<SYSTEM_TASK:>
Solve the following problem using Python, implementing the functions described below, one line at a time
<END_TASK>
<USER_TASK:>
Description:
 def flush(self):
 """Synchronizes data to the underlying database file."""

        if self.flag[0] != 'r':
            with self.write_mutex:
                if hasattr(self.db, 'sync'):
                    self.db.sync()
                else:
                    # fall-back, close and re-open, needed for ndbm
                    flag = self.flag
                    if flag[0] == 'n':
                        flag = 'c' + flag[1:]  # don't clobber an existing database
                    self.db.close()
                    # noinspection PyArgumentList
                    self.db = self.open(self.path, flag, self.mode, **self.open_kwargs)