import static org.junit.Assert.*;
-
-import org.gcube.portlets.user.topics.server.TopicServiceImpl;
-import org.junit.Test;
-
-public class TestForDeploy {
-
-	@Test
-	public void testUserIsTestUser() {
-		TopicServiceImpl serviceImpl = new TopicServiceImpl();
-		String username = serviceImpl.getDevelopmentUser();
-		System.out.println("username for deploy is: " + username);
-		assertTrue(username.compareTo(TopicServiceImpl.TEST_USER) == 0);
-		System.out.println("Test OK!");
-	}
-
-}