without the par below we get an extra <P> when \nextii@ applies in \roster
<..roster in amsppt.sty..>
\let\:roster=\roster
\def\roster{\IgnorePar
\let\roster:par=\par
\def\par{\let\par=\roster:par \par
\def\:tempa{\ifx \:temp\par@ \IgnorePar\leavevmode\IgnorePar\fi}%
\futurelet\:temp\:tempa}%
\:roster \let\ams:tem=\item
\def\item{\IgnorePar\EnditemitemList \ams:tem}%
\a:roster}
\pend:def\endroster{\EnditemitemList\b:roster}
-_-_-
<..roster in amsppt.sty..>+
\pend:def\itembox@{\ifx \EndPicture\:UnDef
\a:itembox@ \therosteritem@ \b:itembox@ \expandafter\:gobbleII\fi}
-_-_-
<..roster in amsppt.sty..>+
\NewConfigure{roster}[4]{\def\:temp{#1#2#3#4}\ifx \:temp\empty
\else \def\a:roster{\ii:conf#1}\def\b:roster{#2}%
\def\a:itembox@{#3}\def\b:itembox@{#4}\fi
\long\def\:temp##1##2##3##4{\def\:temp{##1##2##3##4}\ifx \:temp\empty
\else
\def\ii:conf{\Configure{itemitem}{##1}{##2}{##3}{##4}}\fi}\:temp}
-_-_-
Configure \item and/or \itemitem, provided that at least one of the pars is not empty
<..roster in amsppt.sty..>+
<.itemitem from tex.>
-_-_-
The following is from TeX4ht2.
<..itemitem from tex..>
\ifx \EnditemitemList\:UnDef
<.plain+ itemitem list.>
\fi
-_-_-