[mod_python] mod_python and db connections - architectural advice needed

Hello,

I'm looking for good advice for the architecture of a web (service) 
application.

Using mod_python and psycopg, how do I *keep* a database connection 
while using and disposing of cursors? And how can I integrate the 
session handler with a (user specific) database connection?

I've got my application running, but I create and destroy db 
connections far too often. Is it, for example, good practice to pass 
a cursor into an object that abstracts the db connection details, 
rather than creating the cursor inside that abstraction and 
distroying it after every curs.execute?

I'm looking for references, hints, and especially programming examples.

TIA,
Christoph