text: function hideRow() {
  	var notifTable = document.getElementById("notificationsTable");
  	var messageRow = notifTable.getElementsByTagName("tr");
  
  	// loops through the rows and hides the checked input elements
  	for( var i=0; i < messageRow.length; i++ ) {
  		var inputTag = messageRow[i].getElementsByTagName("input");
  		for( var j=0; j < inputTag.length; j++ ) {
  			if( inputTag[j].name == "read" ) {
  				if( inputTag[j].checked ) {
  					messageRow[i].style.display = "none";
  				}
  				break;
  			}
  		}					
  	}
  
  }