Slidedown Effect?

[Padgoi]

Ok, I have this script that shows latest posts on my forum that updates using ajax.  I want to add the Slidedown effect to it, but I'm not sure where to implement it.  Can anyone help with this?

 

Here's the php function that I want to add the Slidedown effect to:

function fetch_latest_replies($read_perms)
{
	$latest_replies = '';

	$this->ipsclass->DB->simple_construct(
		array(
			'select'	=> 't.title, t.tid, t.forum_id, t.last_post, t.last_poster_name, t.last_poster_id, t.views, t.posts as replies, m.mgroup',
			'from'		=> 'topics t left join ' . SQL_PREFIX . 'members m on (m.id = t.last_poster_id)',
			'where'		=> 't.forum_id in (' . $read_perms . ')',
			'order'		=> 't.last_post desc',
			'limit'		=> array(0, $this->ipsclass->vars['_inferno_topxstats_show'])
		)
	);
	$this->ipsclass->DB->simple_exec();

	while ($thread = $this->ipsclass->DB->fetch_row())
	{
		$thread['replies']		= $this->ipsclass->do_number_format($thread['replies']);
		$thread['last_post']		= $this->ipsclass->get_date ($thread['last_post'], 'SHORT' );
		$thread['forum']		= $this->ipsclass->txt_truncate($thread['forum_id']);			
		$thread['views']		= $this->ipsclass->do_number_format($thread['views']);
		$thread['title']		= $this->ipsclass->txt_truncate($thread['title'], $this->ipsclass->vars['_inferno_topxstats_titles']);

		$latest_replies .= $this->ipsclass->compiled_templates[$this->skingroup]->inferno_topxstats_latestreply($thread);
	}
	setTimeout( function() { Effect.SlideDown( $latest_replies, { duration: 0.3 } ); });
	return $latest_replies;
}

 

And here's the SlideDown effect instructions:

Add this to top of file:

<script src="ajax/prototype.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

<script src="ajax/scriptaculous.js" type="text/javascript"></script>

 

Then add this line to where you want the effect to go:

setTimeout( function() { Effect.SlideDown( $latest_replies, { duration: 0.3 } ); });

 

But when I put that function right above the return $latest_replies line, I get a php error. 

Can anyone help with this?  Thanks!